If you travel Osaka in May, what kind of clothes should you wear? On this page, I will discuss the weather, the amount of precipitation and the best clothes for the month of May. Osaka is very comfortable in May as well as other major cities on Honshu such as Tokyo. You can surely expect to enjoy your trip.
Below are articles about the monthly weather in Osaka. Click on an article if you want to know more.
| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July | August | September |
| October | November | December |
Below are articles on the weather in Tokyo and Hokkaido in May. If you plan to go to Hokkaido as well as Tokyo, please note that the weather in Hokkaido is quite different from Tokyo.
Table of Contents
Weather in Osaka in May (overview)
Graph: Temperature change in Osaka in May
※ Based on the data released by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Both high and low temperature data are averages over the past 30 years (1981-2010)
>> Click here for a [quick reference] converted from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
In May, the maximum temperature in Osaka continues to be warmer than 20 degrees Celsius. Every time it rains, trees and flowers grow and show their beautiful lush green color. People often stroll through large parks such as Osaka Castle Park.
Generally, you will not need warmer clothing such as cardigans on a sunny day. However, if you get cold easily it is a good idea to bring one just in case.
In business, we wear suits in Japan until the end of May. We often do not wear suit jackets from June to late September. However, the practice differs depending on the type of business.
On rainy days, the temperature may not exceed 20 degrees. In preparation for such a case, you should also prepare clothing other than short sleeves.
Rainy and cloudy days will increase in late May. Every year in Japan, there is a rainy season in the month of June. The transition period from spring to summer is getting closer. Therefore, if you come to Osaka in late May, you may experience rain.
Below is the meteorological data of Osaka for May 2018 released by the Japan Weather Association. Please refer as necessary.
Osaka weather in early May
| Maximum temperature (Celsius) | 28.3 |
| Minimum air temperature | 10.3 |
| Total precipitation | 85.5 mm |
| Fine weather ratio | 46% |
MAY 5, 2018: Two foreign tourists walking over the old historical bridge to entry the Osaka Castle, Osaka, Japan =Shutterstock
From around the 29th of April to roughly the 5th of May, “Golden Week” occurs in Japan, which features many holidays. So by the beginning of May, Osaka’s major tourist destinations are quite crowded. Hotels are also expensive during this time.
At this time, many travelers are walking around wearing short sleeved shirts. However, mornings and evenings are cool. Buildings are now running cool air conditioning. I recommend a jacket or cardigan for these times.
In early May, sunrise time in Osaka is around 5:05 and sunset time is around 18:46.
Osaka weather in the middle of May
| Maximum temperature (Celsius) | 28.8 |
| Minimum air temperature | 9.7 |
| Total precipitation | 102.5 mm |
| Fine weather ratio | 55% |
May 13, 2018: Shinsaibashi shopping area in the rainy day, Osaka, Japan = Shutterstock
For international travelers, I think mid-May is the best time to travel in Osaka. This is because Japanese people do not travel much during this time because there are no holidays. Tourist spots are shining with fresh green nature. The temperature is comfortable and it doesn’t rain much. If it rains, it doesn’t fall as hard as the picture shows above.
In mid-May, the sunrise time in Osaka is about 4:56 and the sunset time is about 18:54.
Osaka weather in late May
| Maximum temperature (Celsius) | 29.8 |
| Minimum air temperature | 15.7 |
| Total precipitation | 42.5 mm |
| Fine weather ratio | 41% |
May 23 2019 – Dotonbori is visited by many tourists from the country abroad, Osaka, Japan = Shutterstock
In late May, the daytime maximum temperature in Osaka will increase to over 25 degrees Celsius. If you walk around tourist spots in the daytime then you may sweat. The rainy season is approaching but there are not many rainy days yet.
In late May, sunrise time in Osaka is around 4:49 and sunset time is around 19:01.
※ Sunrise and sunset times are based on the 2019 data released by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. I posted the time of the 5th for the beginning of May, the time of the 15th for the middle of May, and the time of the 25th for the end of May.
Reference: Current weather and temperature in Osaka, forecast for the next 7 days
Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Below are pages showing the climates of various regions in Japan at the same time of the year.
| Tokyo | Osaka | Kyoto |
| Hokkaido | Sendai | Nagano |
| Nagoya | Hiroshima | Fukuoka |
| Okinawa |
Thank you for reading to the end.
For Osaka, please refer to the following articles if you like.
>> Spring Wear in Japan! What should you wear?
>> Osaka! 17 Best Tourist Attractions: Dotonbori, Umeda, USJ etc.
>> Kansai Airport (KIX)! How to get to Osaka, Kyoto / Explore Terminals 1, 2
Now, let’s plan to make your vacation in Japan the best experience ever!
