At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season Mid-to-late November is Kyoto’s second peak window after cherry blossom season. Book hotels and shinkansen seats 3–4 months ahead. Many night illuminations sell timed-entry tickets.
Kyoto in Autumn — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Kyoto in Autumn offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for foliage seekers & couples. Expect temperatures of 14–23°C, around 7–11 days of rain, and very high crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around ¥12,000–20,000 for mid-range travellers. Book accommodation two to three months ahead — the most popular rooms sell out fast during peak visiting windows.
Contents16 sections
#At a Glance
Autumn in Kyoto runs from September to November, and it ends with the city's most famous sight: the maples of its temples turning scarlet and gold, usually at their peak in the centre from late November into early December. The season starts hot and stormy. September is still summer, at about 29°C, and the peak of the typhoon season; October is mild and dry, with two of Kyoto's great festivals, the Jidai Matsuri and the Kurama Fire Festival, both on Friday 22 October 2027; November is cool, clear and the busiest month of the year. The leaves bring crowds to match the cherry blossom, so plan, book early and get up early.
#Weather in Kyoto in Autumn
Kyoto in Autumn averages 14–23°C (57–73°F) with around 7–11 days of rain, and crowds are very high.
| Month | Daytime high | Overnight low | Wet days | Sunset |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| September | About 29°C / 84°F | About 21°C / 70°F | About 11 | 6:24pm on the 1st |
| October | About 23°C / 73°F | About 14°C / 57°F | About 9 | 5:04pm by the 31st |
| November | About 17°C / 63°F | About 8°C / 46°F | About 7 | 4:45pm by the 30th |
Figures are Japan Meteorological Agency 1991–2020 normals for Kyoto.
What that actually means for your trip:
- The season cools by twelve degrees. September is humid and summery, October is the comfortable middle, and late November mornings can be close to freezing in the hills.
- September is typhoon season. A storm can stop trains and close temples for a day; keep plans flexible.
- The days shorten fast. By November the sun sets before 5pm, so the temples' evening illuminations matter.
- Kyoto's basin holds the cold. Late-autumn nights in the city feel colder than the figures, and colder still in the northern hills.
Is autumn a good time to visit Kyoto? Yes; with spring, it is the best season, and November is the most beautiful month of the year. The price is the crowds and the hotel rates in the second half of November. For comfortable weather with fewer people, come in October; for the leaves, come in the last ten days of November, and see the famous gardens at opening time.
#September to November in Kyoto
September is late summer.
The riverside dining platforms, the kawadoko on the Kamo River and in Kibune, close for the year at the end of the month.
The harvest moon falls around 15 September 2027, and temples such as Daikaku-ji hold moon-viewing evenings, with boats on the Osawa Pond.
Respect for the Aged Day, Monday 20 September, and the autumn equinox, Thursday 23 September, are public holidays.
October is festival month.
Sports Day is Monday 11 October.
On Friday 22 October 2027, the Jidai Matsuri procession of costumes from every era of Kyoto's history walks from the Imperial Palace to Heian Shrine in the daytime, and that evening the village of Kurama in the northern hills holds its Fire Festival, with giant torches carried through the streets; see our Jidai Matsuri and Kurama Fire Festival guides. The first colour appears in the northern hills late in the month.
November is the leaf season.
The colour moves down from the hills, Kurama, Kibune and Takao, in early November, to the city temples, Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do, Kiyomizu-dera and Arashiyama, usually in the last ten days of the month and into early December. Many temples open for evening illuminations, and some open gardens that are closed for the rest of the year.
Culture Day, Wednesday 3 November, and Labour Thanksgiving Day, Tuesday 23 November, are public holidays, and the long weekends before them are the busiest days of the autumn.
#What to Do in Kyoto in Autumn
Solo Travellers
Walk the Philosopher's Path from Ginkaku-ji to Eikan-do and Nanzen-ji on an early November morning, then the moss and maples of Sanzen-in in Ohara. In October, the Jidai Matsuri is free to watch from the pavements along the route.
Couples
Book an evening illumination at Kodai-ji or Eikan-do, followed by dinner in Gion or Pontocho.
A night in a ryokan in Arashiyama, with the hills turning red above the river, is the classic autumn splurge.
Families
Ride the Sagano Scenic Railway, the old open-carriage train along the Hozu Gorge, then return by boat down the river; both book up in November.
The Kyoto Railway Museum is a good choice for a rainy September day.
Groups
Take the Eizan train to Kurama and walk over the mountain to Kibune in early November, when the northern hills turn first. On the night of 22 October, the Kurama Fire Festival is an unforgettable night out, if you can face the crowds.
#Getting Around
Most visitors arrive at Kyoto Station, by the JR Haruka express from Kansai airport or the shinkansen from Tokyo. In November, reserve shinkansen seats when you book the hotel; the leaf-season weekends sell out.
In the city, the subway and the private railways are faster than the buses in leaf season: the Keihan line for Tofuku-ji and Gion, the Hankyu and Randen trams and the JR Sagano line for Arashiyama, and the Eizan Railway from Demachiyanagi for Kurama and Kibune. A single bus ride is ¥230; Kyoto plans a higher fare for visitors during fiscal 2027, which runs from April 2027, so check before you buy a pass.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | ¥10,000–15,000 | Hostel or capsule bed, set lunches, trains, two temples |
| Mid-range | ¥24,000–38,000 | Business hotel, restaurant meals, illumination tickets |
| Luxury | ¥90,000+ | Ryokan with kaiseki, private guides |
September and early October are good value; late November is the most expensive time of the year, when hotel rates can double.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| City bus, single ride | ¥230 (visitor fare planned for fiscal 2027) |
| Subway and Bus 1-Day Pass | ¥1,100 |
| Kiyomizu-dera | ¥500 |
| Jidai Matsuri and Kurama Fire Festival | Free |
| Accommodation tax | ¥200–10,000 per person per night, by room rate |
- Book late-November hotels months ahead; the best ryokan sell out by summer.
