Travel Weather Fairy⚠️ Busy / closure periodDecember related
New Year holiday period
📅 Late December–early January
Some shops close for several days or reduce opening hours, while transport and accommodation demand can rise.
Check official source →🇯🇵 Japan · Kyoto
Kyoto Weather in December
WinterIn Kyoto, December averages about 12°C (53°F) during the day and 4°C (39°F) at night, so afternoons generally feel cold while evenings are cold. JMA's 1991–2020 normal records about 7 December days with at least 1 mm of precipitation; the 2016–2025 average monthly rainfall is roughly 45 mm.
Avg high53.4°F 11.9°CAvg low38.9°F 3.8°CRainy-day normal~6.6 daysMonthly rain44.9 mm
🧳 Packing guide
What to wear in Kyoto in December
A practical December packing list for Kyoto starts here: warm layers and a proper jacket or coat are useful, especially after sunset. Heavy rain gear is usually unnecessary, although a small umbrella is an easy backup.
Travel takeaway: The month can be a practical time to visit when your packing matches the daytime-to-evening temperature change.
🗓️ Travel timing at a glance
Kyoto: 12-month travel weather
Kyoto has four distinct seasons, a wetter early-summer period and hot, humid midsummer weather. Typhoon impacts are possible in late summer.
JanWinterFebWinterMarEarly springAprSpringMaySpringJunRainy seasonJulRainy season · SummerAugMidsummer · Typhoon riskSepLate summer · Typhoon riskOctAutumnNovLate autumnDecWinter
Monthly labels summarize typical climate patterns for trip planning. Always check the latest forecast and tropical-storm alerts before departure.
🎉 Trip planning check
Kyoto 2026 events & busy periods
Check major events, holidays and periods that may affect crowds, transport or opening hours.
🎊 Featured event
Gion Matsuri
📅 Jul 1–31 · processions Jul 17 & 24
Kyoto’s major summer festival runs through July, with especially large crowds around the Yamahoko float processions.
Check official source →Event dates, holiday schedules and opening hours can change. Recheck the linked official tourism or government source before departure.
Kyoto in December · recent 3 years
Compare the same month across 2025, 2024 and 2023 using JMA station monthly observations.
2025
Avg high 12.9°CAvg low 4.2°CMonthly rain 57.5 mm
2024
Avg high 11.8°CAvg low 3.5°CMonthly rain 7.5 mm
2023
Avg high 13.1°CAvg low 4.3°CMonthly rain 26.0 mm
Recent 3-year summaries use JMA monthly mean daily maximum/minimum temperature and monthly precipitation. Daily calendar detail is not shown for Kyoto in this release.
✈️ Traveling soon?
Current Kyoto weather and 7-day forecast
When departure is close, the latest forecast matters more than long-term averages.
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Forecast data: MET Norway · CC BY 4.0 · cached by Travel Weather Fairy
💱 Quick currency check
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Kyoto weather in other months
Switch months to compare the seasonal pattern.