Nagasaki weather in May

May in Nagasaki: warm, soaked, with muggy air — fine if you can take 11 rainy days.

Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis

Nagasaki🇯🇵 Japan · Mainland Japan · City78
  1. 65Jan
  2. 66Feb
  3. 72Mar
  4. 80Apr
  5. 78May
  6. 57Jun
  7. 49Jul
  8. 52Aug
  9. 60Sep
  10. 85Oct
  11. 81Nov
  12. 68Dec

#4 of 12 months in Nagasaki · #817 of 1413 destinations to visit in May · comfort 78/100 (tier B)

Days
24°C
Nights
16°C
Wet days
11
Sun
8.7 h
Humidity
81%
Daylight
14 h
Nagasaki, Japan
Photo: jason hu · Pexels

Traveller notes on Nagasaki in May

Notes from nearby Fukuoka (107 km away)

Nagasaki doesn't have its own notes for May yet — these are about Fukuoka, close enough to share the season.

May in Fukuoka is the last month before the rains: Kyushu's tsuyu usually begins around 7 to 10 June, so May sits outside it and regulars call it the nicest season of the year. That does not mean dry - our row carries 172.2mm across 11.4 precipitation days - and their description of the rhythm is three days of sun then a day or two of rain. It is also warm and, this far south, humid enough that you will sweat. The packing list they give runs the whole range: short sleeves, long sleeves, a light jacket, a rain parka, waterproof shoes and a folding umbrella. Mid-May to early June is the window. The record: 24.6C days that feel like 26C, 16.4C nights, humidity 79 percent and 8.8 hours of sun.
BeforeTheSeventhOfJune · May · 1 month ago · about Fukuoka · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Other months in Nagasaki

Forum posters consistently rate April as one of the best months to visit Japan, generally warm and springlike, though posters are direct that conditions can still turn variable enough to want a coat on some days, whether from cooler temperatures or rain. Posters describe typical April days as comfortable in shirtsleeves with a light jacket in the daypack for evenings, rather than requiring a heavy winter coat, and note that on a sunny day temperatures can climb into the mid-20sC. Posters discussing Kyushu specifically, where Nagasaki sits, describe the region as reliably warm by late March into April compared with much of the rest of Japan. Posters generally rate April as a comfortable, mild time to visit Nagasaki, with a light jacket the main packing recommendation for cooler mornings and evenings.
Tripadvisor community · April · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗
October is widely rated one of Japan's two best months, and Kyushu — Nagasaki, Fukuoka, Kumamoto, Kagoshima — is the part of the country the forum points at when someone wants October warmth specifically. Nagasaki bears that out: days near 23°C and nights that stay unusually mild at about 18, well above what Honshu offers by then, with the sea still at 25°C. Early October runs warm and late October cools, so a light jacket for the evening covers it. The one risk worth planning around is typhoons, which can deliver a day or two of heavy rain before things return to normal.
Tripadvisor community · October · 1 month ago · Read more on Tripadvisor ↗

Add your own note from Nagasaki's card on the map.

Nagasaki climate normals — May

Daytime high24°C / 76°F🌤 warm
Nighttime low16°C / 61°F
Feels like (high)26°C / 79°F
Sea temperature20°C / 68°F🌊 fresh
Rainfall250 mm / 9.8 in⛈ soaked
Rainy days11 days
Humidity81%💦 very humid
Dew point15°C / 58°F
Sunshine8.7 h/day
Daylight13.8 h
Wind19 km/h / 12 mph
Air quality (US AQI)65🙂 moderate

Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.

Crowds in Nagasaki 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.

Peak crowdsGolden Week, Golden Week in Japan(estimated)

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Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet

Best months for Nagasaki'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 weatherNagasaki's best weather comes in April, October and November — separate windows, not one continuous season.

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Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather

What's on in Nagasaki in May

Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.

  • Rule

    Gunkanjima landings are weather-called

    1 Jan – 31 DecClosures

    Boats to Hashima sail most days but only land when the swell allows, and the call is made at the pier. Winter is when it fails most; leave a spare day if the island is the reason you came. Source ↗

  • Holiday

    Golden Week

    29 Apr – 6 MayCrowdedBook early

    A run of public holidays from 29 April to 5 May when much of Japan travels at once: trains, flights and hotels fill, rates peak and popular sights are crowded. Book well ahead or come the week after. Source ↗

What's on around the world in May →

Nearby, and something's on

Within 300 km of Nagasaki — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.

Where is Nagasaki?

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Nagasaki in May — FAQ

Is May a good time to visit Nagasaki?
May in Nagasaki: warm, soaked, with muggy air — fine if you can take 11 rainy days. It ranks #4 of 12 months for Nagasaki on SeasonMap's comfort score (78/100).
What is the weather like in Nagasaki in May?
In May, Nagasaki averages a daily high of 24.3°C and a low of 16.1°C, with about 249.6 mm of rain over roughly 11.3 rainy days.
What is the air quality in Nagasaki in May?
Nagasaki has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 65 in May.

Within 300 km: Fukuoka's Hakata Dontaku on 3–4 May, and Yakushima's Loggerhead nesting around 10 May – 10 Jul.