Season guide · Kyoto · Japan
Kyoto in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: osakaosaka, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
Cold and quiet, with low prices, occasional snow on the temples and New Year rituals at shrines. Expect highs up to 12°C (54°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 22 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 1°C (34°F) to 12°C (54°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 22
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9°C (48°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 7 | 10 h | 2/5 |
| February | 10°C (50°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 8 | 10.9 h | 2/5 |
| December | 12°C (54°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 7 | 9.8 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 10°C (50°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 22 of the year's roughly 113 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Hatsumode — New Year shrine visits, busiest at Fushimi Inari and Yasaka (1–3 January)
- January: Toka Ebisu festival at Ebisu Shrine near Gion (around 8–12 January)
- February: Setsubun bean-throwing ceremonies at Yoshida and Yasaka shrines (2 or 3 February)
- February: Plum blossom at Kitano Tenmangu (late February to March)
- December: Joya no Kane — temple bells rung 108 times on New Year's Eve at Chion-in and other temples (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Religious site · Higashiyama
Sanjusangen-do
Look for a face that resembles someone you know; tradition says you can find one among the statues.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
Religious site · Gion
Kennin-ji
Kyoto's oldest Zen temple, founded in 1202, sits just south of Gion's teahouses.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- History
- Art
- Rainy day
- Off the beaten path
Museum · Kyoto Station area
Kyoto Railway Museum
Check the steam-train ride schedule on arrival, and book simulators early on school holidays.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
Museum · Higashiyama
Kyoto National Museum
Opposite Sanjusangen-do, the Kyoto National Museum shows Buddhist sculpture, painting, calligraphy and ceramics from Kyoto's temples in the modern Heisei Chishinkan wing, beside a red-brick Meiji-era hall and garden.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Market · Downtown Kawaramachi
Nishiki Market
Eat at or beside the stall where you buy; the market asks visitors not to eat while walking.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
- Iconic
Day trips in winter
- Osaka (About 15–45 minutes by train) — Kyoto's brash neighbour is a food city of street stalls in Dotonbori, with Osaka Castle, the Kuromon market and Universal Studios Japan.
- Himeji Castle (About 1 hour by shinkansen) — Japan's finest original castle, a white UNESCO-listed keep from the early 17th century, stands a 15-minute walk from Himeji Station.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Kyoto?
It is a trade-off: Cold and quiet, with low prices, occasional snow on the temples and New Year rituals at shrines. The best months overall are March–May and October–November.
+What is the weather like in Kyoto in winter?
Highs of up to 12°C (54°F) and lows around 1°C (34°F), with about 22 rainy days over the season.