Nara in May: weather, what to wear and events

Nara weather in May

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Nara station (102 m above sea level).

High: 24.9°C (77°F)
Low: 13.9°C (57°F)
Precipitation: 138.5 mm
Wet days: 10.0 days
Sunshine: 188 hours

Highs rise 5.1°C from April and climb another 3.2°C into June.

That is 4.0°C above Nara's yearly average high of 20.9°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Nara is the 4th warmest in May: level with Osaka and 0.3°C warmer than Nagoya.

May is Nara's 4th wettest month (138.5 mm).

Of our 15 places, Nara has the 8th highest precipitation in May: 1.2 mm less than Tokyo and 0.5 mm more than Kanazawa.

Rain of 1 mm or more falls on 10.0 days, and 10 mm or more on 4.2 days.

Rain of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 1.4 days, and 50 mm or more on 0.5 days.

1.9 days reach 30°C or more.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 17.4 days, and 4.0 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

On 15 May 2027 the sun rises at 4:54 and sets at 18:52 in Nara, giving 13 hours 58 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 19.0°C (66°F)
Humidity: 63%
Days of 25°C or more: 16.6 days

Early, mid and late May

Nara in May by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 May	24.1°C	12.7°C	37.1 mm
11–20 May	24.6°C	13.5°C	55.8 mm
21–31 May	26.1°C	15.4°C	45.6 mm

By the last ten days of May the average high in Nara is 2.0°C higher than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 11–20 May is the wettest (55.8 mm) and 1–10 May the driest (37.1 mm).

What to wear in Nara in May

Mild: highs around 24.9°C

Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan.
Layers you can take off: afternoons are 11.0°C warmer than early mornings on average.
An umbrella: rain falls on 10.0 days.

Pack

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 Nara

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

Hottest May day: 33.6°C (92°F) on 25 May 2019 (records since 1953)
Coldest May night: 1.4°C (35°F) on 1 May 1965 (records since 1953)
Wettest May day: 112.5 mm on 12 May 1995 (records since 1953)

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 Nara Prefecture were 59.1% full on average (the busiest month of the year). Foreign guests spent 54,260 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 58.2% in April and 51.0% in June.

What's on in Nara in May

Events in Nara in May: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Takigi Onoh at Kofuku-ji薪御能（興福寺）	The third Friday and Saturday of May	Site of the Nandaimon (Great South Gate), Kofuku-ji, Nara. Noh performed in a form close to the old style by the four Noh schools: Kanze, Komparu, Hosho and Kongo. Official page
Chukoki Bonmo-e and Uchiwa-maki (Fan Scattering) at Toshodai-ji唐招提寺中興忌梵網会・うちわまき	Every year on 19 May; the fan scattering starts at 15:00	Toshodai-ji, Nara; the fans are thrown from the Shari-den (drum tower). After the Chukoki Bonmo-e service for the priest Kakujo, several hundred heart-shaped fans are thrown from the drum tower. The temple says that receiving a fan is believed to ward off illness and evil. Entry tickets for the fan scattering, or substitute lottery tickets, are handed out on the day. Official page
Memorial Service for Emperor Shomu at Todai-ji東大寺聖武天皇祭	Every year on 2 May	Todai-ji, Nara: the Tenno-den, the Great Buddha Hall and the stage at Kagami-ike pond. A debate service starts at 8:00 at the Tenno-den. From about 13:00 priests and children walk in procession to the Great Buddha Hall, where the memorial service is held. Bugaku dance is offered at Kagami-ike pond from 13:30 and Noh from about 15:00. The Tenno-den can be worshipped from outside, free of charge, during the service until 11:30 and until 14:00 afterwards; the page says it can be visited only on this day each year. Official page

Nara before and after May

Nara: April, May and June (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
April	19.8°C (−5.1°C)	8.7°C (−5.2°C)	98.9 mm (−39.6 mm)	9.6 days (−0.4 days)
May	24.9°C	13.9°C	138.5 mm	10.0 days
June	28.1°C (+3.2°C)	18.4°C (+4.5°C)	184.1 mm (+45.6 mm)	11.7 days (+1.7 days)

Other places in May

May: Nara against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Nara	Wet days	Against Nara
Tokyo	23.6°C	−1.3°C	10.1 days	+0.1 days
Kyoto	25.1°C	+0.2°C	9.7 days	−0.3 days
Osaka	24.9°C	same	9.5 days	−0.5 days
Sapporo	17.9°C	−7.0°C	8.5 days	−1.5 days
OkinawaNaha	27.0°C	+2.1°C	11.4 days	+1.4 days

All 15 places in May

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Nara in May?

The average high is 24.9°C (77°F) and the average low 13.9°C (57°F). 138.5 mm of rain falls on about 10.0 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Nara in May?

Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan. Layers you can take off: afternoons are 11.0°C warmer than early mornings on average. An umbrella: rain falls on 10.0 days.

Is Nara busy in May?

In May 2025, hotels and inns across Nara Prefecture were 59.1% full on average (the busiest month of the year). Foreign guests spent 54,260 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for May in Nara?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Nara in May is 33.6°C (92°F), on 25 May 2019. The lowest is 1.4°C (35°F), on 1 May 1965.

What events are on in Nara in May?

Takigi Onoh at Kofuku-ji: The third Friday and Saturday of May. Chukoki Bonmo-e and Uchiwa-maki (Fan Scattering) at Toshodai-ji: Every year on 19 May; the fan scattering starts at 15:00. Memorial Service for Emperor Shomu at Todai-ji: Every year on 2 May.

Related items

Sources for this page

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Nara (奈良), month by month (平年値年・月ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Nara (奈良), rain days, temperature days and snow (詳細)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Nara (奈良) (平年値旬ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Records for May: Nara (奈良) (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
Kofuku-ji Takigi Onoh at Kofuku-ji (薪御能（興福寺）)checked October 2, 2026
Toshodai-ji Chukoki Bonmo-e and Uchiwa-maki (Fan Scattering) at Toshodai-ji (唐招提寺中興忌梵網会・うちわまき)checked October 2, 2026
Todai-ji Memorial Service for Emperor Shomu at Todai-ji (東大寺聖武天皇祭)checked October 2, 2026

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