May in Tokyo averages highs of 23 °C (74 °F) and lows of 14 °C (58 °F), with about 9 rainy days and 14 h 02 min of daylight.
May weather in Tokyo at a glance
average high to low each dot ≈ 3 rainy days
Is May a good time to visit Tokyo?
Good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain. May is usually shoulder season in Tokyo: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
Our rule: a month scores 2 points for comfortable average highs of 18–28 °C (1 point for 14–18 or 28–32 °C) and 2 points for 5 or fewer rainy days (1 point for 6–10). Average highs above 35 °C or below 8 °C make it a tough month whatever the rain. A rainy day here means 2 mm of rain or more. 4 points = great, 3 = good, 2 = mixed, 0–1 = tough.
Holidays and events in May 2026
- Wed 6 May: Constitution Memorial Day (憲法記念日) public holiday
- Mon 4 May: Greenery Day (みどりの日) public holiday
- Tue 5 May: Children's Day (こどもの日) public holiday
Banks and many shops close on public holidays, and museums may change their hours, so check before you go.
Things to do in Tokyo in May
May's weather suits a mix of outdoor sights and museums, so the open-air ones come first.
- Senso-ji and Asakusa — early morning outdoors
- Shibuya Crossing and Shibuya Sky — dusk outdoors
- Meiji Shrine and Harajuku outdoors
- Shinjuku Gyoen — gardens, great in blossom season outdoors
- teamLab Planets or Borderless — timed tickets indoors
- Tsukiji Outer Market — breakfast indoors
Where to stay: Shinjuku or Shibuya for energy and trains; Asakusa for old Tokyo and value; Ginza for upmarket.
What to pack for Tokyo in May
- Light layers for the day and a jumper for evenings, which cool to 14 °C (58 °F).
- An umbrella or a light waterproof: about 9 days this month see real rain.
- Comfortable walking shoes.
What a day in Tokyo costs
| Budget traveller | Mid-range | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical total per person, per day | €60–130 | €160–330 |
Excluding flights. May is usually shoulder season in Tokyo: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower.
May in nearby cities
| City | High / low | Rainy days | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyoto | 24° / 13° | 10 | Good time to go |
| Bangkok | 34° / 27° | 16 | Tough month |
| Singapore | 30° / 25° | 27 | Tough month |
Want the whole trip planned? Join the Journey waitlist: tell it where, when and your budget, and it plans every day hour by hour.
FAQ
Is May a good time to visit Tokyo?
By the numbers, May is a good time to go: comfortably warm and some rain, with average highs of 23 °C (74 °F) and about 9 rainy days. May is usually shoulder season in Tokyo: fewer crowds than peak months, with prices often a little lower. The best months for weather are April, May.
How warm is Tokyo in May?
Average highs are 23 °C (74 °F) and lows 14 °C (58 °F) (2015–2024 averages).
Does it rain a lot in Tokyo in May?
Expect about 9 days with 2 mm of rain or more, about 136 mm in total. It is the 5th driest month of the year in Tokyo.
Sources: climate averages from Open-Meteo historical weather (ERA5 reanalysis, 2015–2024); sea temperatures from the Open-Meteo marine API (2023–2024); public holidays from Nager.Date. Daylight is calculated for the 15th of the month. Averages are a guide, not a forecast. Costs are typical ranges per person per day, excluding flights.