SeasonMapKagoshima weather in May
Japan
May in Kagoshima: warm, soaked, with muggy air — fine if you can take 13 rainy days.
#6 of 12 months in Kagoshima · #972 of 1383 destinations to visit in May · comfort 72/100 (tier B)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Kagoshima in May
Other months in Kagoshima
Kagoshima's forum calls Kyushu genuinely warmer than the rest of Japan in October and November, warm early in the month cooling toward the end. Regulars flag October as still within typhoon season, occasionally bringing a day or two of heavy rain before conditions return to normal, and recommend a light jacket for the cooler evenings that develop later in the month.
Add your own note from Kagoshima's card on the map.
Kagoshima climate normals — May
| Daytime high | 26°C / 78°F | 🌤 warm |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | 18°C / 64°F | |
| Feels like (high) | 27°C / 81°F | |
| Sea temperature | 21°C / 70°F | 🌊 fresh |
| Rainfall | 264 mm / 10.4 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 13 days | |
| Humidity | 81% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | 16°C / 61°F | |
| Sunshine | 7.9 h/day | |
| Daylight | 13.8 h | |
| Wind | 15 km/h / 9 mph | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 59 | 🙂 moderate |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Kagoshima in May
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
BusyGolden Week in Japan(estimated)
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Kagoshima's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Fair weatherKagoshima's best weather comes in April, October and November — separate windows, not one continuous season.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Kagoshima in May
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Hazard
Sakurajima ashfall
15 May – 30 Sep · usuallyDust seasonThe volcano across the bay erupts most weeks of the year, but it is in summer that the wind carries the ash over the city. Umbrellas go up on a clear day and the council hands out yellow ash bags. Source ↗
- Season
Tsuyu, the rain season
30 May – 20 Jul · usuallyMonsoonRiskSouthern Kyushu takes the heaviest rainy season in Japan. The warnings that close roads here are about the hillsides rather than the rivers, and they come several times a June.
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Kagoshima — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Kagoshima?
Kagoshima in May — FAQ
- Is May a good time to visit Kagoshima?
- May in Kagoshima: warm, soaked, with muggy air — fine if you can take 13 rainy days. It ranks #6 of 12 months for Kagoshima on SeasonMap's comfort score (72/100).
- What is the weather like in Kagoshima in May?
- In May, Kagoshima averages a daily high of 25.6°C and a low of 17.5°C, with about 263.9 mm of rain over roughly 12.9 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Kagoshima in May?
- Kagoshima has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 59 in May.
Other months in Kagoshima
Compare Kagoshima in May
Warmer or cooler than Kagoshima in May
Similar destinations in East Asia — May
Within 300 km: Yakushima's Loggerhead nesting around 10 May – 10 Jul, and Fukuoka's Hakata Dontaku on 3–4 May.