Kyoto Weather in November

Season: Autumn
In short:
1. The weather of Kyoto is still cool in the first half of November, and gets cold in the following days.
2. Rainfall of the city this month is low in amount and intensity.
3. The red foliage season of the city starts late in this month, leading to a travel peak.

Nijo Castle on Clear Day in November

Temperature Gets Lower and Lower.

In the first few days, the weather is still comfortably cool, with the highest temperature from 16 to 19 degrees Celsius (61 to 66 degrees Fahrenheit). Such a moderate temperature condition is pleasant for people to enjoy their travels. 

As autumn of Kyoto comes to an end in late November, the weather of the city gets cooler and cooler: the daily highest gradually drops from 19 to 13°C (66 to 55°F) and the lowest from 13 to 5°C (55 to 41°F).

Another obvious feature of the temperature of Kyoto in November is the large difference in a day. Throughout the month, there are around 11 days in which daily temperature variation is between 8 to 10°C (14 to 18°F), which means another layer of clothes needs to be put on for night tours.

The City Gets Low Precipitation.

This month, the rainfall of Kyoto is quite low at about 73 mm, and the number of rainy days is just 8, which is the monthly lowest in the entire year. In light of the intensity of rain, it’s also relatively low, and slight rain is the main form of precipitation. Although it basically won’t rain heavily this month, the rain can sometimes last for all day, more or less making your tour inconvenient. But long-time rain also has its merit: as raindrops fall down gently, shrines and temples in this city are all in a tranquil vibe, so that you can have a unique and quiet tour.

Gion Kabukai Performance

Sanjusangendo Temple

Foggy Weather Appears Sometimes.

The moisture brought by precipitation and also relatively low temperature jointly make the climate of Kyoto foggy on occasion. Plus, the mountain area is more likely to experience fog. In view of these, visibility may be poor during your sightseeing in the early morning, and become good as the temperature gets higher after 9:30. This is also the reason that only 4 hours of sunshine can be expected per day on average in November with low rainfall.

Sunrise, Sunset, & Daytime

 Sunrise time: 06:17-06:45
 Sunset time: 17:02-16:45
 Length of Day: from 10 hours and 45 minutes to 10 hours approximately

One thing you need to note is that the daytime of Kyoto gets shorter and shorter in November, so it’s better to make a proper plan for your trip in advance and take full use of the daytime to enjoy autumn sights. As the temperature gets lower after sunset, to keep comfortable, ending your outdoor trip earlier and staying in warmer indoor places such as restaurants and shopping malls on cold nights is more recommended.

 See also: Japan Weather in November

What Clothes to Wear in a Kyoto Tour in November?

Tops: Multiple layers of clothes help to keep warm: quick-dry thermal underwear for sweat wicking, a knitted sweater for basic warmth, and a woolen overcoat for preventing wind. For those quite sensitive to cold weather, please bring a down vest or replace the overcoat with a lightweight down jacket.

Bottoms: Long johns and sweatpants / jeans compose a good match, which can make you feel warm and comfortable on a long stroll.

Shoes: In view of occasional rainy days and stone-paved roads of ancient streets, waterproof and anti-slippery boots / high-top sneakers are suitable. By the way, in some temples, visitors have to take off their shoes during the sightseeing, so thick woolen socks are recommended to wear.

Others: A foldable umbrella is needed. If your itinerary includes visiting the mountain area, you can further bring a beanie and gloves.

 Packing tip: It’s not suggested to pack too thick clothes since the weather won’t be quite cold this month. Besides, it’s inconvenient to dress in bulky layers during outdoor sightseeing.

Autumn Foliage Season – One of the Most Popular Travel Periods of Kyoto

From late November on, the peak foliage season of Kyoto begins and lasts until early December. In this period, you can enjoy fiery-red maple leaves in various styles. Actually, some attractions have already had foliage scenery since the middle of this month, even though the leaves won’t turn red all, the colorful scenes in green, bright-yellow, and red are still impressive.

Best Places to View Red Foliage in Kyoto

1. Kiyomizu-dera Temple

The large area of red maple leaves in the Kiyomizu-dera Temple and also the gorgeous sunset form a stunning autumn view for you.

2. Arashiyama Yusai-tei

Whether on sunny or rainy days, the views here are all attractive. Exquisite window designs in this serene place polish up the maple leaf scenery outside. Round, square, and panoramic shapes of windows frame the red foliage, and the reflections on the table just set well against the red leaf views.

3. Toji Temple

You can probably find the perfect fusion of the tall and ancient pagoda, red maple leaves, and gold ginkgo leaves. Moreover, it would be an unparalleled travel experience to admire illuminated foliage views at night. By the pond, you’ll be amazed by the reflections of the pagoda and dense trees.

Beautiful Toji Temple in November

Special Red Foliage Viewing Experiences

1. Pass through Maple Tree Tunnel by KIRARA Sightseeing Train

Between Ninose and Ichihara stations in Kyoto, there is a beautiful maple tree tunnel composed of more than 200 maple trees. In the daytime, brilliant sunshine just makes the passing train and the maple leaves perfect for photographing. When it’s dark outside, the most beautiful view you can get is the illuminated red leaves that gradually move away from both sides.

Kimono Girls outside Sightseeing Train

Train across Maple Tree Tunnel

2. Take a Ferry Boat to View Red Leaves in Arashiyama

Find a sunny day and enjoy your foliage-viewing journey by boat on the Hozu River. Golden sunlight in this month won’t dazzle you during the drift, and just makes the red maple trees even more pretty.

Impressive Autumn View in Arashiyama

The Happiest Couple in Arashiyama

Tips for Traveling to Kyoto in November, 2026

1. Hotel rooms will be booked out quickly in this peak fall foliage season, and their prices may double or even triple, so you’d better make related reservations around half a year in advance.

2. Mountainous and basin terrain of Kyoto makes the best periods to view foliage in different attractions here vary to some extent. For specific information, you can check the tables in Japan Fall Foliage Forecast.

Kyoto Weather by Month