Japan weather in January
What is the weather like in Japan in January?
The weather conditions in Japan in January range from poor to pleasant depending on the destination. It is a winter month.
During January in Japan, the average maximum temperature ranges from very low in Mount Fuji with -15°C (5°F) to pleasant in Ishigaki Island with 22°C (71°F). Minimum nighttime temperatures generally drop to 17°C (62°F) in Ishigaki Island and -21°C (-6°F) in Mount Fuji. On average, it is the month with the lowest temperatures of the year in Japan.
Precipitation in January ranges from moderate in Nemuro with an average of 32mm (1.3inch) snow/rainfall to heavy in Joetsu with 411mm (16inch).
It is the driest month of the year in Tokyo.
It is also generally a
sunny
period with an average of 191 hours of sunshine in Tokyo during the entire 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
tolerable
unpleasant
poor
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 low 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 low 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 low 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 low 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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Average weather in Hakone
In January Hakone generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -15°C (5°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -21°C (-6°F) and moderate 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 April, May and June with generally pleasant weather in Tokyo.
The worst month is January 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.
