Japan weather in December
What is the weather like in Japan in December?
The weather conditions in Japan in December vary from poor to pleasant depending on the destination. It is a winter month.
During December in Japan, the average maximum temperature varies from very low in Asahikawa with -4°C (26°F) to pleasant in Miyako Island with 21°C (71°F). Minimum nighttime temperatures generally drop to 19°C (67°F) in Miyako Island and -12°C (11°F) in Asahikawa.
Precipitation in December varies from low in Karuizawa with an average of 19mm (0.7 inches) of snow/rainfall to heavy in Sado with 165mm (6.5 inches).
It is the driest month of the year in Tokyo.
It is also generally a
moderately sunny
time of year with an average of 177 hours of sunshine in Tokyo during the entire month.
To learn more about the weather conditions in specific areas of Japan, check out the map below.
Where to go in Japan in December
perfect weather
pleasant
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unpleasant
poor
Popular destinations in Japan
What is the weather like in December for the 5 most popular destinations in Japan?
Average weather in Tokyo
In December Tokyo generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 12°C (54°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 4°C (38°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
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Average weather in Kyoto
In December Kyoto generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (51°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 2°C (36°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Osaka
In December Osaka generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (50°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (35°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Hakuba
In December Hakuba generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 5°C (41°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -4°C (24°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Hakone
In December Hakone generally has moderate temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 13°C (55°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 5°C (41°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are unpleasant that month.
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Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Japan.
Is December the best time to go to Japan?
In our opinion December is not the best time to visit Japan with commonly unpleasant weather in Tokyo.
On average the best time to visit Japan is in May, June and July with generally pleasant weather in Tokyo.
The worst months are January, February and March that can have poor weather conditions.
Interested in more climate information?
We have much more information about the climate in Japan.
Interested in the weather conditions in a specific month? Select the month below.
Weather and climate has detailed information for every country in the world. Are you going to Japan? Get detailed historical weather averages for many cities in Japan.
Not sure yet where to go? We now have a tool which recommends destinations that suit your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.