Osaka in May: weather, what to wear and events

Osaka weather in May

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Osaka station (23 m above sea level).

High: 24.9°C (77°F)
Low: 16.0°C (61°F)
Precipitation: 136.5 mm
Wet days: 9.5 days
Sunshine: 204 hours

Highs rise 5.0°C from April and climb another 3.1°C into June.

That is 3.6°C above Osaka's yearly average high of 21.3°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Osaka is the 3rd warmest in May: 0.2°C cooler than Kyoto and level with Nara.

May is Osaka's 4th wettest month (136.5 mm).

Of our 15 places, Osaka has the 6th lowest precipitation in May: 1.5 mm less than Kanazawa and 2.8 mm more than Fukuoka.

Rain of 1 mm or more falls on 9.5 days, and 10 mm or more on 4.2 days.

Rain of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 1.4 days.

1.1 days reach 30°C or more.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 18.3 days, and 3.9 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

By the JMA's cloud records, 1.9 days are clear and 13.9 are overcast.

On 15 May 2027 the sun rises at 4:56 and sets at 18:54 in Osaka, giving 13 hours 58 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 20.1°C (68°F)
Humidity: 61%
Days of 25°C or more: 16.1 days

Early, mid and late May

Osaka in May by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 May	23.9°C	14.8°C	37.6 mm
11–20 May	24.5°C	15.6°C	52.9 mm
21–31 May	26.2°C	17.4°C	46.1 mm

By the last ten days of May the average high in Osaka is 2.3°C higher than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 11–20 May is the wettest (52.9 mm) and 1–10 May the driest (37.6 mm).

What to wear in Osaka in May

Mild: highs around 24.9°C

Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan.
A folding umbrella: rain falls on 9.5 days.

Pack

Folding umbrella

Our clothing rules

Rainy season and typhoons

In an average May, 0.1 typhoons come within 300 km of the Kinki region; across Japan, 0.7 come within 300 km (JMA, 1991–2020).

May records in Osaka

The extremes the JMA has measured in May at its Osaka station.

Hottest May day: 32.7°C (91°F) on 22 May 1998 (records since 1883)
Coldest May night: 3.5°C (38°F) on 3 May 1935 (records since 1883)
Wettest May day: 132.1 mm on 5 May 1902 (records since 1883)

Holidays and crowds in May

National holidays in May 2027:

Mon 3 May — Constitution Memorial Day
Tue 4 May — Greenery Day
Wed 5 May — Children's Day

Sat 1 May to Wed 5 May: 5 days off in a row

In May 2025, hotels and inns across Osaka Prefecture were 82.0% full on average (3rd busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 2.32 million nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 81.0% in April and 79.4% in June.

What's on in Osaka in May

Events in Osaka in May: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Nipponbashi Street Festa日本橋ストリートフェスタ	Once a year in mid-May: 17 May in 2026	Nipponbashi shopping district (Den Den Town), Osaka: Sakaisuji street, Otaroad, Street Festa Square (Times Osaka Namba), the 5F plaza and Namba Carnival Mall. Cosplay festival with a cosplay parade (advance application required), a maid and concept-cafe parade, opening stage events and roadside booths. Held in rain and cancelled in severe weather. Free admission, but cosplay and camera participation require a separate fee. In 2026 traffic was regulated on Sakaisuji from 11:00 to 15:30 and on Otaroad from 10:00 to 18:00. Official page
Unohana Shinji at Sumiyoshi Taisha住吉大社卯之葉神事	On the first Rabbit day (hatsu-u no hi) of May, from 13:00	Sumiyoshi Taisha, Osaka (bugaku is offered on the stone stage). A rite marking the founding anniversary of the shrine. Tamagushi offerings made of u-no-ha (deutzia leaves) are presented, and bugaku court dance is offered on the stone stage. The shrine's Unohana garden (about 170 deutzia plants of 13 varieties) is open to the public from early May to the end of May. Official page

Osaka before and after May

Osaka: April, May and June (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
April	19.9°C (−5.0°C)	10.9°C (−5.1°C)	101.9 mm (−34.6 mm)	9.2 days (−0.3 days)
May	24.9°C	16.0°C	136.5 mm	9.5 days
June	28.0°C (+3.1°C)	20.3°C (+4.3°C)	185.1 mm (+48.6 mm)	11.3 days (+1.8 days)

Other places in May

May: Osaka against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Osaka	Wet days	Against Osaka
Tokyo	23.6°C	−1.3°C	10.1 days	+0.6 days
Kyoto	25.1°C	+0.2°C	9.7 days	+0.2 days
Sapporo	17.9°C	−7.0°C	8.5 days	−1.0 days
OkinawaNaha	27.0°C	+2.1°C	11.4 days	+1.9 days
Fukuoka	24.4°C	−0.5°C	8.6 days	−0.9 days

All 15 places in May

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Osaka in May?

The average high is 24.9°C (77°F) and the average low 16.0°C (61°F). 136.5 mm of rain falls on about 9.5 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Osaka in May?

Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan. A folding umbrella: rain falls on 9.5 days.

Is Osaka busy in May?

In May 2025, hotels and inns across Osaka Prefecture were 82.0% full on average (3rd busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 2.32 million nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for May in Osaka?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Osaka in May is 32.7°C (91°F), on 22 May 1998. The lowest is 3.5°C (38°F), on 3 May 1935.

What events are on in Osaka in May?

Nipponbashi Street Festa: Once a year in mid-May: 17 May in 2026. Unohana Shinji at Sumiyoshi Taisha: On the first Rabbit day (hatsu-u no hi) of May, from 13:00.

Related items

Sources for this page

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Osaka (大阪), month by month (平年値年・月ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Osaka (大阪), rain days, temperature days and snow (詳細)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Osaka (大阪) (平年値旬ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Records for May: Osaka (大阪) (観測史上1〜10位の値)checked October 2, 2026
National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) Sunrise and sunset by prefectural capital (各地のこよみ)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Typhoon averages, 1991–2020 (台風の平年値)checked October 2, 2026
Cabinet Office National holidays (国民の祝日について)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Tourism Agency Overnight Travel Statistics Survey, 2025 final figures (宿泊旅行統計調査 2025年年の確定値)checked October 2, 2026
Nipponbashi Street Festa Executive Committee Nipponbashi Street Festa (日本橋ストリートフェスタ)checked October 2, 2026
Sumiyoshi Taisha Unohana Shinji at Sumiyoshi Taisha (住吉大社卯之葉神事)checked October 2, 2026

Osaka in May: weather, what to wear and what's on