Hokkaido

Hokkaido Weather in December

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Hokkaido, Japan in December.

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Sapporo Niseko Hakodate Furano

Planning a journey to Hokkaido, Japan this December and curious over the weather conditions to await? Your essential details are found on this page, answering your query:

What to Expect in Hokkaido in December

Hokkaido, Japan is a region in Japan. December in Hokkaido generally has temperatures that range from very cold to cold, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to high. December falls during the winter season.

Temperatures

Based on our climate data spanning from 1990-2020, the average maximum temperature is very cold in Kamikawa at -4°C (25°F) to cold in Erimo at 5°C (41°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to 0°C (32°F) in Erimo and -12°C (10°F) in Kamikawa. In many areas in Japan, December brings with it chilling temperatures. When visiting these parts during this time, it's of utmost importance to be ready. Choose clothing that is both layered and insulating to combat the cold effectively.

To learn more about the conditions in specific areas of Hokkaido, Japan, check out the map below.

Precipitation

In December, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate snow/rainfall in Chitose with an average of 70 mm (2.8 in) to high snow/rainfall in Rishirifuji with 148 mm (5.8 in).

Average sunshine

Sunshine is more restricted in many locations in December. Sapporo sees roughly 87 hours of sunlight. Our weather planner can help you find destinations with more sunshine if needed.

Explore Hokkaido by month

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Best Places to Visit in Hokkaido in December

Click on a destination dot for more details. Toggle the map to compare temperatures or precipitation across Hokkaido.

Conditions Temperatures Precipitation
perfect weather
pleasant
tolerable
unpleasant
poor

Perfect weather is subjective. On this map perfect weather has been defined with temperatures between 20°C (68°F) and 29°C (84°F) and not too much precipitation (less than 90 mm (3.5 in) a month).

Popular Destinations in Hokkaido

What is the weather like in December for some of the most popular destinations in Hokkaido, Japan?

Temperature range in Hokkaido (December)

Precipitation variation in Hokkaido (December)

Sapporo

In December Sapporo generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 2°C (36°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -5°C (23°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
2°C (36°F)
-1°C (30°F)
Min temperature
1°C (34°F)
-5°C (23°F)
-9°C (16°F)
Monthly sun hours
101 hours
87 hours
93 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
96 mm (3.8 in)
90 mm (3.5 in)
69 mm (2.7 in)
Monthly rainy days
24 days
27 days
28 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Sapporo →

Niseko

In December Niseko generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 1°C (34°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C (19°F) and high monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
1°C (34°F)
-2°C (28°F)
Min temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-7°C (19°F)
-9°C (16°F)
Monthly sun hours
101 hours
87 hours
93 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
113 mm (4.4 in)
111 mm (4.4 in)
89 mm (3.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
25 days
29 days
30 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Niseko →

Hakodate

In December Hakodate generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 3°C (37°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -2°C (28°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
3°C (37°F)
1°C (34°F)
Min temperature
4°C (39°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Monthly sun hours
110 hours
95 hours
104 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
91 mm (3.6 in)
79 mm (3.1 in)
62 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
23 days
28 days
28 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Hakodate →

Furano

In December Furano generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around -2°C (28°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -10°C (14°F) and high monthly snowfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
6°C (43°F)
-2°C (28°F)
-4°C (25°F)
Min temperature
-3°C (27°F)
-10°C (14°F)
-12°C (10°F)
Monthly snowfall
127 mm (5 in)
114 mm (4.5 in)
88 mm (3.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
23 days
26 days
26 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Furano →

Obihiro

In December Obihiro generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 1°C (34°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -9°C (16°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« November
December
January »
November
December
January
Max temperature
9°C (48°F)
1°C (34°F)
-2°C (28°F)
Min temperature
-2°C (28°F)
-9°C (16°F)
-14°C (7°F)
Monthly snow/rainfall
83 mm (3.3 in)
78 mm (3.1 in)
62 mm (2.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
16 days
17 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Obihiro →

Is your destination not in the list? Have a look at all destinations in Hokkaido, in Japan.

Popular cities in December

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Hokkaido in December.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Sapporo 2°C (36°F) -5°C (23°F) 90 mm (3.5 in)
Niseko 1°C (34°F) -7°C (19°F) 111 mm (4.4 in)
Hakodate 3°C (37°F) -2°C (28°F) 79 mm (3.1 in)
Furano -2°C (28°F) -10°C (14°F) 114 mm (4.5 in)
Obihiro 1°C (34°F) -9°C (16°F) 78 mm (3.1 in)
Teshikaga 1°C (34°F) -8°C (18°F) 82 mm (3.2 in)

Hokkaido weather in December: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Hokkaido, Japan in December?

December in Hokkaido, Japan brings poor weather. In Sapporo, daytime temperatures are typically around 2°C (36°F) and nighttime lows hover near -5°C (23°F).

What is the average temperature in Hokkaido, Japan in December?

Daytime temperatures in Sapporo peak at roughly 2°C (36°F) in December, dropping to about -5°C (23°F) overnight.

Does Hokkaido, Japan get a lot of snow/rain in December?

Rain is generally moderate to light in Hokkaido, Japan during December, with Sapporo averaging close to 90 mm (3.5 in).

Is December a Good Time to Visit Hokkaido, Japan?

In our opinion, December may not be the ideal time to visit Hokkaido, Japan due to the typically poor weather in Sapporo.

Generally speaking, June provides perfect weather in Sapporo. In contrast, January, February, March, November and December tend to have poor weather conditions.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Hokkaido.

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 travel conditions. Find out where to go with our weather planner.

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