Kyoto Travel Risk — Moderate Risk (30/100)
Is Kyoto safe right now? Checked 16 October 2026
Kyoto scores 30/100 on our travel risk index (Moderate). The US State Department rates Japan Level 1 (Exercise Normal Precautions, updated 15 May 2025); the UK has no advice against travel; Canada says: exercise normal security precautions. No GDACS or USGS hazard events within 100 km in the last 14 days. No change in government advice in the last 7 days.
Political instability (score 5)
Natural disasters (score 30)
September 27, 2026
Kyoto, Japan has a current Travel Risk Calculator composite score of 30 out of 100 (moderate risk tier); the highest-rated risk category is natural disasters at 30/100; the lowest-rated category is political instability at 5/100; last updated September 27, 2026. For official nationwide security advisories, entry requirements, and health notices, see the Japan travel risk page. Real-time conditions below include live weather, official advisory levels, GDACS disaster alerts, and current news.
Get a personalized assessment for your tripHow safe is Kyoto to visit in 2026?
Kyoto currently sits at 30/100 on our composite travel-risk index, which puts it in the moderate-risk tier. Most travelers will be fine with normal precautions, but a few categories below score high enough that planning matters. The highest-rated risk category for Kyoto is natural disasters (30/100), and the lowest is political instability (5/100). This page was last updated on September 27, 2026; the baseline category scores reflect analytical indicators, layered with live conditions throughout the day. Live conditions — weather and air quality every 30 minutes, US State Department advisory every 6 hours, GDACS disaster alerts every 30 minutes, CDC health notices every 12 hours, and news every hour — are cached at the source and refreshed automatically when stale.
Driven by: natural hazards (74/100) and security (10/100).
A score of 30 is higher than the scores of 32% of the 241 countries we cover.
AI safety snapshot · refreshed Oct 16, 2026
Kyoto, Japan maintains a moderate risk profile with a baseline composite score of 30 out of 100 as of October 16, 2026. Travelers face a US State Department Advisory Level 1 and a CDC Level 1 Global Dengue health notice. General safety advice and travel guides remain applicable for visitors to the area.
AI-summarized strictly from the live public-source data below (US State Dept advisory, GDACS, CDC, Google News). Auto-refreshed at most once per day on the first visit. Not official advice.
Live conditions last refreshed: Oct 16, 2026 03:50 UTC
What should I do now?
- Run a real assessment. Open the calculator for live data (weather, advisory, news) layered onto this baseline.
- Natural disasters (score 30/100): Check seasonal hazard (hurricane, monsoon, earthquake) for your dates. Identify hotel evacuation routes on arrival.
- Transport safety (score 15/100): Use the safest available transit. For high-risk routes, prefer reputable carriers and avoid late-night driving.
- Check your country's advisory. The single most authoritative live signal. Linked at the bottom of every real assessment.
Day vs Night Safety in Kyoto
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
Daytime transit and exploration in central areas are generally safe and routine. Standard alertness in crowded transit hubs and tourist plazas is adequate.
After dark, keep to well-illuminated thoroughfares and busy dining/entertainment quarters. Use verified taxis or rideshare apps when returning late.
Safety by Traveler Type in Kyoto
Guidance based on our scores and official advice — not a measured score.
No group-specific warning is triggered in Kyoto for solo travelers (Crime 15/100 · Transport 15/100), women traveling solo (Crime 15/100), families with children (Health 10/100 · Natural disaster 30/100), older travelers (Health 10/100 · Transport 15/100), business travelers (Digital 10/100 · Money 15/100 · Transport 15/100) and lgbtq+ travelers (Advisory 10/100 · Political 5/100): these scores sit in the low-to-moderate range, so standard precautions apply. Local laws affecting LGBTQ+ travelers and gender-specific incident rates are not captured in our scores; check your government's travel guidance.
Score layers
Safety categories
Source: Grounded open data research & citations
Quick facts
| Hospital access | high |
|---|---|
| Airport risk | medium |
| Road safety | low |
| Public transport | high |
| Tourist scam risk | low |
| Night safety | high |
| Last updated | September 27, 2026 |
Live conditions in Kyoto
Real-time data refreshed from public sources — weather and air quality from Open-Meteo, official advisory from the US State Department, disaster alerts from GDACS, health notices from the CDC, news from Google News. For an AI-synthesized briefing tailored to your specific trip, run a personalized assessment.
