Golden Hour City

Solar almanac · 2026-11-02 · Japan

Golden hour in Kyoto, Japan

35.0116° N
135.7681° E
Asia/Tokyo

Times shown in local time for Kyoto (Asia/Tokyo).

Golden hour & blue hour

WindowStartsEnds
Blue hour (morning)05:2205:52
Golden hour (morning)06:1806:53
Golden hour (evening)16:2617:02
Blue hour (evening)17:2817:58

Light profile · calculated

Golden hour in Kyoto through the year

Midsummer
37 min
Equinox
33 min
Midwinter
39 min

Length of the evening golden-hour window.

Kyoto lies at 35.01° N, in the mid-latitudes, where the seasons reshape the light noticeably. Its longest measured day falls on Thu 18 June 2026 with 14h 31m of daylight, and its shortest on Fri 18 December 2026 with 9h 48m — a difference of 4h 43m between the two extremes.

Evening golden hour in Kyoto runs for roughly 37 minutes at the height of summer, 33 minutes around the March equinox and 39 minutes at midwinter. The warm window is actually widest in the colder months, which makes winter evenings unusually forgiving here.

The sun sets toward 300° WNW in late June and toward 242° WSW in late December, a shift of about 58° in where the last light lands — worth checking before committing to a west-facing viewpoint. In Kyoto, the sky reaches full darkness between evening and morning twilight year-round.

Field notes for photographers

Where to shoot golden hour in Kyoto

Kyoto’s low skyline, wooded hills and temple precincts produce intimate rather than panoramic golden-hour scenes. Seasonal foliage changes the color palette as strongly as the sun itself.

  1. 01

    Fushimi Inari — Yotsutsuji

    Best for sunrise

    Use the torii path as a repeating frame before opening the composition toward the city.

    Sun rises
    107° ESE
    Sun sets
    252° WSW
  2. 02

    Kiyomizu-dera Approach

    Best for sunrise

    Layer the pagoda, wooded slope and distant city from the public approach viewpoints.

    Sun rises
    107° ESE
    Sun sets
    252° WSW
  3. 03

    Arashiyama Bamboo Grove

    Best for sunrise

    Expose for the bright canopy so the bamboo trunks hold depth rather than flattening into shadow.

    Sun rises
    107° ESE
    Sun sets
    252° WSW

Seasonal light. Spring and autumn bring moderate day lengths and strong seasonal color; summer is longer and humid, while winter light is low and crisp.

Today’s solar record

−2 min/day

Sunrise
06:18

rises at 107° ESE

Sunset
17:02

sets at 252° WSW

Solar noon
11:40
Day length
10h 44m

Evening golden hour starts at 16:26

Add to calendar

Solar trajectory

Maximum 40°
06:1840° at 11:4017:02
East · sunriseHighest point of the sun today: 40° above the horizon. The shaded band near the horizon is golden-hour light.West · sunset

Twenty-four hours of light

06:18Sunrise11:40Solar noon17:02Sunset
NightBlue hourGolden hourDaylight

Next 7 days

DateSunriseSunsetDay length
2026-11-0206:1817:0210h 44m
2026-11-0306:1917:0110h 42m
2026-11-0406:2017:0010h 40m
2026-11-0506:2116:5910h 38m
2026-11-0606:2216:5810h 36m
2026-11-0706:2316:5710h 34m
2026-11-0806:2416:5610h 33m

Annual light rhythm · Kyoto

9h 49m—14h 30m
JFMAMJJASOND
Longest days in June (14h 30m), shortest in December (9h 49m).

Questions

When is golden hour in Kyoto today?
Evening golden hour in Kyoto starts at 16:26 and ends at sunset, 17:02. Morning golden hour runs from sunrise, 06:18, until 06:53 local time (Asia/Tokyo).
How long does golden hour last in Kyoto?
Evening golden hour in Kyoto runs from 16:26 to 17:02, and morning golden hour from 06:18 to 06:53.
When is blue hour in Kyoto?
Morning blue hour in Kyoto begins at 05:22, before sunrise. Evening blue hour begins at 17:28, just after sunset.
What time is sunrise in Kyoto today?
Sunrise in Kyoto is at 06:18 local time (Asia/Tokyo), rising toward 107° ESE.
What time is sunset in Kyoto today?
Sunset in Kyoto is at 17:02 local time (Asia/Tokyo), setting toward 252° WSW.
How long is the day in Kyoto?
Kyoto has 10h 44m of daylight today.

Other views for Kyoto

Continue planning

Nearby photography guides