With cool to mild temperatures, and a little rainfall, it's a great, but busy, time of the year to visit Kyoto. April is Kyoto's cherry blossom season. If you are hoping to catch these beautiful flowers, early April through to the middle of April is absolutely the time to visit
Kyoto's Weather and Climate in April
In April, temperatures in Kyoto start to warm up after winter with an average daily high of 20°C (68°F). This makes exploring Kyoto lovely in April, without being too hot in the middle of the day. Mornings and evenings are still quite cool, but not too cold to deter active exploring.
Kyoto sees moderate rainfall in April, with an average of 11 rainy days, and a total rainfall of around 12 cm (or 5 inches). Humidity levels in Kyoto in April are comfortable at around 59%.
The days start to get longer in April, with approximately 6 hours of sunshine per day. However, due to the chance of moderate rain, you will probably see a day or two with periods of overcast sky, but nothing to put you off traveling to Kyoto in April.
Kyoto Weather in April Summary Table
| Averages | Description | |
| Temperature Range | 9–20°C (48–68°F) | Cool to mild |
| Rainfall | 12 cm (5"), 11 days | Moderate, showery |
| Humidity | 59% | Comfortable |
| High Feels Like | 20°C (68°F) | Mild |
| Sunshine | 6 hours | More sunny than overcast |
Is April a Good Time to Visit Kyoto?
April is a great time of the year to visit Kyoto, with plenty of activities, shrine festivals, and local celebrations going on alongside the biggest draw in April: the cherry blossoms. On top of that, the mild spring weather with only moderate rainfall is not too hot and not too cold.
The only thing to bear in mind is that Kyoto is very busy in April as a result of the cherry blossom season. The season only lasts for the first two or three weeks in April, and visitors come from all over the world to enjoy the flowers. Rather than warn against travel to Kyoto in April, because there is no other time of the year you can see the cherry blossoms bloom in this volume, we suggest planning ahead properly.
We recommend planning your stay and trip ahead of time: from booking your tour, picking and reserving your accommodation, and booking flights months in advance, and ensuring that you are prepared to have to deal with the occasional crowd.
At Asia Highlights, we do our best to ensure that you see the cherry blossoms with as few crowds as possible by picking the best spots and avoiding the busiest times of the day, but unfortunately the crowds aren't completely avoidable, as many people want to enjoy the incredibly charming sight.
Top Places and Activities in Kyoto in April
1. Admire (and Photograph) the Cherry Blossoms at Beautiful Popular Locations
The most common reason for travel to Kyoto in April is undoubtedly the cherry blossoms. On average, these flowers blossom between March 24 and April 2, which is also the expected time frame in 2025, although due to weather conditions the dates differ slightly each year, and the blooms do linger into April. It is important to note that the season usually only lasts for around 2 weeks.
There are various spots with cherry blossom trees, or sakura, all over Kyoto and surrounding areas, and there are lots of places to enjoy them. Some best places include: Philosopher's Path, Heian Shrine, Nijo Castle.
For more information about visiting Kyoto during cherry blossom season, and some other recommended spots, check out our piece about visiting Kyoto during cherry blossom season in 2025.
2. Enjoy a Sakura Festival, or Oka-sai, at Hirano Shrine
With the blossoming of the cherry trees and the spring come lots of ceremonies throughout Kyoto. One of which is the Oka-sai. The Oka-sai, or sakura festival, takes place at Hirano Shrine every April 10th at 10 am. The ceremony has taken place since the year 985, making it the oldest Kyoto festival.
Oka-sai includes priests in traditional outfits, and men dressed up as samurai warriors riding on horses. Local snacks and gifts are sold at stalls, and the celebrations continue throughout the day in the surrounding area with a procession. You'll also be able to see women in historical kimonos, and enjoy the cherry blossoms in the garden; there are around 400 trees of 50 species.
3. Watch a Mibu Kyogen, or Silent Play, at Mibudera Temple
Originally set up as a play to spread the teachings of, and create interest in, Buddhism, the Mibu Kyogen is a popular, traditional folk art. The theatrical performance is silent, and held between 1 pm and 5.30 pm daily between April 29 and May 5 in 2025.
We suggest checking these shows out at the beautiful Mibudera Temple. This temple was originally founded in 991, and is also worth a visit just for the temple itself. Some of the main parts had to be rebuilt after a fire in 1962.
4. Visit Imamiya Shrine for the Annual Yasurai Festival for Good Health
Every year in mid-April, Kyoto's Imamiya Shrine holds the Yasurai Festival to pray for good health and the prevention of illness. The festival starts at 12pm, with a procession from Konen-ji, a smaller nearby temple, towards the Imamiya Shrine via the local neighborhoods.
There is music with drummers, dancing, and lots of beautiful traditional costumes and effigies, with people from around the city and neighborhood attending the Yasurai Festival.
The date for 2025 is yet to be confirmed, but if you are interested let us know, and our team of Japan experts can arrange for your tour to include a visit to this festival, and can make sure your visit also coincides with the Yasurai festivities.
What to Wear in Kyoto in April
April in Kyoto is cool to mild, so we recommend bringing a couple of layers to ensure that you can be comfortable both in the cooler mornings and evenings and in the milder middle of the day.
We suggest bringing a coat, and packing an additional sweater or a jumper underneath that you can put on underneath. A waterproof layer is also not a bad idea if you happen upon a rainy day, or bringing an umbrella will also suffice as it shouldn't rain too heavily for too long.
Apart from that, we recommend supportive footwear, sunglasses for when the sun comes out, and packing your camera with charged batteries for those famous cherry blossom shots.
Kyoto in April FAQs
Is it still cold in Kyoto in April?
April isn't cold in Kyoto. The temperature in Kyoto in April is cool to mild on average, and a light coat is generally enough, particularly during the daytime. Average temperatures range between 9–20°C (48–68°F).
Does it snow in Kyoto in April?
While snow in Kyoto in April has not been recorded in recent years, it is not impossible. In general, snowfall occurs between December and March, but not a huge amount of falls in Kyoto most years.
Recommended Tours for Kyoto in April
Asia Highlights experts have tried and tested a variety of different tours for visitors looking to check out Kyoto and Japan, all of which are also suitable for visitors in April. We recommend checking out the following itineraries to start with:
- 10-Day Japan Cherry Blossom Spring 2025 Mini Group Tour
- 12-Day Classic Japan Tour
- 2-Week Japan Private Family Vacation
Our tours are all customizable. That means that if your family has different requirements, or there are cities or spots other than those listed on those tours that you would like to visit, that is all possible. We would love to arrange a once-in-a-lifetime experience in Kyoto and beyond for you. Contact us for more information.
Kyoto Weather Info by Month
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