Today's weather
☀ Clear
Kyoto, Japan
| Today's high / low | 25.5°C / 13.4°C | Wind now / max | 5.7 km/h / 6.6 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|
| Humidity | 45% | Precipitation today | 0 mm · 0% chance |
| UV (max today) | 5 | Sunrise / Sunset | 06:03 / 17:21 |
Source: Open-Meteo (free public weather API) · fetched 2026-10-16 03:50:51 UTC · cached
Air quality
Air Quality
Good
| PM2.5 / PM10 | 5.6 / 9.5 µg/m³ | O₃ / NO₂ | 105 / 1.2 µg/m³ |
|---|
Source: Open-Meteo Air Quality · fetched 2026-10-16 03:50:51 UTC · cached
Official travel advisory
Level 1 · Exercise Normal Precautions
Japan - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions
Read full advisory → · US Department of State
Natural hazard calendar & history
5-Year Hazard Calendar (100 km Radius)
| Hazard | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floods | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — |
| Tropical Cyclones | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 1 | — | — | — |
| Earthquakes (M5.5+) | — | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Most tropical cyclone events within 100 km of Kyoto happened in August (2 of 3 in five years).
Source: GDACS, USGS; five years to October 2026.
Significant Earthquakes (USGS M5.5+ within 150 km)
1 major seismic event recorded within 150 km over the past 5 years.
- Largest: M5.7 on 2 May 2026 (102 km away) — USGS details
For consular advice on women's safety, LGBT+ travel, and local laws, see the Japan travel advice & laws.
Check the official entry requirements for your nationality before you travel. See the Japan entry requirements.
Health notices
Health Notices for this Destination
-
Level 1 - Global Dengue WATCH · 2026-10-02
Dengue is a year-round risk in many parts of the world, with outbreaks commonly occurring every 2–5 years. Travelers to risk areas should prevent mosquito bites. Country List : Colombia, Vietnam, Maldives, Bolivia, Cambodia, Kenya, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Costa Rica, Mar
-
Level 2 - Global Polio ALERT · 2026-09-23
Some international destinations have circulating poliovirus. Before any international travel, make sure you are up to date on your polio vaccines. Country List : Afghanistan, Algeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of the Congo, Niger, Nig
-
Level 1 - Global Measles WATCH · 2025-05-28
Measles cases are rising in many countries around the world. All international travelers should be fully vaccinated against measles with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to CDC's measles vaccination recommendations for international travel. Country List : Afghan
Source: CDC Travelers’ Health · fetched 2026-10-15 19:24:31 UTC
Recent headlines
Recent Headlines · Kyoto Japan
-
Japan travel guide and safety advice
RACV · 2d ago
Source: Google News · headlines verbatim, dates from publishers · fetched 2026-10-16 03:19:34 UTC
1991–2020 climate normals
Seasonal risk & best time to visit Kyoto
The most weather-stable two-month window for Kyoto is April–May, when typical daily temperatures run from about 8°C to 22°C and monthly rain averages 165 mm.
Seasonal planning flags include typhoon season in May–November; heavy rain season in June–July and September; monsoon in June–July and September. These are climate patterns, not forecasts.
Climate normals are planning context, not a short-range forecast. Source: Open-Meteo Climate API. Refreshed Sep 5, 2026.
Calculate risk for these travel dates Compare seasonal windows →
Practical safety map
Safety infrastructure nearby in Kyoto
Kyoto has 10 hospitals, 10 police stations, 10 pharmacies and 5 fire stations within 7 km of the city center in the latest OpenStreetMap extract.
The interactive map loads when it approaches the viewport.
Facility list (works without JavaScript)
- Hospital: ヒグチ皮フ科医院
- Hospital: 京都大学医学部附属病院
- Hospital: 京都第二赤十字病院
- Hospital: 京都逓信病院
- Hospital: 山本医院
- Hospital: 松岡眼科
- Hospital: 林整形外科
- Hospital: 貴順会吉川病院
- Hospital: 足立病院
- Hospital: 足立病院 小児科
- Police: Koban
- Police: Koban
- Police: 中立売警察署丸太町交番
- Police: 中立売警察署木屋町二条交番
- Police: 二条殿交番
- Police: 五条警察署四条交番
- Police: 五条警察署新京極交番
- Police: 五条警察署東洞院交番
- Police: 川端警察署
- Police: 木屋町警備派出所
- Pharmacy: Drug Yutaka
- Pharmacy: Kirindo
- Pharmacy: Sugi Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: Sugi Pharmacy
- Pharmacy: スギ薬局 京都市役所前調剤店
- Pharmacy: ファルコ薬局
- Pharmacy: みくら薬局
- Pharmacy: 三条まりも薬局
- Pharmacy: 新京極薬品
- Pharmacy: 翔薬局
- Fire station: 中京消防団 龍池分団
- Fire station: 京都市消防局
- Fire station: 京都市消防局中京消防署寺町消防出張所
- Fire station: 京都市消防局本部庁舎
- Fire station: 岡崎消防出張所
Map and facility data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Locations can be incomplete or outdated; confirm before relying on them. See this destination’s numbers or browse emergency numbers by country.
