Shirakawa-go in May: weather, what to wear and what's on
In May, Shirakawa-go averages a high of 21.8°C (71°F) and a low of 8.6°C (47°F), with 128.8 mm of rain or snow on about 11.7 days (JMA, 1991–2020). It is Shirakawa-go's driest month.
Mild
Shirakawa-go weather in May
Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Shirakawa station (478 m above sea level).
- High
- 21.8°C (71°F)
- Low
- 8.6°C (47°F)
- Precipitation
- 128.8 mm
- Wet days
- 11.7 days
- Sunshine
- 197 hours
Highs rise 6.2°C from April and climb another 3.1°C into June.
That is 5.3°C above Shirakawa-go's yearly average high of 16.5°C.
Of our 14 places with temperature records, Shirakawa-go is the 4th coldest in May: 0.5°C cooler than Kanazawa and 1.1°C warmer than Nikko.
Of our 15 places, Shirakawa-go has the 4th lowest precipitation in May: 4.9 mm less than Fukuoka and 3.6 mm more than Takayama.
Rain or snow of 1 mm or more falls on 11.7 days, and 10 mm or more on 4.4 days.
Rain or snow of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 1.0 days.
1 cm of snow falls in an average May.
The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 16.9 days, and 6.0 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.
- Average temperature
- 14.9°C (59°F)
- Days of 25°C or more
- 6.9 days
Early, mid and late May
| Days | High | Low | Precipitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 May | 20.8°C | 7.2°C | 41.5 mm |
| 11–20 May | 21.4°C | 8.4°C | 48.1 mm |
| 21–31 May | 23.0°C | 10.2°C | 39.2 mm |
By the last ten days of May the average high in Shirakawa-go is 2.2°C higher than in the first ten.
By ten-day totals, 11–20 May is the wettest (48.1 mm) and 21–31 May the driest (39.2 mm).
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What to wear in Shirakawa-go in May
Mild: highs around 21.8°C
- Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan.
- Layers you can take off: afternoons are 13.2°C warmer than early mornings on average.
- An umbrella: rain or snow falls on 11.7 days.
Pack
- Umbrella
Rainy season and typhoons
In an average May, 0.1 typhoons come within 300 km of the Tokai region; across Japan, 0.7 come within 300 km (JMA, 1991–2020).
May records in Shirakawa-go
The extremes the JMA has measured in May at its Shirakawa station.
- Hottest May day
- 32.1°C (90°F) on 18 May 2026 (records since 1979)
- Coldest May night
- −0.7°C (31°F) on 11 May 1992 (records since 1979)
- Wettest May day
- 123.5 mm on 28 May 2024 (records since 1979); also on 29 May 2011
- Deepest May snow
- 3 cm on 6 May 1993 (records since 1993)
- Most snow in one May day
- 7 cm on 2 May 1993 (records since 1993)
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 Gifu Prefecture were 55.9% full on average (6th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 182,330 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 59.5% in April and 49.5% in June.
What's on in Shirakawa-go in May
| Event | When | Where and what |
|---|---|---|
| Cherry blossoms in Shirakawa-go, including the Ota cherry桜の開花・おおたザクラ | Mid-April to early May; the Ota cherry in early to mid May | Across Shirakawa village; the Ota cherry is in the grounds of Hongaku-ji temple. Cherry trees bloom across the village from mid-April to early May. The Ota cherry is a variety with more than 90 petals and 15 to 20 pistils. Other spring sights on the same page: skunk cabbage at Okubo pond from mid-April to mid-May, and, in mid-May, water-filled paddies before planting that reflect the gassho houses. Official page |
| Shirakawa-go Rice Planting Festival白川郷田植え祭り | Late May | Shirakawa-go (the village calendar does not name the venue). Women dressed as saotome (rice-planting maidens) plant rice by hand while singing rice-planting songs. Official page |
Shirakawa-go before and after May
Other places in May
| Place | High | Against Shirakawa-go | Wet days | Against Shirakawa-go |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo | 23.6°C | +1.8°C | 10.1 days | −1.6 days |
| Kyoto | 25.1°C | +3.3°C | 9.7 days | −2.0 days |
| Osaka | 24.9°C | +3.1°C | 9.5 days | −2.2 days |
| Sapporo | 17.9°C | −3.9°C | 8.5 days | −3.2 days |
| OkinawaNaha | 27.0°C | +5.2°C | 11.4 days | −0.3 days |
Frequently asked questions
What is the weather like in Shirakawa-go in May?
The average high is 21.8°C (71°F) and the average low 8.6°C (47°F). 128.8 mm of rain or snow falls on about 11.7 days (JMA, 1991–2020).
What should I wear in Shirakawa-go in May?
Long sleeves, or a T-shirt with a light jacket or cardigan. Layers you can take off: afternoons are 13.2°C warmer than early mornings on average. An umbrella: rain or snow falls on 11.7 days.
Is Shirakawa-go busy in May?
In May 2025, hotels and inns across Gifu Prefecture were 55.9% full on average (6th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 182,330 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).
What are the record temperatures for May in Shirakawa-go?
The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Shirakawa-go in May is 32.1°C (90°F), on 18 May 2026. The lowest is −0.7°C (31°F), on 11 May 1992.
What events are on in Shirakawa-go in May?
Cherry blossoms in Shirakawa-go, including the Ota cherry: Mid-April to early May; the Ota cherry in early to mid May. Shirakawa-go Rice Planting Festival: Late May.
Related items
Sources for this page
- Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Shirakawa (白川), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Shirakawa (白川), rain days, temperature days and snow (詳細)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Shirakawa (白川) (平年値 旬ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
- Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Records for May: Shirakawa (白川) (観測史上1〜10位の値)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
- Shirakawa Village (official Shirakawa-go tourism pages) Cherry blossoms in Shirakawa-go, including the Ota cherry (桜の開花・おおたザクラ)checked October 2, 2026
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Compiled by Japan Japan !! · Updated October 2, 2026