When Is the Best Time To Visit Kyoto?

So, you’ve decided to visit the former capital of Japan, but when is the best time to visit Kyoto? Known for its historical and cultural significance, there’s plenty to do all year round for tourists and local travelers alike. 

In fact, we have an entire three-day Kyoto itinerary for first-time visitors filled with the best sightseeing spots. From cherry blossoms in the spring to winter illuminations in the colder months, picking the ideal time comes with a lot of pressure! 

That’s exactly why we’ve compiled a guide for enjoying each season in Kyoto, making it easy for you to plan your ideal trip timeline. 

Blooming from late March to early April, viewing cherry blossoms is a classic way to spend spring in Japan. Grab a large blanket and your favorite hanami picnic foods and join the masses as you take in the fluffy pink canopy along the Philosopher’s Path or at Tenryu-ji Temple in Arashiyama. 

Other great places to see cherry blossoms in Kyoto include Maruyama Park near Yasaka-Jinja Shrine, Shinbashi-dori Street in Gion, Kyoto Botanical Gardens and Heian-Jingu Shrine, to name a few! 

Don’t forget to try the sakura-themed foods around this time, such as cherry pies at McDonalds, pink donuts at Mister Donuts, sakura or strawberry mochi and whatever else you can find at the food stalls and konbini convenience store nearby. 

And if you’d like someone else to take the culinary reins, consider joining a cherry blossom food tour in 2025, hosted in Kyoto’s Demachiyanagi area near the gorgeous Mt. Hiei. 

Find out more: Cherry blossoms in Kyoto

Taking place on February 2, 2025, Setsubun is a fun holiday marking the transition from winter to spring. Tracing back to the influx of Buddhism from China during the Heian Period (794-1185), the tradition involves throwing beans at oni, or masked ogres, to ward off evil.

The bean-throwing aspect is inspired by the Muromachi Era (1336-1573) legend of a monk fending off a demon by blinding the creature with roasted beans. 

You can celebrate at home by throwing beans through the doorway and shooing the demons away, eating the amount of beans that corresponds with your age (plus one more for luck!) and eating ehomaki sushi. 

Make sure to eat the entire roll with your eyes shut and in this year’s most auspicious direction for maximum luck! 

For an even more fun way to celebrate, head to a number of local shrines and temples to experience the Setsubun activities, such as seeing geiko (Kyoto geisha) at Yasaka Shrine, witnessing a kyogen play and other performances at Kitano Tenmangu and a reenactment of the spirited bean throwing directed towards ogres at Heian-Jingu Shrine. 

Find out more: How To Celebrate Setsubun: Japan's Bean-Throwing Holiday

Ring in the new season with a seasonal cooking class where you can learn how to make traditional Japanese foods in a relaxed environment.

Our first suggestion is this decorative sushi cooking class. Dress up in a full kimono to make sushi that’s almost too beautiful to eat, designed in timely cherry blossom flower motifs. 

Our next suggestion is a traditional wagashi sweets-making class, where you’ll make kawaii sweets, including chrysanthemum nerikiri — a sweet with eyecatching designs at its core — with the guidance of a trained wagashi craftsperson. 

Take photos of your aesthetic creations and enjoy the fruits of your labor with award-winning tea served tea ceremony style. 

To beat the summer heat, eating cool foods is a staple during the hot and humid Japanese summers. Kakigori shaved ice can be found in shops across the city, while nagashi somen (flowing noodles), zaru soba, and hiyashi chuka are best eaten at specialized noodle restaurants. 

Other summer foods to try in Japan are hiyayakko, or chilled and marinated tofu, goya, or bitter watermelon, reishabu, or the summer version of shabu-shabu, mizu shingen mochi, which famously looks like drops of clear water, but tastes nutty. 

Find out more: Best Japanese Summer Foods

Ranked in the top three festivals of Japan, Gion Matsuri in Kyoto is the festival to celebrate summer with. Taking place throughout the entire month of July, the streets of historical Gion and Higashiyama are taken over by festival-goers. 

Beginning with the grand procession (Yamaboko Junko) of 35 floats on July 17 and ending most evenings with the Yoiyama events, it’s definitely worth checking out at least once if you find yourself in Kyoto during the summer. 

Tanabata, the holiday celebrating the Chinese legend of two star-crossed lovers, is a time for making hopeful wishes. Pay a visit to Kibune Shrine during the cool summer nights from July 1 to August 15 to see the beautiful Tanabata decorations lit up. 

Write your wishes on a strip of paper and tie them to the branches of bamboo for the best chances of them coming true!

Find out more: Best Things To Do in Japan in the Summer

As the summer wraps up, fireworks are a common sight at night. Travel to the seaside city of Miyazu to see the fireworks light up the iconic Amanohashidate sandbar or journey to Ayabe City for more festivities, including the Ayabe Yosokoi Dance, the Buddhist lantern festival and, finally, the fireworks display. 

Explore Kyoto’s fireworks festivals. 

Find out more: Hanabi Matsuri: Firework Festivals in Japan

Although Kyoto is better known for its dream-like cherry blossoms in the springtime, the fall foliage is nothing short of spectacular. With the first fall colors peaking out at the end of October, the best autumn views last from mid-November to mid-December. 

For an early sneak peek, head to Eikando Temple just 30 minutes on foot from Kiyomizu-dera Temple, where the leaves are known to start changing color at the end of October. 

Other popular spots to see the fall colors in Kyoto are Tofukuji Temple, Arashiyama and Bishamon-do Temple.

Find out more: Fall in Kyoto: Enjoy Autumn Colors and Fall Foliage

Jidai Matsuri, held on October 22, features volunteers dressed in historical garb making a two-kilometer, five-hour-long procession that visually represents the whole of Japanese history from the Enryaku Era until the Meiji Era. Those interested in Japanese history, fashion and culture will love this historically-inspired event.

On the same day, young men dressed in loincloths will carry flaming torches through the village of Kurama in the Kurama Fire Festival, making for a fun nighttime activity. 

Aki Matsuri, held at the Tanukidani-san Fudo-in Temple every November, is a highly-anticipated event each year. Welcome fall by writing your wishes on a wooden tablet before it’s thrown into the sacred bonfire by Shugendo monks, ensuring your wishes are granted. 

If you’re missing the Christmas lights back home, have no fear: many of Kyoto’s iconic locations set up elaborate winter illuminations each year, including Naked Inc.’s installation at Heian-Jingu Shrine, Bambio Square Park Illumination, Synesthesia Hills and, of course, the Hanatoro Bridge Illumination at Arashiyama.

Find out more: Winter in Kyoto

Not necessarily a festival, Hatsumode refers to the first shrine visit in the New Year. Expect crowds, but the top three to visit are Heian-Jingu Shrine, Yasaka-Jinja Shrine and Fushimi Inari. Bonus points if you go on New Year’s Eve to hear the bell ring 108 times and cleanse you of your sins! 

Toka Ebisu is another beloved festival held at Ebisu-Jinja Shrine from January 8-12, during which you can pray to Ebisu-san — one of the Seven Lucky Gods — for fortune and prosperity. 

Find out more: Celebrate Oshogatsu with Japanese New Year

Of course, eating comforting foods like nabe, oden, and shabu-shabu is the best way to warm up during the colder months. 

In Kyoto, enjoy local specialties such as yudofu, Nishin soba, hamo conger eel dishes and more. Wash it all down with a soulful cup of matcha for the full Kyoto experience. 

Find out more: Winter Foods and Fruits in Japan

Looking to go beyond Kyoto on your Japan trip? Discover the best time to visit Japan and the best time to visit Tokyo.