Best time to visit Kanazawa
Re-score for me — drag the dial — every chart on the page recolours live for your heat limit 27°C
Default 27 °C is the upper edge of the Holiday Climate Index "ideal comfort" band (Scott, Rutty, Amelung & Tang, 2016). Above this, most warm-tourism travellers report measurable discomfort.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
Greyed factors are scored normally — extreme heat overrides them, so a clear sky or low rain can't lift the period.
How is this scored? HCI / Steadman / CCI gate — full methodology and citations below.
Compare with another destination
Add as many as you like — stacked below the main strips above. Each row is just the recent-window score strip and (for beach destinations) sea-temperature strip.
Tours in Kanazawa
8 top-rated tours via Viator. Booking links earn this site a commission at no cost to you. Map locations are approximate (centred on Kanazawa).
- 1
Private transfer Kanazawa to Takayama Including Shirakawago - 2
Kanazawa Full Day Tour (Private Guide) - 3
Private Tour Kanazawa, Shirakawago, Hida Furukawa,Takayama - 4
Kanazawa Night Tour with Local Meal and Drinks - 5
Kanazawa Half Day Private Tour - Castle, Garden, Geisha District - 6
7 Hours Kanazawa Private Guided Tour - 7
World Heritage Shirakawa-go Perfect Guided Tour from Kanazawa - 8
World Heritage Shirakawa-go and Experience Tours from Kanazawa
Last refreshed 2026-06-06.
Similar climatesTakayama86% · Jeju City80% · Montreux80%
Other destinations with the most-alike year-round climate to Kanazawa (apparent temperature, rain hours, sunshine — matched within the same trip-profile). The ±N chip compares each match's typical score for the current month against Kanazawa's. Based on the 2020-2024 climatology, not this year's actual weather.
Month-by-month
| Month | Temp °C | Feels °C | Rain days | Rain h | Rain h/day | Humidity | Wind km/h | Sun h | UV | Interest | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 1–7 | 2 | 25 | 389 | 15.6 | 71% | 24 | 134 | 2 | Quiet | 1 |
| Feb | 1–8 | 3 | 19 | 272 | 14.3 | 66% | 23 | 148 | 2 | Quiet | 2 |
| Mar | 3–12 | 8 | 16 | 198 | 12.4 | 63% | 23 | 182 | 3 | Quiet | 4 |
| Apr | 7–16 | 14 | 12 | 150 | 12.5 | 62% | 21 | 201 | 5 | Quiet | 6 |
| May | 12–21 | 20 | 13 | 156 | 12.0 | 65% | 20 | 212 | 6 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jun | 18–25 | 26 | 13 | 148 | 11.4 | 68% | 18 | 217 | 7 | Quiet | 7 |
| Jul | 22–29 | 32 | 19 | 252 | 13.3 | 74% | 18 | 213 | 8 | Quiet | 3 |
| Aug | 24–31 | 35 | 14 | 171 | 12.2 | 68% | 17 | 240 | 8 | Busy | 3 |
| Sep | 21–28 | 30 | 14 | 181 | 12.9 | 69% | 17 | 200 | 6 | Moderate | 5 |
| Oct | 13–21 | 20 | 14 | 186 | 13.3 | 66% | 18 | 181 | 4 | Moderate | 7 |
| Nov | 8–16 | 14 | 16 | 231 | 14.4 | 67% | 21 | 154 | 2 | Peak | 5 |
| Dec | 3–9 | 5 | 26 | 444 | 17.1 | 73% | 24 | 128 | 1 | Busy | 1 |
UV Index in Kanazawa by Month
UV index in Kanazawa peaks at 8 (high) in July, dropping to 1 (low) in December. June, July, August have high UV — SPF 30+ and sunglasses recommended.
