Weather in Tokyo in May

May is one of the best months to visit Tokyo in terms of weather. The temperatures are warm but not hot, the days are long, and the humidity that makes other parts of the year so draining is still a month away.

I’ve been to Tokyo in every season across multiple trips and experienced cherry blossom crowds, Summer heat, Autumn leaves, and Tokyo winters. The weather in Tokyo in May makes it one of my favourite times to visit.

Visiting in May has benefits beyond the weather. Golden Week, the string of national holidays between the end of April and early May, is one of the busiest travel periods of the year. However, once it ends, crowds thin out and hotel prices drop.

Most Tokyo weather guides give you a monthly average, and that’s about it. They’ll say things like “an average high of 23°C/73°F, moderate rainfall, mostly pleasant”. Then you show up to find it raining for a couple of days in a row, or you’ve packed for cooler weather, and it hits 29°C by the third day.

The weather information in this article is based on 10 years of observed weather data from central Tokyo (2015 to 2024), but I’ve also included May 2025 data as a recent example of how much a single year can differ from the long-term averages. I’ve included this extra information to show that no two Mays are the same, and that you shouldn’t plan based on only the average weather for a particular month.

Weather Factors	Tokyo May Averages
Avg daily max	23.3°C (74°F)
Avg daily min	14.5°C (58°F)
Monthly rainfall	135.9mm (5.35 in)
Avg sunshine	276.7 hrs (8.9 hrs/day)
Avg humidity	74.2%
UV index avg	6.0 (High)
Day length (May 1)	13 hrs 38min
Day length (May 31)	14 hrs 23min

Click Here to Join our Travel to Tokyo Facebook Group

Temperatures

Daytime highs in May average 23°C (74°F), which is warm enough to comfortably walk around all day without overheating. Nights cool to around 14-15°C (58°F).

May gets warmer as the month goes on. In the first week, highs are typically around 22°C (72°F). By the last week, they are pushing 25-27°C (77-81°F). Nights follow the same pattern. Early May can still drop to 11-12°C (52-54°F), while late May nights rarely go below 17°C (63°F).

The gap between the day’s high and its low is around 8-9°C on average. In May, I’ve been caught out before with a warm afternoon turning into a noticeably cool evening faster than you expect once the sun drops below the buildings. A light jacket that fits in your day bag is worth taking with you, even on days that start sunny and warm.

How to Switch Between Metric and Imperial on the Temperature Charts

In the temperature and feels-like temperature charts below, you can switch between °C and °F by clicking the toggle switch.

What May 2025 Temperatures Were Like

In 2025, temperatures stayed close to normal despite the month being unusually wet and grey. The average high was 22.6°C/73°F, just below the 10-year norm. Overnight lows averaged 15.2°C/60°F, just above average.

There were warm days. May 20 hit 28.6°C (83°F), and seven days broke 25°C/77°F. There were also cold snaps. May 5 dropped to 10.9°C/52°F overnight, which is cold enough to wish you had a jacket.

Temperature-wise, 2025 was a pretty normal May. The rain and lack of sunshine were the main things that stood out compared to the longer-term averages, not the thermometer.

Feels-like temperature and humidity

Feels-like temperature is what the air actually feels like on your skin, not just what the thermometer reads. When humidity is high, sweat doesn’t evaporate as easily, so your body can’t cool itself as well. The air feels warmer than it is.

For most of May, the feels-like and actual temperatures are very similar. With May temperatures, at 74% average humidity, the air feels humid but manageable. After a long day on foot in late May, I’ve noticed the humidity sitting on you in a way that’s not unpleasant but is definitely there. It’s not even close to June through August. But it’s not nothing either.

Late May is where this starts to shift. Humidity averages 71.5% in early May and climbs to 76.5% by the final week. The 10-year average peak feels-like reaches. On warmer late-May days, when the feels-like temperature is in the low 30s°C/mid 80s°F, you start thinking about shade and cold drinks when you move around the city. Not because you have to stop, but because it makes the afternoon more comfortable.

What May 2025 Feels-Like Temperature and Humidity Were Like

In 2025, a warm humid run from 17-21 May pushed the feels-like temperature to 32.5°C (90°F) on 21 May. That’s well outside the typical range. On days like that, the difference between a shaded side street and a sunny open plaza is something you feel pretty quickly. On days like that, you start planning air conditioning breaks into your day.

If you don’t handle heat well, the first half of May is the better choice. The humidity is lower, and the warm days don’t hit as hard.

Rainfall

May sits just before tsuyu, Tokyo’s rainy season, which typically arrives in early to mid-June. The rain in May comes in weather systems that move through over a day or two, then clear. It’s not the relentless grey of June.

The 10-year average rainfall is 135.9mm (5.35 in) across the month. Spread across roughly 10-12 rainy days, that works out to mostly light-to-moderate rain. When a system moves through, you get a wet day or two, then it clears, and you’re back to warm and sunny. A compact umbrella in the day bag handles most of it. Except for the occasional day with heavy rain, the amount of rain in May won’t spoil your plans too much.

To some extent, you can track these rain systems in advance. We all know how much weather forecasts can change, but a 7-10 day forecast before departure gives you enough warning to move flexible plans around the wet days.

