Film production in Kyoto
Between June and December, usable daylight in Kyoto moves by 4h 41min — from 14h 30min down to 9h 49min. An exterior day in December is a different day from one in June. This page carries sunrise, sunset and golden-hour times for all twelve months.
Light and shooting hours
On 15 June, the sun in Kyoto rises at 04:43 and sets at 19:13; the evening golden hour starts at 18:36 and runs for 37 minutes. By December that shifts to 06:58–16:47, with a 39-minute golden-hour window from 16:08.
In practice, a spread of 4h 41min means a schedule that works here in summer does not work in winter at the same location — with the same setup count, the hours simply are not there.
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Daylight | Golden hour (evening, from) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 07:05 | 17:08 | 10h 03min | 16:30 |
| February | 06:45 | 17:39 | 10h 55min | 17:04 |
| March | 06:09 | 18:04 | 11h 55min | 17:31 |
| April | 05:26 | 18:29 | 13h 03min | 17:55 |
| May | 04:55 | 18:54 | 13h 59min | 18:18 |
| June | 04:43 | 19:13 | 14h 30min | 18:36 |
| July | 04:54 | 19:12 | 14h 18min | 18:36 |
| August | 05:17 | 18:48 | 13h 30min | 18:13 |
| September | 05:40 | 18:06 | 12h 26min | 17:33 |
| October | 06:03 | 17:24 | 11h 21min | 16:50 |
| November | 06:32 | 16:53 | 10h 21min | 16:16 |
| December | 06:58 | 16:47 | 9h 49min | 16:08 |
Blue hour and shooting windows
Blue hour in Kyoto starts at 19:31 in June and ends at 19:43 — a window of 12 minutes. In December it is 11 minutes from 17:05. If you need a city view with lit windows, that window is all you get.
Sunset moves fastest around the equinoxes: between March (18:04) and September (18:06) there are 2 minutes of difference. A schedule running over several weeks cannot work from one fixed "sunset" time.
Planning a shoot here
A schedule that ignores these numbers looks fine on paper and falls over on the day. TillyGen folds sun position, travel and crew availability straight into the schedule — if the exterior no longer fits before sunset in December, the plan says so, not the wrap report.
Frequently asked
When is golden hour in Kyoto?
In June it starts at 18:36 and lasts 37 minutes; in December it starts at 16:08 and lasts 39 minutes. The table above lists all twelve months.
How much daylight does a shoot day in Kyoto get?
Between 9h 49min in December and 14h 30min in June. The 4h 41min difference is worth four to eight setups depending on your pace.
Which month is best for exteriors in Kyoto?
On daylight length alone, June is strongest with 14h 30min of usable light.