Best months in detail
May
7/1012–21°C (feels 20°C) · 13 rain days (156h) · 212 sun hours · 65% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (high)
June
7/1018–25°C (feels 26°C) · 13 rain days (148h) · 217 sun hours · 68% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 7 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 8 (very high)
October
7/1013–21°C · 14 rain days (186h) · 181 sun hours · 66% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 4 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 5 (moderate)
Every month
Show the other 9 months in detail
January
1/101–7°C (feels 2°C) · 25 rain days (389h) · 134 sun hours · 71% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low)
February
2/101–8°C (feels 3°C) · 19 rain days (272h) · 148 sun hours · 66% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
March
4/103–12°C (feels 8°C) · 16 rain days (198h) · 182 sun hours · 63% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 3 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 5 (moderate)
April
6/107–16°C (feels 14°C) · 12 rain days (150h) · 201 sun hours · 62% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 5 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
July
3/1022–29°C (feels 32°C) · 19 rain days (252h) · 213 sun hours · 74% humidity · Quiet crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 10 (very high)
August
3/1024–31°C (feels 35°C) · 14 rain days (171h) · 240 sun hours · 68% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 8 (high) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 9 (very high)
September
5/1021–28°C (feels 30°C) · 14 rain days (181h) · 200 sun hours · 69% humidity · Moderate crowd · UV 6 (moderate) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 7 (high)
November
5/108–16°C (feels 14°C) · 16 rain days (231h) · 154 sun hours · 67% humidity · Peak crowd · UV 2 (low) · sunniest 1 in 10 days reach 3 (moderate)
December
1/103–9°C (feels 5°C) · 26 rain days (444h) · 128 sun hours · 73% humidity · Busy crowd · UV 1 (low)
Frequently asked questions about visiting Kanazawa
When is the best time to visit Kanazawa?
May is the highest-scoring month (7/10 on the Holiday Climate Index). Typical conditions: 12–21°C (13 rainy days). The top three months by score are May, June, October.
What is the worst time to visit Kanazawa?
January is the lowest-scoring month (1/10). Typical conditions: 1–7°C (25 rainy days).
Is Kanazawa too hot in summer?
3 months (July, August, September) trip the heat deal-breaker in our scoring: apparent temperature crosses the comfort cap, so even with clear skies and low rain the score is held down. Plan around it if heat tolerance is low.
When are crowds lowest in Kanazawa?
Search-interest seasonality (Google Trends 2021-2025) is lowest in May and peaks in November. Interest tracks both in-trip visitors and lead-time planners, so treat it as a "destination is on people's minds" signal rather than literal arrivals.
Which months in Kanazawa have good weather but fewer tourists?
May (climate 7/10, crowd index 0) and June (climate 7/10, crowd index 7) — shoulder months with above-average climate and below-median search-interest. Often the best value-for-weather trade.
What is the UV index in Kanazawa by month?
UV peaks at 8 (high) in July and is lowest in December at 1 (low). Monthly peak values: Jan 2, Feb 2, Mar 3, Apr 5, May 6, Jun 7, Jul 8, Aug 8, Sep 6, Oct 4, Nov 2, Dec 1.
What is the UV index in Kanazawa in July?
July is the peak UV month in Kanazawa, with a daily-peak UV index of 8 (high). Apply SPF 30+, wear sunglasses, and seek shade during midday hours.
How high can UV get in Kanazawa on the sunniest days?
Most days look like the monthly average, but on the sunniest ~1 in 10 days UV climbs higher than the mean suggests. July is the worst case: typical days average UV 8 (high), but the top 10% of days reach UV 10 (very high) — and even higher. Months where the sunniest days routinely exceed the typical reading: February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. Plan sun protection for the worst case, not the average.
Is air quality in Kanazawa bad for travelers?
PM2.5 (fine-particle pollution) exceeds the WHO sensitive-group guideline (15 µg/m³) in 6 months: February, March, April, May, June, July. The worst month is April with a typical-day mean of 16 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive); on the worst 10% of days PM2.5 reaches 24 µg/m³ (unhealthy for sensitive) and higher. People with asthma, heart conditions, or sensitive children may want to avoid these months or limit outdoor activity. Source: CAMS via Open-Meteo.