KansaiMid-June to mid-July
Rainy season
Warm, grey days with frequent rain, usually from mid-June to mid-July. Fewer crowds and lower prices.
← Kansai by month
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Kansai by month · 19–28°C
June
Rainy season, deep green moss and fewer crowds
Crowds
June brings tsuyu, the rainy season, usually from early June to mid-July. It rarely pours all day. More often it's soft drizzle, grey skies and warm, humid air. The rain turns moss gardens vivid green and brings out hydrangeas and fireflies.
It's a good month for travellers who want lower prices and quieter sights, garden lovers and photographers who like moody light. The trade-offs are humidity, some washed-out days and fewer long views. Plan a mix of outdoor and indoor options each day.
Festivals and big moments
KyotoJune to early July
Hydrangea gardens
Mimuroto-ji temple, Uji
Uji is a small green-tea town south of Kyoto. Its hillside temple garden fills with around 20,000 hydrangea plants.
Getting there · About 30 min from Kyoto by train
Open in Google Maps ↗Kansai
Good for museums and indoor days
Aquariums, museums and our indoor picks make rainy days easy.
More to do this month
1Watch fireflies after dark
In early to mid-June, fireflies glow along quiet streams. Shimogamo Shrine's forest and the Shirakawa canal are known spots.
Kyoto Tadasu no Mori, Shimogamo Shrine
2Moss and hydrangeas in Ohara
Sanzen-in's moss garden looks its best when wet, and the grounds fill with hydrangeas in June.
Kyoto Sanzen-in, Ohara
3Night garden walk at teamLab
An interactive light-art trail through a real botanical garden. It's an evening activity that works fine in drizzle.
Osaka teamLab Botanical Garden Osaka, Nagai Park
4Pass through a chinowa grass ring
Around 30 June shrines set up big rings of reeds for the Nagoshi no Harae purification. Walk through to cleanse the first half of the year.
Kyoto Kamigamo Shrine, Yasaka Shrine and others
5A rainy-day museum circuit
Air-conditioned, uncrowded and excellent: Japanese art in Kyoto, or modern art and design in Nakanoshima.
Kansai Kyoto National Museum; Nakanoshima Museum of Art, Osaka
Eat this month
Ayu (sweetfish)River fishing season opens in June. Ayu is grilled whole with salt, and its delicate, slightly melon-like flavor is a Kyoto summer classic.
MinazukiA triangle of white jelly topped with sweet red beans, eaten in Kyoto around 30 June to ward off bad luck for the second half of the year.
Hamo (pike conger)Hamo season begins in June. Kyoto chefs finely score the bones and serve it blanched with plum sauce.
Good to know
- The rainy season is irregular. Check the forecast each evening and swap indoor and outdoor plans as needed.
- There are no public holidays in June, so sights are quieter and stays are usually better value.
- Humidity is high. Pick breathable fabrics and stay hydrated even when it's cloudy.