Season by season
Spring (March–May)
Pleasant for walking between Akihabara, Kanda Myojin and Jimbocho. In odd-numbered years the Kanda Matsuri in mid-May fills the streets with portable shrines.
Summer (June–August)
Hot and humid outside, cool inside. Summer school holidays bring bigger crowds, and major fan events elsewhere in Tokyo in August fill the shops with visitors.
Autumn (September–November)
Comfortable weather and the Kanda Used Book Festival in Jimbocho, usually from late October to early November, when stalls line the pavements.
Winter (December–February)
Cold, dry and bright. New Year sales and lucky bags start in the first days of January, and Kanda Myojin is crowded with office workers praying for business success.
Month by month
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rainfall | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10°C | 1°C | 60 mm | Busy |
| February | 11°C | 2°C | 57 mm | Quiet |
| March | 14°C | 5°C | 116 mm | Very busy |
| April | 19°C | 10°C | 134 mm | Very busy |
| May | 24°C | 15°C | 140 mm | Very busy |
| June | 26°C | 19°C | 168 mm | Busy |
| July | 30°C | 22°C | 156 mm | Busy |
| August | 31°C | 24°C | 155 mm | Busy |
| September | 28°C | 20°C | 225 mm | Busy |
| October | 22°C | 15°C | 235 mm | Very busy |
| November | 17°C | 9°C | 96 mm | Very busy |
| December | 12°C | 4°C | 58 mm | Busy |
Temperatures are approximate long-term averages; individual years vary.
Festivals & events
- Early January: New Year prayers at Kanda Myojin and New Year sales in the shops
- Mid-May (odd-numbered years): Kanda Matsuri, one of Tokyo’s three great festivals
- Sundays, all year: Chuo-dori pedestrian zone in the afternoon (weather permitting)
- Late October–early November: Kanda Used Book Festival in Jimbocho
Our advice
Come in the afternoon and stay until the signs are lit. Save Akihabara for a wet or very hot day when outdoor sightseeing is unappealing — it loses nothing in the rain.
