Kyoto in May
May is a good month to visit Kyoto. After Golden Week ends in the first week, mid and late May are a sleeper pick: fresh green temple gardens, long days, and the Aoi Matsuri procession.
Weather
Warm and green, highs near 76F (24C)
Crowds
Prices
What's on in May
Late April into the first week of May
Golden Week. Japan's biggest holiday cluster floods Kyoto with domestic travelers. Trains and hotels sell out well in advance.
Mid May
Aoi Matsuri. One of Kyoto's three great festivals: a Heian-era costume procession from the Imperial Palace to the Kamo shrines.
Things to do in Kyoto
- 1
Fushimi Inari Taisha. The thousand-gate mountain shrine, open 24 hours. Go at dawn or after dinner; by mid morning the lower gates are a slow-moving line. official site ↗
- 2
Kinkaku-ji (Golden Pavilion). Gleaming above its pond and busy all day. Arrive at opening or in the last hour for the calmest light. official site ↗
- 3
Arashiyama bamboo grove and river. The bamboo path is short and mobbed by 9am. Come very early, then give the rest of the day to the riverside, monkey park, and Okochi Sanso garden.
- 4
Kiyomizu-dera and the Higashiyama lanes. The hillside temple's veranda view is the classic Kyoto panorama. The preserved streets below (Sannenzaka, Ninenzaka) are best before the shops open. official site ↗
- 5
Gion at dusk. Lantern-lit Hanamikoji street and the Shirakawa canal. Be respectful: photographing geiko and maiko on private lanes is restricted.
- 6
Nishiki Market. Five blocks of food stalls, pickles, knives, and skewers. Go hungry, midmorning, before the afternoon crush. official site ↗
- 7
Ryoan-ji rock garden. The most famous Zen garden on Earth. Fifteen stones, raked gravel, and a silence worth arriving early for.
- 8
Day trip to Nara. Bowing deer, the Todai-ji Great Buddha, and lantern-lined paths, 45 minutes away. An easy, kid-delighting day.
Beat the crowds
- →Kyoto rewards early risers more than any city in Asia: Fushimi Inari at 6:30am and the bamboo grove at 7am are transcendent, and both are shoulder to shoulder by 10.
- →In blossom and maple season, hit the famous gardens at opening, then spend afternoons at second-tier temples (Shoren-in, Honen-in, Daitoku-ji's subtemples) that see a fraction of the traffic.
- →Stay overnight rather than day-tripping from Osaka: the magic hours are before the day-trip waves arrive and after they leave.
Know before you go
- !December 29 through January 3: many restaurants and shops close for the New Year holiday while shrines see their heaviest crowds of the year.
- !Golden Week (late April to early May) and the mid-November maple peak are Kyoto's two sold-out windows: nothing closes, everything fills. Book transport and rooms far ahead or shift your dates.
- !Some temples close irregularly for private ceremonies, and several famous gardens admit visitors only in short spring and fall windows. Check specific temples before anchoring a day to them.
Kyoto in May: quick answers
Is May a good time to visit Kyoto?
May is a good month to visit Kyoto. After Golden Week ends in the first week, mid and late May are a sleeper pick: fresh green temple gardens, long days, and the Aoi Matsuri procession.
What is the weather like in Kyoto in May?
Warm and green, highs near 76F (24C).
Is Kyoto crowded in May?
Kyoto is busy in May, though mornings and late afternoons stay workable.
What is happening in Kyoto in May?
Golden Week (late april into the first week of may); Aoi Matsuri (mid may).