Himeji weather in May

In May, Himeji sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 16°C, with 145 mm of rain across 10.1 wet days and about 13.8 hours of daylight. It is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 21°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in May, and the air most often feels comfortable.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Himeji's 10th-clearest and 9th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Himeji's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
6th warmest
Overnight low
16°
7th coldest
Rainfall
145 mm
10.1 wet days
Daylight
13 h 48 min
5:03 AM – 6:52 PM
Cloud cover
62%
10th clearest
Wind
13 km/h
9th windiest
Solar energy
5.7 kWh/m²
Travel score
6.3
out of 10

Himeji is city in Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan.

Density
993/km²
people per km²
Founded
1946

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in May

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 21°C by the end.

A typical May day in Himeji reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 16°C overnight — a 4°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 18°C and 22°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 4°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°15°20°25°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
11814
21914
31914
41914
51914
61915
71915
81915
91915
101915
112015
122015
132015
142016
152016
162016
172016
182016
192016
202016
212116
222117
232117
242117
252117
262117
272117
282117
292118
302218
312218

How May really feels in Himeji

Once humidity and wind are folded in, May averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
0
wind chill below the day's low

May sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.

Himeji weather by month

How May compares with the rest of the year at a glance. May is the 6th-warmest and 5th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 527.20.49.91.8
Feb / 647.50.610.72.0
Mar12° / 109100.111.73.2
Apr16° / 11°12710.1012.85.1
May20° / 16°14510.1013.86.3
Jun23° / 20°18012.4014.36.1
Jul27° / 24°19112.9014.15.9
Aug29° / 25°11410.9013.35.6
Sep26° / 22°20212.6012.26.3
Oct22° / 17°1519.1011.16.8
Nov16° / 12°777.3010.25.5
Dec11° / 647.409.73.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 31% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 12% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 57%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14951
24951
34852
44852
54753
64654
74555
84456
94456
104357
114357
124357
134258
144258
154357
164357
174357
184357
194357
204357
214357
224258
234258
244159
254159
264159
274060
283862
293763
303763
313763

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Himeji gets around 145 mm of rain over 10.1 wet days in May. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable rain averages around 32% and peaks near 35% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
131
231
331
432
532
633
733
833
934
1034
1134
1235
1335
1434
1534
1634
1733
1833
1932
2032
2131
2231
2331
2430
2530
2630
2730
2830
2930
3030
3130

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of May feels comfortable — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, May lands in the comfortable band about 38% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)Muggy (%)
15633101
25434111
35235121
45036131
54837141
64737141
74538152
84439162
94339162
104140172
114041182
123841192
133742202
143542212
153342222
163143242
173043262
182842272
192642293
202442313
212341333
222141354
231940374
241839395
251638405
261537426
271435447
281334468
291232479
3011304811
3110294912

Wind in May

Winds average 13 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 12 km/h on the calmest days to 14 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
114light breeze
214light breeze
314light breeze
414light breeze
514light breeze
614light breeze
714light breeze
814light breeze
914light breeze
1013light breeze
1113light breeze
1213light breeze
1313light breeze
1413light breeze
1513light breeze
1613light breeze
1713light breeze
1813light breeze
1913light breeze
2012light breeze
2112light breeze
2212light breeze
2312light breeze
2412light breeze
2512light breeze
2612calm
2712calm
2812calm
2912calm
3012calm
3112calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 24 min at the start of May to 14 h 06 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 42 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 5:17 AM to 4:54 AM, and sunset from 6:40 PM to 7:03 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.45:176:40
213.45:166:41
313.45:156:41
413.55:146:42
513.55:136:43
613.55:126:44
713.65:116:45
813.65:106:46
913.65:096:46
1013.75:086:47
1113.75:076:48
1213.75:066:49
1313.75:056:50
1413.85:046:50
1513.85:046:51
1613.85:036:52
1713.85:026:53
1813.95:016:54
1913.95:016:54
2013.95:006:55
2113.94:596:56
2214.04:596:57
2314.04:586:57
2414.04:586:58
2514.04:576:59
2614.04:576:59
2714.14:567:00
2814.14:567:01
2914.14:557:02
3014.14:557:02
3114.14:547:03

