Fukuoka in May: weather, what to wear and events

Fukuoka weather in May

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Fukuoka station (2 m above sea level).

High: 24.4°C (76°F)
Low: 16.1°C (61°F)
Precipitation: 133.7 mm
Wet days: 8.6 days
Sunshine: 204 hours

Highs rise 4.5°C from April and climb another 2.8°C into June.

That is 3.1°C above Fukuoka's yearly average high of 21.3°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Fukuoka is the 6th warmest in May: 0.2°C cooler than Nagoya and level with Hiroshima.

May is Fukuoka's 5th wettest month (133.7 mm).

Of our 15 places, Fukuoka has the 5th lowest precipitation in May: 2.8 mm less than Osaka and 4.9 mm more than Shirakawa-go.

Rain of 1 mm or more falls on 8.6 days, and 10 mm or more on 3.9 days.

Rain of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 1.2 days.

0.9 days reach 30°C or more.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 18.1 days, and 4.3 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

By the JMA's cloud records, 3.0 days are clear and 12.2 are overcast.

On 15 May 2027 the sun rises at 5:18 and sets at 19:12 in Fukuoka, giving 13 hours 54 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 19.9°C (68°F)
Humidity: 67%
Days of 25°C or more: 13.4 days

Early, mid and late May

Fukuoka in May by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 May	23.4°C	15.1°C	45.3 mm
11–20 May	24.2°C	15.9°C	53.6 mm
21–31 May	25.5°C	17.4°C	34.7 mm

By the last ten days of May the average high in Fukuoka is 2.1°C higher than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 11–20 May is the wettest (53.6 mm) and 21–31 May the driest (34.7 mm).

What to wear in Fukuoka in May

Mild: highs around 24.4°C

Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan.
A folding umbrella: rain falls on 8.6 days.

Pack

Folding umbrella

Our clothing rules

Rainy season and typhoons

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

May records in Fukuoka

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

Hottest May day: 32.3°C (90°F) on 25 May 2026 (records since 1890); also on 22 May 1998
Coldest May night: 1.4°C (35°F) on 2 May 1894 (records since 1890); also on 5 May 1893
Wettest May day: 132.0 mm on 14 May 1995 (records since 1890)

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 Fukuoka Prefecture were 72.9% full on average (5th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 817,660 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 73.8% in April and 68.5% in June.

What's on in Fukuoka in May

Events in Fukuoka in May: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Hakata Dontaku Minato Matsuri博多どんたく港まつり	Every year on 3 and 4 May (Golden Week)	Meiji-dori between Gofukumachi and Tenjin (parade), the main stage at Fukuoka City Hall plaza, and about 30 performance stages across the city. About 200 groups and 18,000 participants parade along Meiji-dori and perform on stages around the city. Hakata Matsubayashi, a procession of the three lucky gods on horseback and children (chigo), visits about 180 places on both days. In 2026 the parade ran from 13:00 to 19:00 on 3 May and from 14:00 to 19:00 on 4 May. Vehicles and bicycles were not allowed in the parade area from 12:30 to 19:00 on 3 May and from 13:30 to 19:00 on 4 May. The finale dance, open to anyone, started at 17:50 on 4 May. Official page
Fukuoka Bordeaux Wine Festival福岡ボルドーワイン祭り	Mid-May to mid-June (15 May to 14 June in 2026)	Fureai Hiroba square west of Fukuoka City Hall, Tenjin 1-chome, Chuo-ku. The 10th Fukuoka Bordeaux Wine Festival serves food and Bordeaux wine, including wines from the five top chateaux by the glass, with classical and jazz performances on stage. It was started in 2017 on the 35th anniversary of the sister-city ties between Fukuoka and Bordeaux. Free entry; food and drink are paid. Open 17:00 to 22:00 on weekdays and 12:00 to 22:00 on weekends. Held in rain and cancelled in bad weather. Official page

Fukuoka before and after May

Fukuoka: April, May and June (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
April	19.9°C (−4.5°C)	11.5°C (−4.6°C)	118.2 mm (−15.5 mm)	9.7 days (+1.1 days)
May	24.4°C	16.1°C	133.7 mm	8.6 days
June	27.2°C (+2.8°C)	20.3°C (+4.2°C)	249.6 mm (+115.9 mm)	11.6 days (+3.0 days)

Other places in May

May: Fukuoka against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Fukuoka	Wet days	Against Fukuoka
Tokyo	23.6°C	−0.8°C	10.1 days	+1.5 days
Kyoto	25.1°C	+0.7°C	9.7 days	+1.1 days
Osaka	24.9°C	+0.5°C	9.5 days	+0.9 days
Sapporo	17.9°C	−6.5°C	8.5 days	−0.1 days
OkinawaNaha	27.0°C	+2.6°C	11.4 days	+2.8 days

All 15 places in May

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Fukuoka in May?

The average high is 24.4°C (76°F) and the average low 16.1°C (61°F). 133.7 mm of rain falls on about 8.6 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Fukuoka in May?

Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan. A folding umbrella: rain falls on 8.6 days.

Is Fukuoka busy in May?

In May 2025, hotels and inns across Fukuoka Prefecture were 72.9% full on average (5th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 817,660 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for May in Fukuoka?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Fukuoka in May is 32.3°C (90°F), on 25 May 2026. The lowest is 1.4°C (35°F), on 2 May 1894.

What events are on in Fukuoka in May?

Hakata Dontaku Minato Matsuri: Every year on 3 and 4 May (Golden Week). Fukuoka Bordeaux Wine Festival: Mid-May to mid-June (15 May to 14 June in 2026).

Related items

Sources for this page

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Fukuoka (福岡), month by month (平年値年・月ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Fukuoka (福岡), rain days, temperature days and snow (詳細)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Fukuoka (福岡) (平年値旬ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Records for May: Fukuoka (福岡) (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
Fukuoka City Hakata Dontaku Minato Matsuri (博多どんたく港まつり)checked October 2, 2026
Fukuoka Convention & Visitors Bureau (Yokanavi); organizer: Fukuoka Bordeaux Wine Festival 2026 Executive Committee Fukuoka Bordeaux Wine Festival (福岡ボルドーワイン祭り)checked October 2, 2026

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