At a Glance
Compared to this destination's peak season
Kyoto in February — Travel Guide
By Harry Nara · Last updated
Kyoto in February offers some of the best conditions of the year, ideal for quiet seekers & photographers. Expect temperatures of 2–10°C, around 9 days of rain, and low crowds across the city. Daily budgets typically land around ¥8,000–14,000 for mid-range travellers. Rooms are easy to find last-minute and hotel prices stay noticeably softer through the season.
Contents14 sections
#Weather in Kyoto in February
Kyoto in February averages 2–10°C (36–50°F) with around 9 days of rain, and crowds are low.
| Measure | February in Kyoto |
|---|---|
| Daytime high | About 10°C / 50°F |
| Overnight low | About 2°C / 36°F |
| Wet days | About 9 |
| Sunset | 5:25pm on the 1st, 5:51pm by the 28th |
| Setsubun | Wednesday 3 February 2027 |
| Kyoto Marathon | Sunday 21 February 2027 |
Figures are Japan Meteorological Agency 1991–2020 normals for Kyoto.
What that actually means for your trip:
- It is still winter, but the end is in sight. The first half of the month is as cold as January; by the last week, mild afternoons and the first plum blossom make the city feel like it is turning.
- Snow is still possible. A morning of snow on the temple roofs is as likely in early February as in January, and it melts just as fast.
- The calendar marks the change of season. Setsubun on the 3rd is the traditional eve of spring, and the plum blossom that follows is Kyoto's first flower of the year.
- One Sunday is busy. The Kyoto Marathon on 21 February closes roads across the city and fills the hotels the night before.
Is February a good time to visit Kyoto? Yes. It shares January's quiet temples and low prices but adds two things worth seeing: the Setsubun festivals at the start of the month and the plum blossom at the end. It is still cold, and the halls you walk through in socks are no warmer than outside, so dress for a winter city and plan around the marathon weekend.
#What to Do in Kyoto in February
Setsubun (Wednesday 3 February 2027)
Setsubun is the eve of spring in the old calendar, and Kyoto marks it at shrines across the city with rituals to drive out demons and bring in luck. People throw roasted soybeans while shouting "oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi", demons out, fortune in.
- Yasaka Shrine in Gion holds its festival on the 2nd and 3rd, when geiko and maiko from the city's hanamachi perform dances on the stage and throw beans to the crowd.
- Yoshida Shrine, on a hill near Kyoto University, holds the biggest festival, over three days around Setsubun, with hundreds of food stalls. On the 3rd, late at night, old charms are burned in a giant fire pit about four metres high.
- Ehō-maki, a thick sushi roll eaten whole and in silence while facing the year's lucky direction, is sold at every convenience store and department store; in 2027 the direction is north-north-west.
The Kyoto Marathon (Sunday 21 February 2027)
The marathon starts at 9am at the stadium in Nishikyogoku, loops through the north of the city, and finishes in front of Heian Shrine, with the course closing at 3pm. For spectators, the finish at Heian Shrine and the stretches along the river are the liveliest places to watch. For everyone else, it is a day to plan around: book accommodation early, and expect the north-east of the city to be busy.
Plum blossom and the Baikasai (25 February)
Kyoto's plum blossom season runs from mid-February into March, a few weeks before the cherries.
The centre is Kitano Tenmangu, the shrine of the scholar Sugawara no Michizane, who loved plum trees. Its plum garden opened on 1 February in 2026 and charged ¥3,000 for adults on the day, with a reduced price bought in advance.
On 25 February, the anniversary of Michizane's death, the shrine holds the Baikasai. Geiko and maiko from Kamishichiken, the oldest hanamachi, serve tea outdoors among the plum trees from 10am to 3pm; in 2026 a tea ticket cost ¥3,000. The 25th is also the day of the shrine's monthly Tenjin-san market, so the grounds fill with stalls selling antiques, ceramics and food. In 2027 the 25th is a Thursday.
Snow in the north: Ohara and Kurama
When the forecast promises snow, head north.
Ohara, about an hour by bus from Kyoto Station, is a few degrees colder than the city, and the moss garden of Sanzen-in under snow is one of the great Kyoto winter sights.
Kurama and Kibune, reached on the little Eizan Railway from Demachiyanagi, hold snow longer than anywhere in the city; Kibune Shrine's lantern-lined stone steps under snow are the photograph many people come for. Check the Eizan Railway's service notices before setting out after heavy snow.
