When to go · Kyoto
Kyoto in December
Good month. Cold; many closures Dec 29–Jan 3.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Temperature
- 12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C) / 3°C (37°F)37°F (3°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 8
- Crowds
- Medium
- Japan overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Japan overall
Verdict
Cold; many closures Dec 29–Jan 3.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than December?
December is rated good. These months rate higher:
Weather in December
- KyotoHighs around 12 °C (54 °F), lows around 3 °C (37 °F), rain on about 8 daysHighs around 54 °F (12 °C), lows around 37 °F (3 °C), rain on about 8 days
- Honshū cities, Japan · Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshimacool
Rainy season June to mid-July; humid heat July–August; typhoon risk peaks in September.
Winter season
Quietest temples, rare snow on Kinkaku-ji, New Year shrine visits, special winter openings of closed halls.
Watch: Cold wooden halls; many close 29 Dec–3 Jan.
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year
Dec 31–Jan 3
Huge shrine crowds (Yasaka, Fushimi Inari); many shops and restaurants closed.
Autumn leaves (kōyō)
Mid-Nov – early Dec · Japan
Kyoto temples crowded and hotels at peak prices; night illuminations add evening crowds.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Japan overall
- Medium
- Prices · Japan overall
- Medium
- Room rates · Kyoto
- Normal
- Early December is still leaf season; 28–31 Dec high.
Japan overall: Cold and clear until the New Year shutdown from 29 Dec.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Kyoto, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Good
May: Great (better)
Daytime high
Dec: 12 °C (54 °F)54 °F (12 °C)
May: 25 °C (77 °F)77 °F (25 °C)
Night low
Dec: 3 °C (37 °F)37 °F (3 °C)
May: 14 °C (57 °F)57 °F (14 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 8 (better)
May: 10
Crowds
Dec: Medium
May: Medium
Prices
Dec: Medium
May: Medium
Room prices
Dec: Normal
May: Normal
Festivals listed
Dec: 2
May: 2
December: Cold; many closures Dec 29–Jan 3.
May: Avoid Golden Week (late Apr–early May).
Kyoto: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket