Otsu Temperature by Month
Otsu in Shiga, Japan sees significant seasonal temperature differences, with daytime highs between 9°C (48°F) in January and 33°C (91°F) in August, averaging 20°C (68°F) annually. Explore the full monthly breakdown below.
Otsu Monthly Temperatures
The climate in Otsu is known for significant temperature differences throughout the year. At night, this contrast is just as clear, with lows ranging from 23°C (73°F) in August to 0°C (32°F) in January.
The chart below illustrates the average maximum day and minimum night temperatures in Otsu by month:
From around 4 AM to 6 AM temperatures are at their lowest; by 3 PM they've climbed to their daily peak. August, the warmest month, averages 185 hours of sunshine.
The chart below shows the average temperature throughout the year:
Temperature: Otsu vs Japan
The map below shows the annual temperature across Japan. You can also select individual months if you want to compare a specific time of year.
very warm
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moderate
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Otsu vs World: Temperature Compared
Otsu's average annual maximum temperature is 20°C (68°F). To put that in context, here's how it compares to a few well-known destinations:
Barcelona, Spain has an annual average of around 21°C (70°F), with warm summers and mild, fairly short winters.
Queenstown, New Zealand averages 10°C (50°F) annually — remember seasons are flipped, so its coldest months fall in June and July.
Boston, USA averages 16°C (61°F) annually, with four distinct seasons and cold winters that rival northern Europe.
Tokyo, Japan averages 21°C (70°F) a year, with hot summers, cool winters, and a well-defined cherry blossom spring.
What Does the Temperature Feel Like in Otsu?
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 Otsu, January is the coolest month, with average highs of 9°C (48°F) and humidity around 66% — considered high. In August, the warmest month, temperatures average 33°C (91°F) with 66% 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.
For cities and regions with significant elevation, altitude is one of the biggest factors shaping local temperatures. As a rule of thumb, temperatures fall by around 6°C for every 1,000 metres gained — so a city at 2,000 metres will typically be around 12°C cooler than a city at sea level in the same region. Higher ground also tends to see more dramatic day-to-night temperature swings, since thinner air loses heat faster after sunset.
For more on Otsu's weather — including monthly rainfall, sunshine hours, and humidity — visit our Otsu climate page.
