Kyoto When To Go

Spring cherry blossom festivals draw crowds, while Fall colors lure masses of foliage-seekers (temperatures average 70 degrees). Prices spike again in July and August when, despite the 80-degree heat, many Japanese take advantage of school holidays to vacation here.

Heavy snow and low 40-degree temperatures keep travelers at bay and prices low. The only exception is during the sacred New Year holiday (end of December to early January) when Japanese visitors flood the city, causing prices to spike.

You’ll miss out on Fall leaves and Spring’s sake-soaked cherry-blossom festival, but you’ll have a better chance of scoring a room. While you won’t exactly have Kyoto’s sights to yourself, there are fewer crowds. Temperatures in the mid-70s are common.