Solo Travellers
Walk the Philosopher's Path on a clear afternoon, when it is almost empty, and stop at Honen-in, a moss-garden temple that is free to enter.
If it snows, go to Kinkaku-ji for its 9am opening (¥500).
The Raku Museum, devoted to the family of potters who have made tea bowls since the 16th century, is a quiet hour near the Imperial Palace.
Couples
Book a winter kaiseki dinner while the menus still feature crab and winter fish, then walk Pontocho or the lanes of Gion Shirakawa. At the end of the month, an evening visit to a lit plum garden, if the shrines are running night openings, is one of the year's first spring outings.
Families
Children enjoy Setsubun more than any other festival: they can throw beans, catch the lucky ones thrown from the stage, and see the costumed demons chased away.
The Kyoto Railway Museum and the Kyoto Aquarium next door fill a wet day.
In Arashiyama, the Iwatayama Monkey Park is open through the winter.
Groups
Split a group between Yasaka and Yoshida on Setsubun and meet for dinner afterwards.
A private-room nabe hot-pot dinner suits February as well as January, and in Fushimi the Gekkeikan Okura Sake Museum explains brewing at the busiest point of the season.
#Getting Around
From Kansai International, the JR Haruka reaches Kyoto Station in about 75 minutes; from Tokyo, the Nozomi shinkansen takes about 2 hours 15 minutes. Outside the marathon weekend, February is one of the easiest months of the year to travel.
A city bus ride is ¥230 and the Subway and Bus 1-Day Pass is ¥1,100. Kyoto plans a higher bus fare for visitors during fiscal 2027, which starts in April, so February 2027 still pays ¥230.
An ICOCA card, or any Japanese IC card, works across buses, subways and trains.
#Budget & Costs
| Travel style | Per day | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Budget | ¥8,000–11,000 | Hostel or capsule, set lunches, bus pass, two temples |
| Mid-range | ¥15,000–25,000 | Business hotel, restaurant meals, a few paid sights |
| Luxury | ¥45,000+ | Ryokan with kaiseki dinner, taxis, private guiding |
February is one of Kyoto's cheapest months, apart from Setsubun and the marathon weekend.
Costs worth knowing:
| What | Price |
|---|---|
| City bus, single ride | ¥230 |
| Subway and Bus 1-Day Pass | ¥1,100 |
| Kinkaku-ji | ¥500 |
| Kitano Tenmangu plum garden | ¥3,000 on the day in 2026 |
| Accommodation tax, room ¥6,000–20,000 | ¥400 per person per night |
- The accommodation tax scales with the room rate since 1 March 2026, from ¥200 to ¥10,000 per person per night, paid on top of the room.
- Book the marathon weekend early, or stay in Osaka and take the train in.
- Setsubun is free. Beans, dances and fire all cost nothing but the food stalls.
#Food & Dining
February is the end of hot-pot season and the start of the spring sweets:
- Kasujiru, a soup of vegetables and fish in sake lees, the paste left over from brewing, is a Kyoto winter dish best eaten near the breweries of Fushimi.
- Yudofu, tofu simmered in kombu broth, is still at its best in the restaurants around Nanzen-ji and in Arashiyama.
- Ume wagashi, plum-blossom sweets, appear in confectioners' windows from mid-month.
- Nishin soba, buckwheat noodles with sweet-simmered herring, the Kyoto classic at Honke Owariya.
Department store food halls at Daimaru and Takashimaya on Shijo-dori are good places to try regional sweets on a cold day.
Nishiki Market is fully open again after the New Year closures.
#Nightlife
Kyoto's evenings are about small bars, not clubs.
Pontocho and Kiyamachi along the Takase canal hold dozens of izakayas within a few minutes' walk.
Sake Bar Yoramu on Nijo-dori pours premium sake with explanations in English, and Bar Rocking Chair is one of the city's best cocktail bars. Yoshida Shrine's Setsubun stalls stay open late on the 2nd and 3rd.
#Shopping
The Tenjin-san market at Kitano Tenmangu on the 25th is the best market day of the month, coinciding with the Baikasai.
Nishiki Market sells pickles, knives and tea; Aritsugu there makes hand-forged knives, and Ippodo on Teramachi sells tea.
The covered Teramachi and Shinkyogoku arcades keep you dry on a wet day.
#Culture & Etiquette
- Join in at Setsubun. Shouting the chant and catching beans are part of it, but take only a few and let children have their share.
- Eat your ehō-maki in silence. The custom says that talking before you finish the roll lets the luck escape.
