Wakayama Weather in April

Season: Spring
Keywords: pleasant day and cool night; moderate rainfall; high sea winds; cherry blossom season lasts till early April; one of the best times for a visit

Temperature

Average Temperature: 11-17℃ (52-63℉)

In April, Wakayama experiences pleasant weather during the day, but it gets a little cooler in evenings and early mornings. 

Overall, the temperature is on the rise: the daytime temperature increases by 5℃ (41℉) or more from early to late April, reaching a high of 26℃ (79℉). However, when the sun is absent, the temperature often plunges by over 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit), and the lowest can drop to 5℃ (41℉). Therefore, be sure to add clothes if you have an outing plan before sunrise or after sunset.

In this month, the sea winds from the Pacific Ocean often blow to Wakayama, making your feels-like temperature lower. Especially on rainy or overcast periods with stronger winds, such effect may be more pronounced by the sea wind.

Moderate Rainfall

Wakayama has 134 mm (5.3 in) average rainfall in April, distributed over 14 days. Generally speaking, this time mostly sees light or moderate rain with daily precipitation under 20 mm, but there may be one or two heavy rains with a daily accumulation of 30 mm or so. All-day rainfall is rare, so outdoor activities can be carried out even on rainy days. It would be better for you to avoid heavy rain by checking the weather forecast, but if not possible, you can stay in a café for a short period and continue your journey after the rain.

Cherry blossom season is ongoing in early April, but rainfall may cause large clusters of flowers to fall. Thus, keep updated on relevant information and adjust your itinerary in time.

Day Length & Sunshine Hours

Sunrise Time: 5:10 - 5:47
Sunset Time: 18:19 - 18:41

Daylength averages from 12 hours 32 minutes at the beginning of the month to 13 hours 31 minutes at the end of the month, giving you more time to visit. Because the prefecture is large, and it takes some time to travel from Wakayama City to coastal or mountainous areas, the extra daylight hours right make up for this problem, making your trip more relaxing.

Sunshine hours slightly vary between the north and the south: the former receives 9.3 hours of sunshine per day on average, while the southern city of Shingu has 8.8 hours. Its more advised to visit scenic spots along the coast, such as Senjojiki Rock Terrace, Engetsuto Island and Sandanbeki Rock Cliffs on sunny days rather than overcast or rainy days, which weather condition is more favorable for beautiful photos.

What should you wear and bring to visit Wakayama in April?

The topographical diversity of Wakayama decides that your outfits should also differ accordingly. The underlying principle is layered dressing.

 Urban Areas: Wear hoodies or long-sleeved shirts, cardigans, sweatpants and comfortable sneakers. It’s better to prepare a lightweight down vest to deal with a large daily temperature gap. Light-colored clothing makes you more photogenic.

 Coastal Areas: Dress against high sea winds is a top concern, so wind-proof outdoor jackets are more suitable as an outer layer. As for the inner layers, you can just wear the ones for the urban areas. Remember to bring a hat with string, too. Considering you would like to walk barefoot on the sandy beach, choose slip-on shoes, easy to wear or remove.

 Mountain Areas: Due to the higher altitude and high density of vegetation, the mountain areas have much lower temperature and thicker clothes are needed. For example, wear a quick-drying base layer, 3-in-1 jackets with a detachable fleece liner on top, single-layer hiking pants and long woolen socks. Since some trails are paved with irregular moss-covered stones, anti-slip hiking shoes work the best. An alpenstock is a must-have.

 Others: Raingear is a necessity wherever you go, and take a facial mask for people having hay fever.

What to Do in Wakayama in April

Appreciate Cherry Blossoms

In addition to the widely known places like Kimiidera Temple and Wakayama Castle, Heisogen Park is a hidden gem to enjoy cherry flowers. The well-maintained paths allow tourists to stroll at leisure to admire them up close. And nearly 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) away is Shirarahama Beach, whose seascapes are hard to forget. Kishi Station, famous for its station-master Tama (a cute calico cat), is also a good spot for flower viewing, where the bloomy cherry blossom trees perfectly complement the train cars decorated with cat patterns. The flowering period of these places mostly ends around early April.

Attend Kumano Hongu Taisha-reitaisai Festival

This three-day festival, held from April 13 to 15, involves the Yunobori Shinto Ritual and Togyo-matsuri Festival. On the last day, roughly 300 priests dressed in Japanese ancient clothing lead a parade carrying portable shrines from Kumano Hongu Taisha Grand Shrine to its former site Oyunohara, which comes to life with traditional performances like court music and dances and rituals like tossing rice cakes.

Hike Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage Routes

Thanks to its beautiful landscapes and comfortable climate, April is one of the best months for hiking Kumano Kodo in Wakayama, particularly the most popular Nakahechi Route. 

However, do note that during the periods of the cherry blossom season in early April and Golden Week holiday from the end of April to early May, hotels are not only expensive but also difficult to secure, so book accommodation well ahead of time, if you plan to stay overnight here during your 2026 trip.

Wakayama Weather by Month