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.7 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.43 kWh/m² to a high of 5.7 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.7 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.6Bright
25.6Bright
35.6Bright
45.6Bright
55.6Bright
65.6Bright
75.6Bright
85.6Bright
95.6Bright
105.6Bright
115.6Bright
125.6Bright
135.7Bright
145.7Bright
155.7Bright
165.7Bright
175.7Bright
185.7Bright
195.8Bright
205.8Bright
215.8Bright
225.8Bright
235.8Bright
245.8Bright
255.8Bright
265.8Bright
275.8Bright
285.8Bright
295.7Bright
305.7Bright
315.7Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Himeji

In seasonPeak

In May, Himeji sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Himeji sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Pacific typhoon
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is May a good time to visit Himeji?

Our two travel scores rate May for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

6.3
Sightseeing
2nd-best month of the year
3.3
Beach & pool
6th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Himeji for sightseeing.

What to pack for Himeji in May

From May's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In May, Himeji sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 16°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 10 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Himeji in May

The nearest coast averages about 18°C in May — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 22 km away) is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in February near 13°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 7 to Nov 13 — about 5.3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°30°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmtropicalcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb13Bracing
Mar13Bracing
Apr15Cool
May18Cool
Jun21Refreshing
Jul25Warm
Aug27Warm
Sep26Warm
Oct23Refreshing
Nov20Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Himeji in May

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in May peaks around 8 (very high — sun protection essential). The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Himeji peaks around July 12 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 22 at about 2 (moderate).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateJul 12UV 10Dec 22UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan3Moderate
Feb4Moderate
Mar5High
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun10Very high
Jul10Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep9Very high
Oct6High
Nov4Moderate
Dec2Moderate

Air quality in Himeji in May

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where May falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Himeji is worst in April — around 26 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (October, 14 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateApr 1625 µg/m³Oct 1914 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan16Moderate
Feb19Moderate
Mar24Moderate
Apr26Moderate
May24Moderate
Jun21Moderate
Jul22Moderate
Aug24Moderate
Sep17Moderate
Oct14Moderate
Nov16Moderate
Dec15Moderate
Location & terrain

Where is Himeji?

Himeji sits at 34.8°N, 134.7°E, 8 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Shirahamachō-usazakiminami, 4.0 km away.

Topography around Himeji

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Himeji.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Himeji has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 159 m around an average of 17 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 443 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,489 m.

The land around Himeji is covered by artificial surfaces (74%) within 3 km, trees (33%), artificial surfaces (28%) and water (28%) within 16 km, and trees (56%) and water (28%) within 80 km.

3 km
159 m
16 km
443 m
80 km
1,489 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Shirahamachō-usazakiminami 4.0 km · Takasago 10 km · Ikaruga 11 km · Kakogawachō-honmachi 13 km · Tatsuno 14 km · Tatsunochō-tominaga 15 km · Nishitawara 17 km · Kasai 18 km

Japan travel facts

Travel advisory
Level 1
Exercise Normal Precautions
Power plugs
Type A / B
100 V · 50 / 60 Hz
Prices
≈ 65% of US
price level, 2025
GDP per capita
$35,951
2025
Happiness
6.1 / 10
World Happiness, 2025
Safe drinking water
99%
of population, 2024
Homicide rate
0.2
per 100k, 2023
Road deaths
3.6
per 100k/yr, 2019
Income group
High
World Bank
English
Very low
EF EPI 446
Religion
Shintoism 49%Buddhism 46%other 4%Christianity 1%

Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.

Data sources

Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Himeji (34.8167°, 134.7°, elevation 8 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).