How to Switch Between Metric and Imperial on the Rainfall Chart

In the temperature and feels-like temperature charts below, you can switch between mm and inches by clicking the toggle switch.

What May 2025 Rainfall Was Actually Like

May 2025 was a wet month. The total reached 254.5mm, nearly double the average. Most of that came from one event: 80.8mm fell on 2 May alone. The rest of the month was closer to normal.

The 10-year average of 135.9mm is the right number to plan around. May 2025 shows what an unusual year looks like, not what is normal.

Daylight and Sunshine

On 1 May, sunrise is at 4:49 am and sunset at 6:27 pm: 13 hours and 38 minutes of daylight. By 31 May, sunrise has moved to 4:27 am and sunset to 6:50 pm, giving 14 hours and 23 minutes of daylight. The month gains 45 minutes of daylight overall.

By late May, you will have light until nearly 7 pm. After having experienced Tokyo’s short winter days, the shift is noticeable. There is so much more daylight compared to winter, which means you can push a full day of sightseeing further without feeling like you’re racing the clock.

For photographers, the late May golden hour falls around 5:45 to 6:00 pm, making it easy to fit into most trips without rearranging your day. The morning equivalent falls just after 4:30 am. Unless you’re super into photography, most tourists will never see it.

Sunshine hours

A typical May delivers 276.7 hours of sunshine across the month, close to 8.9 hours per day on average. Expect around 12 overcast days and four or five days with clear skies. The rest are a mix of cloud and sun, still good weather for being outside.

On a clear late-May day, the light in Tokyo is sharp, and the city looks its best. I’ve had days in late May where the sky was completely clear, the air was warm without being heavy, and I could spend a full day sightseeing without feeling like I had to slow down because it was too hot and humid. These are the days worth keeping free for your bigger outdoor plans.

What May 2025 Sunshine Was Like

Total sunshine in May 2025 was 206.6 hours, about 75% of the 10-year average, with 20 of 31 days under solid cloud cover and only 1 day with clear skies. May 2025 was one of the greyer Mays on record. Plan around the 10-year average, not that year.

UV index

The 10-year average UV index for May in Tokyo is 6.0, which sits in the High category. On a clear day at solar noon, UV regularly reaches 8-9, which is Very High.

May 2025 averaged 5.0 (Moderate). The heavy cloud that month dragged it down, not a change in the sun’s strength.

For anyone spending a full day outside, particularly on day trips to Nikko, Hakone, or other open areas with less shade, SPF 50+ sunscreen, UV-blocking sunglasses, and a hat are practical, not overcautious. The Japan Meteorological Agency publishes a daily UV forecast for the Kanto region. Check it before days when you know you’ll be outside for long stretches.

How Much Can May Vary?

Long-term averages, like the 10-year averages in this guide, are the best indicators you have for planning, but a single May can look quite different.

2025 is the clearest recent example. Rainfall nearly doubled the average. Sunshine dropped to about three-quarters of normal. Cloud cover averaged 85% across the month. UV dropped with it. What didn’t shift was temperature, which stayed close to normal.

Temperatures in May are roughly similar from one year to the next. Rainfall and sunshine are where the year-to-year swings are sharpest. The UV range across the ten-year period is tight, running from 5.6 to 6.6. Rainfall is where your plans are most likely to be tested.

Bad weather in May rarely lasts more than a couple of days before it clears. A 10-14 day forecast before you leave covers most of what you need to know. Beyond that, a compact umbrella and flexible plans on wet days are enough.

What to Pack for Tokyo in May

Layering is the most useful way to plan for the weather in Tokyo in May. The daily swing between high and low is around 8-9°C. A warm afternoon and a cool evening can feel like different seasons on the same day.

• A light jacket or cardigan for mornings and evenings, particularly in early May. By late May, you’ll rarely need it before noon, but you’ll want it when the sun goes down.
• A compact folding umbrella, not a poncho. May rain tends to arrive in short bursts rather than all-day drizzle, and a folding umbrella fits in a day bag without the bulk.
• Comfortable walking shoes that handle wet pavement. Tokyo involves a lot of walking; wet cobblestones and smooth tiles are slippery.
• Consider SPF 50+ sunscreen and UV-blocking sunglasses, especially on days spent outside the city.
• Light, breathable clothing for daytime. Cotton works well for most of May. If you’re arriving in early May when the nights are still cool, something like a merino wool base layer is worth the space in your bag.

Final Thoughts on the Weather in Tokyo in May

May is right up there among my favourite times to visit Tokyo, weather-wise. The temperatures are warm enough to be outside all day but not hot enough to wear you out. The days are long.

June brings tsuyu, weeks of grey skies and regular rain. July and August are hot and humid, making long days of sightseeing hard work. October and November are also solid months, but the days are shorter, and the cold is coming. April has the cherry blossoms, but it draws large crowds.

The weather isn’t the only reason May works so well for a trip to Tokyo. Golden Week falls at the end of April and runs into early May, bringing some of the biggest domestic crowds of the year. Once it’s over, popular spots are noticeably quieter, and accommodation prices come down.

If the weather matters to your trip, May is one of the best months to go. Pack (or buy) a compact umbrella, keep your plans flexible on wet days, and you’ll have a great time.

Join our Japan Travel Facebook Groups