May scores 61/100 for outdoor ceremonies: moderate rain risk (9 wet days, 132mm), 21°C afternoons cooling to about 16°C for the reception, and 14 hours of daylight for the photography schedule. January is the month to avoid at 16/100.
May outdoor ceremony score: 61/100
Climate normals for Kanazawa rescored on wedding-specific weighting. Once your date falls inside the 14-day window the live forecast on this page takes over.
Last updated: · Live forecast data refreshes hourly.
| Best wedding month | May — 61/100 |
| Second choice | April — 50/100 |
| Month to avoid | January — 16/100 |
| Rain risk in the best month | Moderate — rain on about 9 days |
| Guest comfort | 97/100 at 21°C |
| Reception temperature | ≈ 16°C after sunset in May |
| Photo light | 6h of sun across a 14h day |
| Months scoring 65+ | 0 of 12 |
May keeps seated guests at 21°C in the afternoon and around 16°C after sunset — the closest Kanazawa gets to a ceremony that needs neither shade structures nor patio heaters.
Rain falls on roughly 9 days in May (moderate risk, 132mm). Book a covered backup you would genuinely be happy to use.
May gives 14 hours of daylight and about 6 hours of direct sun per day, so a late-afternoon ceremony puts portraits inside golden hour rather than after it.
January scores 16/100 for weddings in Kanazawa: 7°C highs, 262mm of rain and 2°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
Scored on rain risk, guest comfort, evening temperature and photographic light — deliberately different weighting from the travel score.
| Month | Wedding score | Rain risk | Afternoon | Evening | Guest comfort | Photo light |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16/100 | High (17 days) | 7°C | 2°C | 49/100 | 0/100 |
| February | 21/100 | Moderate (11 days) | 7°C | 2°C | 49/100 | 5/100 |
| March | 33/100 | Moderate (10 days) | 10°C | 5°C | 59/100 | 26/100 |
| April | 50/100 | Moderate (9 days) | 16°C | 11°C | 80/100 | 38/100 |
| May | 61/100 | Moderate (9 days) | 21°C | 16°C | 97/100 | 40/100 |
| June | 48/100 | Moderate (12 days) | 27°C | 22°C | 79/100 | 66/100 |
| July | 33/100 | Moderate (13 days) | 30°C | 25°C | 66/100 | 20/100 |
| August | 48/100 | Moderate (9 days) | 30°C | 25°C | 66/100 | 46/100 |
| September | 45/100 | High (14 days) | 27°C | 22°C | 79/100 | 54/100 |
| October | 49/100 | Moderate (12 days) | 21°C | 16°C | 97/100 | 24/100 |
| November | 36/100 | High (15 days) | 16°C | 11°C | 80/100 | 12/100 |
| December | 22/100 | High (17 days) | 10°C | 5°C | 59/100 | 0/100 |
Wedding weather is scored differently from travel weather: seated guests in formalwear tolerate a narrower band than sightseers, and the ceremony hour matters more than the daily average. Each month in Kanazawa is scored 0–100 on the weighting below.
| Factor | Weight | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Dry conditions | 38% | Share of days with measurable rain — the single factor most likely to force a backup plan. |
| Guest comfort | 27% | Distance from a 22°C daytime ideal, with an extra penalty for humid heat above 24°C. |
| Evening temperature | 20% | Modelled reception-hour temperature against an 18°C ideal for an outdoor evening. |
| Photo light | 15% | Sunshine hours and daylight length, which set the length and quality of the golden hour window. |
Based on long-run climate averages rather than a forecast. Plan the ceremony around the golden hour — see golden hour times for Kanazawa linked below.
May, at 61/100. It combines moderate rain risk with 21°C afternoons and roughly 16°C evenings, which is the most forgiving combination Kanazawa offers for seated guests.
January scores 16/100: 7°C highs, 262mm of rain over about 17 days and 2°C evenings make a fully outdoor plan fragile.
In May rain falls on roughly 9 of 30 days, so the single-day probability is about 30%. In January that rises to about 57%.
Yes. Even in the best month, rain risk in Kanazawa is moderate, so book covered space you would genuinely be happy to use rather than treating it as a late add-on.
May gives 14 hours of daylight and about 6 hours of direct sun. Put portraits in the final 60–90 minutes of daylight so they land inside golden hour rather than after it.