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Early March here falls between the two busiest periods of the Japanese year, so regulars describe crowds noticeably thinner than at new year or blossom time while adding the necessary caveat that this city is never actually uncrowded. What is out is the plum, with the early cherries starting in some gardens - the blossom proper is still weeks away. Dress for cool rather than spring: they give roughly 4 to 16C and our row reads 15.3C days over 4.7C nights that feel like 2C, with 117.7mm across 11.3 days and a trace of snow. Mid-March can be cold and windy. The record: humidity 74 percent, 8.2 hours of sun and AQI 56.

Cherry blossom is a one-week lottery in early April and the rest of the month is genuinely lovely and half as crowded. Rain showers come through; the Philosopher's Path under wet petals is better than the postcard anyway.

Kyoto's forum regulars describe May as the dry-season sweet spot — hot enough in the sun walking between temples that a light jacket only comes out after dark. The one thing to plan around: Golden Week at the very start of the month, when transit and the big sights both get crowded.

Regulars are specific the rainy season typically starts around June 10th and runs into mid-July, with early June noticeably cooler and drier than the humid, overcast stretch that follows - and even once it starts, it doesn't rain every single day. Our row backs the hot, genuinely wet read for the month overall, 28.7C reading as a muggy 31C, over 19.4C nights, with a heavy 212.9mm of rain across 14.5 days and humidity climbing to 81 percent. Regulars call the rain itself often more drizzle or mist than a heavy downpour, manageable with an umbrella, and specifically note it thins the usual crowds at packed sites - a real upside for anyone visiting anyway. Dry socks and shoes are the standard extra packing tip. The record: 8.7 hours of sun, a 12.8 kph wind and AQI 64.

Kyoto forum regulars rate October among Japan's best months — not too hot and not too cold — though “come mid-October, locals start wearing sweaters, jackets and light coats,” so a light jacket earns its place even on a mild day. Crowds thin compared to peak season, though school field trip groups are a genuine, recurring presence throughout the month. October 22nd brings the Jidai Festival Parade, with roads between the Imperial Palace and Heian Shrine partially closed and some bus routes altered — worth checking before planning that day. The one letdown for anyone chasing colour specifically: October is too early for Autumn Colors, with November delivering the real peak. Our record: 21.3°C days, 13.9°C nights, 11 rain days and 8.1 hours of sun — mild and comfortable, matching the “great weather, early for foliage” read.

Peak momiji is roughly the third week of November, and the score is right that the weather is superb — 15-18°C, dry, clear. It is also the single busiest fortnight of Kyoto's year. Be at Tofuku-ji or Eikan-do at opening or don't bother; the northern temples in Ohara stay sane.

Regulars describe most winter days here as genuinely sunny and good for sightseeing despite the cold, with temperatures sliding from around 10C early in the month down toward 5C by the end - real thermal base layers under a jumper or cardigan are standard advice rather than overkill. Our row backs the descending cold, 11.8C over 3.4C nights feeling 1C, with 56.5mm of rain across 7.3 days and a real 2.1cm of snow, more likely as the month wears on. Regulars are candid that snow around Christmas and New Year does happen some years, though it's not the reliable, expected kind of snow this destination sees later in winter. The trade for the cold is genuinely thin crowds compared with the autumn foliage season. The record: humidity 79 percent, 7.3 hours of sun and AQI 43.