- Evening illuminations charge their own entry, separate from daytime tickets.
- The accommodation tax is paid on top of the room rate.
#Food & Dining
Autumn is Kyoto's season of plenty: matsutake mushrooms, chestnuts, sweet potato, sanma, the autumn saury, and new-season rice.
The temples of Arashiyama and Nanzen-ji serve yudofu, simmered tofu, which suits the cooler weather. In November, the kaiseki restaurants serve their autumn menus on plates decorated with maple leaves; book them well ahead.
#Nightlife
Kyoto's evenings are quiet: the bars and izakaya of Pontocho, Kiyamachi and Gion, the craft-beer bars around Shijo, and the temple illuminations in November.
The bars along the Kamo River are busy on mild October evenings.
#Shopping
Nishiki Market sells the season's chestnuts, pickles and sweets; the Kobo-san market at To-ji on the 21st of each month and the Tenjin-san market at Kitano Tenmangu on the 25th are the city's great flea markets. Buy autumn wagashi, the seasonal sweets, from a traditional confectioner.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Do not leave the paths in temple gardens, and never pull or pick the maple leaves.
- Photography is restricted in some temples and on some viewpoints in leaf season; follow the signs.
- In Gion, do not photograph or follow geiko and maiko; private lanes there are closed to tourists, with fines.
- Carry your rubbish; there are few public bins.
- Queue in line for buses, trains and temple entrances.
#Essential Local Phrases
| English | Japanese | Sounds like |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | こんにちは | Kon-nee-chee-wa |
| Thank you | ありがとうございます | A-ree-ga-toh go-zai-mas |
| Autumn leaves | 紅葉 | Koh-yoh |
| Beautiful | きれい | Kee-ray |
| Where is the entrance? | 入口はどこですか | Ee-ree-goo-chee wa doh-ko des-ka? |
| One ticket, please | 一枚お願いします | Ee-chee-my o-ne-gai shee-mas |
| Is photography allowed? | 写真を撮ってもいいですか | Sha-sheen o tot-te mo ee des-ka? |
| Excuse me | すみません | Soo-mee-ma-sen |
#Packing List
- Light clothes for September, layers for October
- A warm jacket, scarf and gloves for late November mornings and evenings
- Comfortable shoes that slip off easily for temples
- A compact umbrella for typhoon-season showers
- Socks without holes, for temple floors
- A coin purse for temple fees and small shops
- A portable battery for maps and train apps
#Backup Plans (Rainy Days)
On a wet day, see the Kyoto National Museum, the Kyoto Railway Museum, the covered Nishiki Market, or a tea ceremony or a cooking class.
Rain makes moss gardens such as Gio-ji at their most beautiful; Saiho-ji, the moss temple, admits visitors only by advance reservation.
If a typhoon is forecast: follow the JMA warnings, stay indoors on the day, and expect trains to stop; temples close until it passes.
If the leaves are early or late: go north to Kurama and Takao for the early colour, or stay into early December, when the last gardens are still red.
#Safety & Health
Kyoto is very safe. In September, follow the typhoon warnings and the heat; in November, watch your footing on wet stone steps and in the crowds on narrow temple paths. Keep an eye on bags in packed buses.
Emergency: 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.
#What's New for Autumn 2027
- Jidai Matsuri and the Kurama Fire Festival fall on Friday 22 October 2027
- Respect for the Aged Day is Monday 20 September and Labour Thanksgiving Tuesday 23 November
- Kyoto's visitor bus fare is planned for fiscal 2027
- Kyoto's lodging tax, introduced at its new rates in March 2026, rises with the room price to a ceiling of ¥10,000 a night
- The harvest moon falls around 15 September
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for autumn 2027. Climate figures are Japan Meteorological Agency 1991–2020 normals for Kyoto. Dates and prices verified against:
- Japan Meteorological Agency for climate normals
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan for the 2027 holidays and the harvest moon
- Kyoto City Tourism for the Jidai Matsuri
- Kiyomizu-dera for admission and the evening illumination
- City of Kyoto for the accommodation tax
For each month in detail, see Kyoto in September, Kyoto in October and Kyoto in November.
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is the best time for autumn leaves (koyo) in Kyoto?
In the city centre, usually the last ten days of November into early December, at temples such as Tofuku-ji, Eikan-do and Kiyomizu-dera. The northern hills, Kurama, Kibune and Takao, turn first, in early November. Check the koyo forecasts, which are updated weekly from September.
Is autumn or spring better in Kyoto?
Both are Kyoto at its best, and both are crowded. Autumn is drier and more settled, with the maples in late November; spring has the cherry blossom in late March and early April. October is the quietest good month of either season.
What festivals are on in Kyoto in autumn 2027?
The Jidai Matsuri procession and the Kurama Fire Festival, both on Friday 22 October 2027, temple moon-viewing evenings around 15 September, and evening illuminations at temples such as Kiyomizu-dera, Eikan-do and Kodai-ji in the leaf season.
What should I pack for Kyoto in autumn?
Light clothes and an umbrella for September, layers for October, and a warm coat, scarf and gloves for late November, when nights fall below 8°C. Bring shoes that slip off easily for temples, and socks without holes.
What’s the weather like in Kyoto in Autumn?
Kyoto in Autumn typically sees temperatures of 14–23°C with around 7–11 days of rain across the period. Pack lightweight layers that suit both cooler mornings and warmer afternoons.
How much does it cost to visit Kyoto in Autumn?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of ¥12,000–20,000, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Prices climb during peak weeks — book early to lock in the lower end of this range.