Japan Winter Weather and Temperatures | December, January and February Normals by Location (Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Sapporo, Kawaguchiko, Naha in Okinawa), Days with Snow or Sleet and Sunset Times
Compare winter (December to February) temperatures and snow in Japanese cities using the normals (averages for 1991 to 2020) of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA). Monthly tables show the average high and average low and days with snow or sleet for Sapporo, Nagano, Kawaguchiko, Kanazawa, Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka and Naha, and the article also explains total snowfall depth and sunset times calculated by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ).
Overview
Under the definitions used by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), winter in Japan is the three months from December to February. This article uses the "normals" published by JMA to compare winter temperatures and snow in Japan's major cities. A normal is the average value over the 30 years from 1991 to 2020. The sunset times are those calculated and published by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). The information was checked on the official JMA and NAOJ websites on October 21, 2026.
- In Tokyo in January, the normal for the average high is 9.8°C and the normal for the average low is 1.2°C. The January normal for days with snow or sleet is 2.8 days.
- As the monthly tables in this article show, the normals for the average high and average low in Osaka, Kyoto, Hiroshima and Fukuoka are close to Tokyo's. However, Kyoto has more days with snow or sleet than Tokyo.
- In Sapporo in January, even the normal for the average high is -0.4°C, which is below 0°C. The January normal for days with snow or sleet is 29.1 days.
- Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) in the Hokuriku region is a city with a lot of rain and snow in winter. The January normal for precipitation is 256 mm in Kanazawa and 59.7 mm in Tokyo.
- In Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, in January, the normal for the average high is 19.8°C and the normal for the average low is 14.9°C.
- Winter is the season of early sunsets. In Tokyo, sunset on December 15, 2026 is at 16:29.
Comparison
How to read the tables
The three tables below summarize the JMA normals by month.
- "Average high" is the normal for the month's daily high temperatures averaged over the month. "Average low" is, in the same way, the normal for the month's daily low temperatures averaged over the month.
- "Days with snow or sleet" is the normal for the number of days on which snow, sleet, blowing snow or similar was observed at the JMA observation station. Days are counted regardless of how heavy the snow was, so days with only a little snow and days when the snow did not settle are also included.
- The values are calculated from observations at a single JMA observation station in each city.
- For Kawaguchiko, "days with snow or sleet" is calculated in the JMA table of normals from 18 years of data, not 30 years. Because this period differs from that of the other values, the tables in this article show "—" for it.
December normals
| City | Average high | Average low | Days with snow or sleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo (Hokkaido) | 2°C | -4°C | 27.9 days |
| Nagano (Nagano Prefecture) | 6.9°C | -1.5°C | 19 days |
| Kawaguchiko (Yamanashi Prefecture) | 8.5°C | -2.9°C | — |
| Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) | 10.2°C | 3.5°C | 14.5 days |
| Tokyo | 12°C | 3.8°C | 0.6 days |
| Kyoto | 11.6°C | 3.5°C | 6.9 days |
| Osaka | 12.3°C | 5.3°C | 1.8 days |
| Hiroshima | 12.1°C | 4°C | 7.6 days |
| Fukuoka | 12.6°C | 5.8°C | 6.1 days |
| Naha (Okinawa Prefecture) | 21.5°C | 16.8°C | 0 days |
January normals
| City | Average high | Average low | Days with snow or sleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo (Hokkaido) | -0.4°C | -6.4°C | 29.1 days |
| Nagano (Nagano Prefecture) | 3.8°C | -3.9°C | 24 days |
| Kawaguchiko (Yamanashi Prefecture) | 5.5°C | -5.7°C | — |
| Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) | 7.1°C | 1.2°C | 22.7 days |
| Tokyo | 9.8°C | 1.2°C | 2.8 days |
| Kyoto | 9.1°C | 1.5°C | 16.3 days |
| Osaka | 9.7°C | 3°C | 4.7 days |
| Hiroshima | 9.9°C | 2°C | 12 days |
| Fukuoka | 10.2°C | 3.9°C | 9.2 days |
| Naha (Okinawa Prefecture) | 19.8°C | 14.9°C | 0 days |
February normals
| City | Average high | Average low | Days with snow or sleet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo (Hokkaido) | 0.4°C | -6.2°C | 25.3 days |
| Nagano (Nagano Prefecture) | 5.3°C | -3.7°C | 20.1 days |
| Kawaguchiko (Yamanashi Prefecture) | 6.6°C | -4.8°C | — |
| Kanazawa (Ishikawa Prefecture) | 7.8°C | 1°C | 19.9 days |
| Tokyo | 10.9°C | 2.1°C | 3.5 days |
| Kyoto | 10°C | 1.6°C | 14.2 days |
| Osaka | 10.5°C | 3.2°C | 5.5 days |
| Hiroshima | 10.9°C | 2.4°C | 9.5 days |
| Fukuoka | 11.6°C | 4.4°C | 5.9 days |
| Naha (Okinawa Prefecture) | 20.2°C | 15.1°C | 0 days |
Areas
Sapporo, Hokkaido
In Sapporo, the normal for the average low is below 0°C in each of December, January and February. In January, even the normal for the average high is below 0°C, at -0.4°C.
