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Hakone in May: rain, what to pack and what's on

In May, Hakone gets 326.8 mm of rain on about 13.2 days (JMA, 1991–2020). The JMA does not measure temperature in Hakone.

Updated

326.8 mmprecipitation
13.2 dayswet days

Hakone weather in May

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Hakone rain gauge (855 m above sea level). It records precipitation only.

Precipitation
326.8 mm
Wet days
13.2 days

May is Hakone's 6th wettest month (326.8 mm).

Of our 15 places, Hakone gets the most precipitation in May: 81.5 mm more than Naha.

Rain of 1 mm or more falls on 13.2 days, and 10 mm or more on 7.6 days.

Rain of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 3.7 days, and 50 mm or more on 1.8 days, including 0.5 days with 100 mm or more.

Early, mid and late May

Hakone in May by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
DaysPrecipitation
1–10 May114.4 mm
11–20 May109.4 mm
21–31 May102.9 mm

By ten-day totals, 1–10 May is the wettest (114.4 mm) and 21–31 May the driest (102.9 mm).

Colorful azaleas in full bloom in a Hakone garden, with Lake Ashi and mountains behind
Photo: Hakone 20220508 093158.jpg by Ka23 13 (CC BY-SA 4.0, cropped), via Wikimedia Commons.

Rain gear for Hakone in May

The JMA does not measure temperature in Hakone, so we do not give a clothing level. The JMA's nearest temperature stations are at different heights.

  • An umbrella: rain falls on 13.2 days.

Pack

  • Umbrella

May records in Hakone

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

Wettest May day
298.0 mm on 2 May 2012 (records since 1976)

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 Kanagawa Prefecture were 63.9% full on average (9th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 396,120 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 71.2% in April and 60.2% in June.

What's on in Hakone in May

Events in Hakone in May: dates from each organizer's official page
EventWhenWhere and what
Azalea and Rhododendron Fair at Hotel de Yamaつつじ・しゃくなげフェア（山のホテル）Every May. Azaleas bloom from late April to mid-May and rhododendrons from early to late May.Garden of Hotel de Yama (Yama no Hotel), beside Lake Ashi, Hakone. A fair in the hotel's garden, which holds about 3,000 azaleas (84 varieties) and about 300 rhododendrons (42 varieties). The garden was once the villa of Baron Iwasaki and is open free of charge during the fair. Garden visiting hours are 9:00 to 16:00 (last entry). Admission is free. Official page

Hakone before and after May

Hakone: April, May and June (JMA, 1991–2020)
MonthPrecipitationWet daysDays of 10 mm or more
April321.8 mm (−5.0 mm)12.7 days (−0.5 days)6.8 days (−0.8 days)
May326.8 mm13.2 days7.6 days
June420.4 mm (+93.6 mm)16.2 days (+3.0 days)8.5 days (+0.9 days)

Other places in May

May: Hakone against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
PlacePrecipitationAgainst HakoneWet daysAgainst Hakone
Tokyo139.7 mm−187.1 mm10.1 days−3.1 days
Kyoto151.4 mm−175.4 mm9.7 days−3.5 days
Osaka136.5 mm−190.3 mm9.5 days−3.7 days
Sapporo55.5 mm−271.3 mm8.5 days−4.7 days
OkinawaNaha245.3 mm−81.5 mm11.4 days−1.8 days

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Hakone in May?

Hakone gets 326.8 mm of rain on about 13.2 days in May (JMA, 1991–2020). The JMA does not record temperature in Hakone.

Is Hakone busy in May?

In May 2025, hotels and inns across Kanagawa Prefecture were 63.9% full on average (9th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 396,120 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What events are on in Hakone in May?

Azalea and Rhododendron Fair at Hotel de Yama: Every May. Azaleas bloom from late April to mid-May and rhododendrons from early to late May.

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Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026