- Shoes come off in temple halls, and the floors are cold; wear warm socks without holes.
- Photograph geiko and maiko only at public events, and never follow or stop them in the street.
- Do not tip.
#Essential Local Phrases
| Japanese | Romaji | When you'll use it |
|---|---|---|
| 節分 | Setsubun | The eve of spring, 3 February |
| 鬼は外、福は内 | Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi | Demons out, fortune in |
| 恵方巻 | Ehō-maki | The lucky-direction sushi roll |
| 梅 | Ume | Plum blossom |
| 見頃 | Migoro | At its best (for blossom) |
| 寒いですね | Samui desu ne | It's cold, isn't it |
| 熱燗 | Atsukan | Warm sake |
| ありがとうございます | Arigatou gozaimasu | Thank you |
#Packing List
- A warm winter coat, hat and gloves
- Thermal layers for cold temple halls
- Warm socks and shoes that slip off easily
- Waterproof shoes with grip for icy stone steps
- Kairo, disposable hand warmers
- Lip balm and hand cream for the dry air
- A power bank
- A small bag for festival beans and market finds
#Backup Plans
If it rains: the Kyoto National Museum, Sanjusangen-do's hall of a thousand statues and the Kyoto International Manga Museum are all under cover, and Nijo Castle's Ninomaru Palace is walked indoors.
If the plum blossom is late: go anyway to Kitano Tenmangu on the 25th for the Tenjin-san market, and come back to the plum gardens in early March.
If the marathon closes your route: ride the subway, and spend the day west of the course in Arashiyama or south in Fushimi.
#Safety & Health
Kyoto is one of the safest cities you will visit. February's risks are practical: icy stone steps on cold mornings and wooden verandas wet with rain, and the tightly packed crowds at Setsubun, where valuables are best kept in front of you. Winter viruses circulate; masks are sold in every convenience store. Tap water is safe.
Emergency: 110 for police, 119 for fire and ambulance.
#What's New for February 2027
- Setsubun is on Wednesday 3 February, and the year's lucky direction is north-north-west
- The Kyoto Marathon is on Sunday 21 February, finishing at Heian Shrine
- The Baikasai at Kitano Tenmangu is on Thursday 25 February
- The Eizan cable car to Mount Hiei is closed for the winter until mid-March
- Kyoto's accommodation tax reaches ¥10,000 per person per night at the top end
#About This Guide
By Harry Nara (founder of WhenToWander), updated October 2026 for February 2027. Climate figures are Japan Meteorological Agency 1991–2020 normals. Dates and prices verified against:
- Kyoto Marathon for the 2027 race date
- Yasaka Shrine for its Setsubun festival
- Kyoto City Official Travel Guide for the Setsubun festivals, and for the Baikasai
- Kitano Tenmangu for the plum garden
- City of Kyoto for the accommodation tax
For the whole season, see Kyoto in winter, and for the year as a whole, the best time to visit Kyoto.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is February a good time to visit Kyoto?
February is the quietest month of the year for tourism in Kyoto — hotel rates are at their absolute lowest, key sites have almost no queues, and the early plum blossoms (ume) at Kitano Tenmangu provide a beautiful pre-spring photo opportunity. Cold but rewarding for the patient.
What is Setsubun in Kyoto?
Setsubun, on 3 February in 2027, is the eve of spring in the old calendar. Shrines across Kyoto hold rituals to drive out demons, with people throwing roasted soybeans and shouting "oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi". Yasaka Shrine has dances and bean-throwing by geiko and maiko on the 2nd and 3rd, and Yoshida Shrine holds the biggest festival, ending with a giant fire late on the 3rd.
When do plum blossoms bloom in Kyoto?
Plum blossoms (ume) peak from mid-February to early March. Kitano Tenmangu hosts the famous Baikasai (Plum Blossom Festival) on February 25, with geisha serving tea among hundreds of plum trees. Jonangu Shrine and the Kyoto Botanical Gardens are also excellent ume spots.
How cold is Kyoto in February?
Almost as cold as January — highs of 8–10°C, lows of 0–2°C. Snow is slightly more likely than January. Pack a warm coat, hat, gloves, and waterproof shoes. The cold dry air gives crystal-clear views of the mountains around the city, especially from Kiyomizu-dera and Mt Hiei.
How much does it cost to visit Kyoto in February?
Budget-conscious travellers can expect daily costs of ¥8,000–14,000, covering accommodation, food, and local transport. Quieter periods usually push prices toward the lower end of this range.