Sapporo also gets a lot of snow. The January normal for "total snowfall depth" (the depth of new snow that falls each day, added up over the month) is 137 cm. For the depth of snow lying on the ground, the February normal for the greatest depth reached during the month is 95 cm.
Kanazawa in the Hokuriku region
In winter, Kanazawa has many days of rain or snow, and its sunshine duration is short. Its January normals compare with Tokyo's as follows.
| January normals | Kanazawa | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Precipitation | 256 mm | 59.7 mm |
| Sunshine duration | 62.3 hours | 192.6 hours |
| Total snowfall depth | 67 cm | 4 cm |
- Sunshine duration is the total time during the month that the sun was shining. Precipitation is the combined amount of rain and snow.
Nagano and Kawaguchiko
Nagano and Kawaguchiko are in areas away from the sea and surrounded by mountains. In both, the normal for the average low is below 0°C in each of December, January and February.
- The Kawaguchiko observation station is at an altitude of 859.6 m. The values in the tables are not values from up on Mt. Fuji.
- The January normal for "total snowfall depth" is 63 cm in Nagano and 37 cm in Kawaguchiko.
How to get from Tokyo to Kawaguchiko is explained in Tokyo/Shinjuku to Kawaguchiko & Mt. Fuji: How to Get There | Fuji Excursion Limited Express, Changing Trains, Highway Bus Fares, Travel Times and Booking.
Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and Fukuoka
In these five cities, the normal for the average low is above 0°C in each of December, January and February.
- Tokyo has long sunshine duration in winter. As the table in "Kanazawa in the Hokuriku region" shows, Tokyo's January normal for sunshine duration is longer than Kanazawa's.
- In Kyoto, the January normal for days with snow or sleet is 16.3 days. On the other hand, the January normal for "total snowfall depth" is 5 cm. Although there are many days with snow or sleet, the amount of snow that falls is not large.
Naha, Okinawa Prefecture
In Naha, the normal for the average high is above 19°C in each of December, January and February. The January normal for the average low is 14.9°C. The normal for days with snow or sleet is 0 days in each of December, January and February.
Stores in Japan where you can buy winter clothes are explained in How to Shop at UNIQLO in Japan | Tax-Free Rules and Returns, Hemming Fees and Turnaround Times, Sizes, Payment, Choosing HEATTECH, UNIQLO Shinjuku Takashimaya and Buy Winter Wear, Rainwear and Shoes for Less at Workman (WORKMAN) in Japan | Workman Colors vs WORKMAN Plus, Stores in Ginza, TOKYO Solamachi, Ikebukuro and Namba, XShelter, Payment and Tax-Free.
Itinerary
Sunset times
In winter, the sun sets early. According to NAOJ calculations, sunset times in major cities are as follows.
| City | December 15, 2026 | January 15, 2027 | February 15, 2027 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | 16:00 | 16:24 | 17:05 |
| Tokyo | 16:29 | 16:51 | 17:22 |
| Kanazawa | 16:39 | 17:01 | 17:33 |
| Osaka | 16:49 | 17:10 | 17:41 |
| Fukuoka | 17:12 | 17:33 | 18:02 |
| Naha | 17:40 | 17:59 | 18:22 |
- Times are in Japan Standard Time, which is 9 hours ahead of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
- The sunset time is the moment when the upper edge of the sun meets the horizon. If there are mountains or buildings nearby, the sun may disappear from view before this time.
- If there is outdoor scenery you want to see, plan to visit before sunset so that you can see it while it is still light.
Weather forecasts in languages other than Japanese
The official JMA website has pages where you can see weather forecasts and other weather information, such as information on heavy rain, in languages other than Japanese. As of October 21, 2026, there are pages in English, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Thai and other languages.
- There are no pages in French, German, Italian, Malay or Hindi. Speakers of these languages can use the English pages.
- These pages can be opened from "Other Languages" on the official JMA website.
Good to know
- Normals are averages over the 30 years from 1991 to 2020. JMA updates its normals every 10 years, and the normals in this article are the ones in use from 2021 to 2030.
- Normals are averages. Actual winter temperatures and the amount of snow differ from the normals from year to year.
- The values in the tables are from one observation station in each city. Even within the same city, temperatures and the amount of snow can differ in the mountains or near the sea.
- "Days with snow or sleet" is not the number of days on which snow lay on the ground.
- The sunset times are calculated by NAOJ for one point it has set for each city, with the altitude taken as 0 m.