Japan in May

May is one of Japan's best months (rank 2 of 12): its 32 destinations average 74/100, led by Kanazawa at 88 — 23°C and 12 rainy days — while Ishigaki is warmer at 33°C and scores 76.

#2 of 12 months for Japan · 32 destinations · updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

🇯🇵 Japan, month by month

74/100 in May

Where in Japan in May

#	Place	Type	Feels-like high	Rain	Comfort	At its best
1	Kanazawa	City	23°C	134 mm · 12 days	88 tier A	Yes
2	Sendai	City	22°C	110 mm · 12 days	87 tier A	Yes
3	Hiroshima	City	26°C	148 mm · 10 days	86 tier A	Yes
4	Nagano	City	24°C	149 mm · 15 days	86 tier A	Yes
5	Kobe	City	25°C	175 mm · 11 days	85 tier A	Yes
6	Kyoto	City	27°C	167 mm · 12 days	85 tier A	Yes
7	Nagoya	City	26°C	166 mm · 11 days	85 tier A	Yes
8	Nara	City	27°C	154 mm · 11 days	85 tier A	Yes
9	Tokyo	City	24°C	128 mm · 12 days	85 tier A	Yes
10	Fujikawaguchiko	Trekking hub	22°C	180 mm · 14 days	84 tier A	Yes
11	Matsumoto	City	25°C	175 mm · 13 days	84 tier A	Yes
12	Sapporo	City	18°C	88 mm · 12 days	84 tier A	Yes
13	Kamakura	City	24°C	140 mm · 12 days	83 tier A	Yes
14	Takayama	City	23°C	178 mm · 14 days	83 tier A	Yes
15	Yokohama	City	24°C	137 mm · 11 days	83 tier A	Yes
16	Beppu	City	26°C	162 mm · 12 days	82 tier A	—
17	Fukuoka	City	26°C	172 mm · 11 days	82 tier A	Yes
18	Osaka	City	26°C	165 mm · 11 days	82 tier A	Yes
19	Karuizawa	City	19°C	145 mm · 16 days	79 tier B	Yes
20	Nikko	City	20°C	181 mm · 17 days	79 tier B	Yes
21	Nagasaki	City	26°C	250 mm · 11 days	78 tier B	—
22	Kumamoto	City	28°C	220 mm · 13 days	77 tier B	—
23	Hakone	City	18°C	204 mm · 15 days	76 tier B	Yes
24	Ishigaki	Island	33°C	203 mm · 16 days	76 tier B	—
25	Miyakojima	Island	32°C	227 mm · 16 days	74 tier B	—
26	Kagoshima	City	27°C	264 mm · 13 days	72 tier B	—
27	Okinawa	Beach	29°C	251 mm · 14 days	72 tier B	—
28	Yakushima	National park	16°C	291 mm · 16 days	68 tier C	—
29	Furano	Ski resort	16°C	97 mm · 14 days	22 tier F	—
30	Hakuba	Ski resort	22°C	227 mm · 18 days	22 tier F	—
31	Nozawa Onsen	Ski resort	21°C	153 mm · 16 days	22 tier F	—
32	Niseko	Ski resort	18°C	84 mm · 12 days	20 tier F	—

Comfort is SeasonMap's 0–100 score; each place is judged through the lens that suits it — beaches on beach weather, ski resorts on snow. "At its best" means May is one of that place's own top three months. Feels-like highs fold in humidity, wind and sun.

What's on in Japan in May

Golden Week · Kanazawa and 27 more places · 29 Apr – 5 May
Aoi Matsuri · Kyoto · 15 May
Sanja Matsuri · Tokyo · 15–17 May
Fuji Shibazakura Festival · Fujikawaguchiko · 11 Apr – 25 May (usually)
Cherry and plum blossom · Sapporo · 28 Apr – 15 May (usually)
Hakata Dontaku · Fukuoka · 3–4 May
Toshogu Grand Spring Festival · Nikko · 17–18 May
Sea turtle nesting · Okinawa · 1 May – 31 Aug (usually)

Seasons in force

Monsoon · 5 places Ski season · 4 places Off-season shutdown · 3 places Dust season · 2 places Sea warm enough · 2 places Trail season · 2 places Volcanic activity · 1 place

Peak crowds at 15 of Japan's 21 well-known places this month.

Better months for Japan

April · 75/100 November · 74/100 March · 71/100 Weakest: July · 54/100

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