Shirakawa weather in May

In May, Shirakawa sees average daytime highs of 20°C and overnight lows near 11°C, with 128 mm of rain across 13 wet days and about 14 hours of daylight. It is the 5th-warmest and 6th-wettest month of the year here.

Highs climb over the month, from about 19°C in the first days to 22°C by the end. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, May is Shirakawa's 8th-clearest and 6th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Shirakawa's year-round climate.

Daytime high
20°
5th warmest
Overnight low
11°
8th coldest
Rainfall
128 mm
13 wet days
Daylight
14 hours
4:36 AM – 6:35 PM
Cloud cover
68%
8th clearest
Wind
9 km/h
6th windiest
Solar energy
5.24 kWh/m²
Travel score
5.8
out of 10

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 22°C by the end.

A typical May day in Shirakawa reaches about 20°C in the afternoon and slips back to 11°C overnight — a 9°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 15°C and 25°C. Set against its neighbours, May runs about 5°C warmer than April and about 3°C cooler than June.

10°20°30°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1188
2189
3199
4199
5199
6199
7199
81910
91910
101910
112010
122010
132010
142011
152011
162011
172011
182111
192111
202112
212112
222112
232112
242112
252212
262212
272213
282213
292213
302213
312213

How May really feels in Shirakawa

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.

Shirakawa weather by month

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

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / -2°537.46.19.70.0
Feb / -2°517.44.910.60.3
Mar / 9811.94.711.71.9
Apr15° / 112121.112.94.4
May20° / 11°128130145.8
Jun23° / 16°14315.5014.55.6
Jul27° / 20°19518.8014.34.9
Aug28° / 21°14616.1013.45.0
Sep24° / 17°17815012.35.7
Oct18° / 11°15912.10115.5
Nov13° / 788.10.3103.7
Dec / 517.43.49.51.1

Cloud cover in May

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 24% of the time in May.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 13% of May, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 63%. Skies tend to cloud over as the month goes on.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
14357
24159
34159
44159
54159
63961
73961
83961
93862
103763
113862
123862
133862
143862
153763
163862
173862
183763
193763
203763
213763
223763
233763
243664
253565
263565
273565
283466
293367
303367
313268

Chance of precipitation in May

Any precipitation

Shirakawa gets around 128 mm of rain over 13 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 41% and peaks near 42% on the wettest days.

0%10%20%30%40%50%151015202531
Rain chance (%)
139
239
339
439
539
639
740
840
940
1041
1141
1241
1342
1442
1542
1642
1742
1842
1942
2042
2142
2242
2342
2442
2542
2641
2741
2841
2940
3040
3141

Humidity in May

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

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

By dew point, May lands in the dry band about 82% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)Comfortable (%)Humid (%)
19361
29361
39271
49271
59181
69181
79091
89091
989101
1089101
1189101
1287112
1387112
1487112
1586122
1685132
1785132
1883143
1982153
2080173
2178184
2277194
2376204
2474215
2572235
2671245
2768266
2867276
2964297
3061318
3159338

Wind in May

Winds average 9 km/h in May.

Across May, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
129calm
139calm
149calm
159calm
169calm
179calm
189calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in May

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 13 h 30 min at the start of May to 14 h 18 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over May. Sunrise moves from 4:51 AM to 4:26 AM, and sunset from 6:21 PM to 6:46 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
113.54:516:21
213.54:506:22
313.64:496:23
413.64:486:24
513.64:466:25
613.74:456:26
713.74:446:27
813.74:436:28
913.84:426:29
1013.84:416:29
1113.84:406:30
1213.94:396:31
1313.94:386:32
1413.94:376:33
1514.04:376:34
1614.04:366:35
1714.04:356:36
1814.04:346:36
1914.14:336:37
2014.14:336:38
2114.14:326:39
2214.14:316:40
2314.24:316:40
2414.24:306:41
2514.24:296:42
2614.24:296:43
2714.34:286:44
2814.34:286:44
2914.34:276:45
3014.34:276:46
3114.34:266:46

Solar energy in May

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in May, about 5.24 kWh/m² — the sunniest month for solar.

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.28 kWh/m² to a high of 5.24 kWh/m² in May across the year — May's 5.24 kWh/m² sits near the top of that range.

0246151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
15.2Bright
25.2Bright
35.2Bright
45.2Bright
55.2Bright
65.2Bright
75.2Bright
85.2Bright
95.2Bright
105.2Bright
115.2Bright
125.2Bright
135.2Bright
145.2Bright
155.2Bright
165.2Bright
175.2Bright
185.2Bright
195.3Bright
205.3Bright
215.3Bright
225.3Bright
235.3Bright
245.3Bright
255.3Bright
265.3Bright
275.3Bright
285.3Bright
295.3Bright
305.3Bright
315.3Bright
Planning a trip in May

Hazard calendar for Shirakawa

In seasonPeak

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

Shirakawa 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 Shirakawa?

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

5.8
Sightseeing
1st-best month of the year
3.2
Beach & pool
5th-best month of the year

May is a reasonable time to visit Shirakawa for sightseeing.

What to pack for Shirakawa in May

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

In May, Shirakawa sees daytime highs around 20°C and nights near 11°C. Worth packing: rain gear and sun protection. About 13 days see rain.

rain gearsun protection

Sea temperature near Shirakawa in May

The nearest coast averages about 16°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 61 km away) is warmest in August at about 24°C and coldest in March near 12°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 1 to Oct 22 — about 3.7 months when the water holds above 20°C.

10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan14Bracing
Feb12Bracing
Mar12Bracing
Apr14Bracing
May16Cool
Jun19Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug24Refreshing
Sep23Refreshing
Oct20Refreshing
Nov18Cool
Dec16Cool

UV index in Shirakawa 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 Shirakawa peaks around July 17 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateJul 17UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar5Moderate
Apr7High
May8Very high
Jun9Very high
Jul9Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct6High
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Shirakawa 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 Shirakawa is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1821 µg/m³Dec 189 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb13Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun16Moderate
Jul14Moderate
Aug13Moderate
Sep11Good
Oct11Good
Nov10Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Shirakawa?

Shirakawa sits at 37.1°N, 140.3°E, 323 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kumakura, 9.0 km away.

Topography around Shirakawa

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Shirakawa has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 172 m around an average of 353 m above sea level; within 16 km, significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 561 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,457 m.

The land around Shirakawa is covered by trees (48%) and cropland (35%) within 3 km, trees (66%) and cropland (22%) within 16 km, and trees (74%) within 80 km.

3 km
172 m
16 km
561 m
80 km
2,457 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
May weather nearby: Kumakura 9.0 km · Yabuki 10 km · Ishikawa 17 km · Nasu 17 km · Sukagawa 21 km · Nasushiobara 24 km · Kuroiso 25 km · Kōriyama 33 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 Shirakawa (37.1195°, 140.2621°, elevation 323 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).