Winter
Dec → Feb8 to 10°
nights 0 to 2°
- 9 rainy days · 63 mm
- 7.5 h of sun
When is the best time to visit Nara?
- Jan8°not recommended
- Feb10°fair
- Mar14°recommended
- Apr19°recommended
- May23°fair
- Jun27°not recommended
- Jul30°not recommended
- Aug32°not recommended
- Sep29°fair
- Oct22°recommended
- Nov17°recommended
- Dec10°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Nara, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Sunshine | Rainfall | Rainy days | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 8° | 0° | 7.3 h | 62 mm | 10 d | |
| February | 10° | 1° | 7.6 h | 77 mm | 9 d | |
| March | 14° | 4° | 8.3 h | 134 mm | 13 d | ✓ |
| April | 19° | 9° | 8.5 h | 167 mm | 11 d | ✓ |
| May | 23° | 13° | 9.4 h | 215 mm | 12 d | |
| June | 27° | 18° | 8.6 h | 282 mm | 16 d | |
| July | 30° | 23° | 9.3 h | 281 mm | 17 d | |
| August | 32° | 24° | 10.5 h | 193 mm | 16 d | |
| September | 29° | 21° | 8.5 h | 179 mm | 15 d | |
| October | 22° | 14° | 8 h | 161 mm | 10 d | ✓ |
| November | 17° | 8° | 7.7 h | 100 mm | 7 d | ✓ |
| December | 10° | 2° | 7.5 h | 49 mm | 7 d |
The four seasons in Nara, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Todai-ji) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May14 to 23°
nights 4 to 13°
- 12 rainy days · 172 mm
- 8.7 h of sun
Summer
Jun → Aug27 to 32°
nights 18 to 24°
- 16 rainy days · 252 mm
- 9.5 h of sun
Autumn
Sep → Nov17 to 29°
nights 8 to 21°
- 11 rainy days · 147 mm
- 8.1 h of sun
Book early for March to April and October to November
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Nara, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 14h28 of daylight, in December 9h50, a difference of 4h38.
10h04Jan
10h53Feb
11h52Mar
13h01Apr
13h58May
14h28Jun
14h16Jul
13h27Aug
12h20Sep
11h15Oct
10h18Nov
9h50Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Todai-ji" (34.69°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Nara, month by month
What to see and do
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EventsWakakusa YamayakiJanuaryOmizutoriMarchCherry blossomMarch to AprilShika no TsunokiriOctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Sightseeing & walks: January, February, April, May, October, November, December
- Long days: June, July
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall), not from an opinion.
What's on in Nara, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- JanuaryWakakusa Yamayaki
The slope of Mount Wakakusa goes up in smoke one January evening, after a fireworks display over the city.
- MarchOmizutori
For two weeks in March, monks carry huge torches along the gallery of Todai-ji's Nigatsu-do, raining down embers.
- March to AprilCherry blossom big crowds
The sakura open in late March in Nara Park, where deer wander between the picnic blankets.
- OctoberShika no Tsunokiri
For a few days in October, the stags are rounded up in an enclosure near Kasuga-taisha for the ritual cutting of their antlers.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended8°0° at night
- 62 mm · 10 d
- 7.3 h
Low season, lower prices
February
Fair10°1° at night
- 77 mm · 9 d
- 7.6 h
Low season, lower prices
March
Recommended14°4° at night
- 134 mm · 13 d
- 8.3 h
High season, book early
April
Recommended19°9° at night
- 167 mm · 11 d
- 8.5 h
High season, book early
May
Fair23°13° at night
- 215 mm · 12 d
- 9.4 h
Low season, lower prices
June
Not recommended27°18° at night
- 282 mm · 16 d
- 8.6 h
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended30°23° at night
- 281 mm · 17 d
- 9.3 h
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended32°24° at night
- 193 mm · 16 d
- 10.5 h
Low season, lower prices
September
Fair29°21° at night
- 179 mm · 15 d
- 8.5 h
Low season, lower prices
October
Recommended22°14° at night
- 161 mm · 10 d
- 8 h
Busy, without the crush
November
Recommended17°8° at night
- 100 mm · 7 d
- 7.7 h
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair10°2° at night
- 49 mm · 7 d
- 7.5 h
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Cool: 8 °C at best, 0 °C at night. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (62 mm). Expect 7.3 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Cool: 10 °C at best, 1 °C at night. Expect 9 days of rain in the month (77 mm). Expect 7.6 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Cool: 14 °C at best, 4 °C at night. Expect 13 days of rain in the month (134 mm). Expect 8.3 h of sunshine a day. High season: book early.
April. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 9 °C early in the morning. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (167 mm). Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. High season: book early.
May. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 13 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (215 mm). Plenty of sunshine: 9.4 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. 27 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C at night. A very wet month, 282 mm of rain over 16 days. Expect 8.6 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 30 °C in the afternoon and 23 °C at night. A very wet month, 281 mm of rain over 17 days. Plenty of sunshine: 9.3 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. Real heat: 32 °C at the warmest of the day, 24 °C at night. A very wet month, 193 mm of rain over 16 days. Plenty of sunshine: 10.5 h a day on average. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. 29 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Frequent rain: 179 mm over 15 days. Expect 8.5 h of sunshine a day. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
October. Mild, 22 °C in the afternoon and 14 °C early in the morning. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (161 mm). Expect 8 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
November. Cool: 17 °C at best, 8 °C at night. Rain stays light: 100 mm over 7 days. Expect 7.7 h of sunshine a day. Busy season, without the crush.
December. Cool: 10 °C at best, 2 °C at night. Rain stays light: 49 mm over 7 days. Expect 7.5 h of sunshine a day. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Nara?
March to April and October to November: over these months, recorded highs range from 14 to 22 °C, with 10 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Todai-ji).
Which month should you avoid in Nara?
June: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 282 mm over 16 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Todai-ji).
What is the hottest month in Nara?
August, with 32 °C on average in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Todai-ji).
What is the coldest month in Nara?
January, with 8 °C at best during the day and 0 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Todai-ji).
What is the driest month in Nara?
December: 49 mm over 7 days of rain, against 282 mm in June, the wettest month.
Which month has the most sunshine in Nara?
August, with 10.5 h of sunshine a day on average. Note that this counts clear skies, not the length of the day.
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Nara guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Japan: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Jonashtand / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · Maarten Heerlien from Voorschoten, The Netherlands / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons) · NiAksh Prit / Pexels · Fernando B M / Pexels · 663highland / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons) · Daniel Trotta / Pexels