Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama Temperature by Month

Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama in Gifu, Japan sees significant seasonal temperature differences, with daytime highs between 2°C (36°F) in January and 28°C (82°F) in August, averaging 15°C (59°F) annually. Explore the full monthly breakdown below.

The climate in Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama is dynamic, ranging widely from very cold in winter to comfortable in summer. Nights are significantly colder, with lows dropping from 19°C (66°F) in August to -7°C (19°F) in January.

The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama by month:

The coldest point of the day usually falls between 4 AM and 6 AM, with temperatures peaking around 3 PM. August, the city's warmest month, gets 208 hours of sunshine.

The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:

Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama's average annual maximum temperature is 15°C (59°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:

Seville, Spain averages 23°C (73°F) a year, one of the warmer cities in Western Europe, with long hot summers.

Interlaken, Switzerland averages 8°C (46°F) a year, with cold winters and cool summers thanks to its Alpine setting.

San Francisco, USA averages 19°C (66°F) annually, but with little seasonal variation, summers are often cool and foggy, winters mild.

Perth, Australia averages 25°C (77°F) annually, with a classic Mediterranean climate, hot dry summers and mild wet winters.

Temperature alone doesn't tell the whole story, humidity plays a big role in how warm or cold it actually feels. High humidity in summer makes the heat feel more intense, particularly once temperatures climb above 25°C. In winter, the same humidity can make cold air feel sharper than the thermometer suggests.

In the cooler months, when temperatures drop below 10°C, high humidity makes the cold feel more cutting than it would in dry conditions.

In Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama, January is the coolest month, with average highs of 2°C (36°F) and humidity around 83%, considered very high. In August, the warmest month, temperatures average 28°C (82°F) with 73% humidity, conditions that feel high. For a full picture, see our humidity page.

Climate temperature data is typically calculated as a 30-year average. This smooths out year-to-year variability and gives a more reliable picture of what a place is actually like, rather than what happened in any single unusual year.

The readings come from a range of sources, land-based weather stations, ocean buoys, ships, and satellites. That data is collected by weather services around the world, then pooled, quality-checked, and averaged to produce the climate records you see here.

Seasonal temperature shifts influence more than just how warm it feels, they also drive changes in rainfall, cloud cover, and wind patterns throughout the year.

Warmer air holds more moisture, which tends to mean heavier or more frequent rain during the warmer months. When temperatures drop in winter, any precipitation that does fall is more likely to come as snow or sleet, though in Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama this rarely lasts long on the ground.

For more on Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama's weather, including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity, visit our Shirakawa-gō and Gokayama climate page.