Emergency numbers (Japan)
| Police | 110 |
|---|---|
| Ambulance | 119 |
| Fire | 119 |
| General | 110 |
See nearby hospitals, police, pharmacies, embassies, and fire stations on the safety map.
Essential local emergency phrases
Show this screen to first responders, hotel staff, or passersby if you cannot speak the local language during an emergency.
Medical access
| Hospital access | medium |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy access | medium |
| Emergency response | high |
| English-speaking care | unknown |
| Evacuation complexity | low |
Kyoto has modern hospitals and pharmacies that are readily reachable, and emergency services respond promptly. However, English‑language assistance in medical settings may be limited.
Common scam patterns
- Bar Tout / Hostess Bar Trap. Tourists are approached by individuals offering entry to hostess bars, which often lead to inflated bills and pressure to purchase expensive drinks. This scam is rated as high risk due to the potential for significant financial loss. Tip: Decline unsolicited invitations and use only reputable, app‑based ride services or official taxis.
- Rickshaw Hidden Surcharge. Rickshaw operators near popular sites such as Arashiyama and Gion quote a low initial price, then add extra charges for scenic detours or additional stops. The practice is common enough to be listed as a medium‑risk scam. Tip: Agree on a fixed price before the ride and confirm the route in advance.
- Fake Monk Donation Solicitation. Individuals dressed as Buddhist monks near landmarks like Kinkaku‑ji or Kyoto Station offer small prayer beads or amulets and then demand a donation. This is considered a low‑risk street scam. Tip: Politely refuse unsolicited donations and keep moving if approached.
Area notes
- Gion. Known for nightlife and strict photography bans; respect local rules and stay alert, especially after dark.
- Arashiyama. A major attraction with bamboo groves and temples, but visitors should watch for rickshaw operators adding hidden fees.
- Kyoto Station vicinity. High foot traffic area where pickpocketing is reported; keep bags and valuables secured.
Nearest embassies & consulates
Find your home country's diplomatic mission in Japan for consular support, lost passports, or citizen emergencies:
Run a personalized assessment for Kyoto
Get a tailored briefing in ~15 seconds, with live weather, advisories, and recent news.
Calculate my trip riskScore history
| When | Score change | Tier | Reason / source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 27, 2026 | 13 → 30 | low → moderate | Method change (scoring v2) scoring v2 |
| Sep 10, 2026 | 0 → 0 | unknown | Data update Grounded open data research & citations |
| May 15, 2026 | — → 16 | low | Data update Editorial baseline 2026-05-14 (round 2: Numbeo + WHO + State Dept + GPI + EPI references) |
Every editorial change to Kyoto's composite score is logged here, with the source and reason for the change. Live data overlays (weather, advisories, disaster alerts, news) refresh continuously on their own cadences and are not recorded as score changes — see the Live conditions section above for current overlay state.
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Transparency & Sources
We document the baseline sources, coverage scope, and data inputs for this destination below.
Sources used
- SimpleMaps World Cities (CC BY 4.0): Coordinates, region, population for Kyoto
- Travel Risk Calculator score (method v2): Security, crime and scams, health, natural hazards and current alerts for Kyoto, from US, UK and Canadian advisories, INFORM, World Bank, UCDP, CDC, GDACS, USGS and OpenStreetMap
- Editorial baseline (Travel Risk Calculator): City-level threat scoring across 9 categories (crime, health, advisory, political, disaster, transport, environmental, digital security, money safety)
Live data overlays on this page refresh asynchronously on the source cadences shown above. Run an assessment to create a trip-specific briefing using your dates and traveler profile.
Baseline scope
- Category scores represent an analytical baseline, updated from official feeds and public records.
Coverage notes
- Transport-hub safety notes (airport, train stations).
Methodology · Full data-source registry · Report a correction
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Disclaimer
Travel Risk Calculator provides estimated travel-threat information for preparation purposes only. It does not replace official government advisories, medical advice, emergency alerts, immigration rules, insurance advice, police guidance, embassy information, or professional security consultation.