Weather in January in Japan
What is the weather like in Japan in January?
The weather in Japan in January ranges from poor to pleasant depending on the destination. January is a winter month in Japan.
January has maximum daytime temperatures ranging from very cold in Mount Fuji with -15°C (5°F) to moderate temperatures in Ishigaki Island with 22°C (71°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 17°C (62°F) in Ishigaki Island and -21°C (-6°F) in Mount Fuji. It is one of the coldest months of the year.
Precipitation ranges from moderate in Nemuro with 32mm (1.3inch) snow/rainfall to heavy in Joetsu with 411mm (16inch) snow/rainfall.
January can be the driest month of the year.
In general it is also a
sunny
month with an average of 191 hours of sunshine in Tokyo during the whole month.
We invite you to have a look at the map below to find out more about the different weather conditions per location in Japan.
Where to go in Japan in January
perfect weather
pleasant
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unpleasant
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Popular destinations in Japan
What is the weather like in January for the 5 most popular destinations in Japan?
Average weather in Tokyo
In January Tokyo generally has cold temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (49°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Kyoto
In January Kyoto generally has cold temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Arashiyama
In January Arashiyama generally has cold temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 1°C (34°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Osaka
In January Osaka generally has cold temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 10°C (49°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Average weather in Hakuba
In January Hakuba generally has very cold temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 2°C (35°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C (19°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.
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Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at other destinations in Japan.
Is January the best time to go to Japan?
In our opinion January is not the best time to visit Japan with commonly poor weather in Tokyo.
On average the best time to visit Japan is in May and June with generally pleasant weather in Tokyo.
The worst months are January and February 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 almost all countries 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 suggests which destination suits your ideal climate conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.