Iwate Weather in January

Average temperatures, rainfall, sunshine and the best places to visit in Iwate, Japan in January.

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Morioka Hachimantai Hanamaki Shizukuishi

Thinking about venturing to Iwate, Japan this January and curious about the weather conditions to expect? This page holds all the key information you seek, responding to your question:

What to Expect in Iwate in January

Iwate, Japan is a region in Japan. January in Iwate generally has temperatures that range from very cold to cold, with moderate precipitation. January is a winter month.

Temperatures

The average highest temperatures fluctuate between very cold in Hachimantai at 0°C (32°F) to cold in Ichinoseki at 5°C (41°F). Nighttime temperatures generally drop to -3°C (27°F) in Ichinoseki and -9°C (16°F) in Hachimantai. On average, January is the coldest month of the year in Iwate, Japan. So be prepared and make sure to pack winter cloths.

For a closer look at conditions across Iwate, Japan, refer to the map below.

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate snow/rainfall in Ichinoseki with an average of 66 mm (2.6 in) to moderate snow/rainfall in Shizukuishi with 99 mm (3.9 in). In Morioka, this particular month consistently records the lowest levels of rainfall, making it the driest period throughout the entire year.

Explore Iwate by month

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

Best Places to Visit in Iwate in January

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

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 Iwate

What is the weather like in January for some of the most popular destinations in Iwate, Japan?

Temperature range in Iwate (January)

Precipitation variation in Iwate (January)

Morioka

In January Morioka generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 0°C (32°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -9°C (16°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
3°C (37°F)
0°C (32°F)
1°C (34°F)
Min temperature
-5°C (23°F)
-9°C (16°F)
-9°C (16°F)
Monthly snow/rainfall
98 mm (3.9 in)
85 mm (3.3 in)
86 mm (3.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
27 days
28 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Morioka →

Hachimantai

In January Hachimantai generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 0°C (32°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -9°C (16°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
3°C (37°F)
0°C (32°F)
1°C (34°F)
Min temperature
-5°C (23°F)
-9°C (16°F)
-8°C (18°F)
Monthly sun hours
125 hours
128 hours
128 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
104 mm (4.1 in)
87 mm (3.4 in)
91 mm (3.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
28 days
28 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Hachimantai →

Hanamaki

In January Hanamaki generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 2°C (36°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -7°C (19°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
5°C (41°F)
2°C (36°F)
3°C (37°F)
Min temperature
-4°C (25°F)
-7°C (19°F)
-7°C (19°F)
Monthly snow/rainfall
96 mm (3.8 in)
84 mm (3.3 in)
82 mm (3.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
26 days
27 days
24 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Hanamaki →

Shizukuishi

In January Shizukuishi generally has very low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 1°C (34°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -8°C (18°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
3°C (37°F)
1°C (34°F)
2°C (36°F)
Min temperature
-5°C (23°F)
-8°C (18°F)
-8°C (18°F)
Monthly snow/rainfall
118 mm (4.6 in)
99 mm (3.9 in)
100 mm (3.9 in)
Monthly rainy days
28 days
28 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Shizukuishi →

Ichinoseki

In January Ichinoseki generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 5°C (41°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around -3°C (27°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
7°C (45°F)
5°C (41°F)
6°C (43°F)
Min temperature
-1°C (30°F)
-3°C (27°F)
-3°C (27°F)
Monthly snow/rainfall
73 mm (2.9 in)
66 mm (2.6 in)
65 mm (2.6 in)
Monthly rainy days
23 days
24 days
22 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Ichinoseki →

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

In our records: Japan January extremes

Notable January records observed across cities in Japan in our climate database (1976 – 2026). Historic readings can vary in quality, so treat these as illustrative.

  • In our records, the coldest January daytime high in Japan was -15°C (5°F) in Mount Fuji on January 18, 2004.

Popular cities in January

Day & night temperatures, rainfall and average weather in Iwate in January.

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Morioka 0°C (32°F) -9°C (16°F) 85 mm (3.3 in)
Hachimantai 0°C (32°F) -9°C (16°F) 87 mm (3.4 in)
Hanamaki 2°C (36°F) -7°C (19°F) 84 mm (3.3 in)
Shizukuishi 1°C (34°F) -8°C (18°F) 99 mm (3.9 in)
Ichinoseki 5°C (41°F) -3°C (27°F) 66 mm (2.6 in)
Kitakami 2°C (36°F) -7°C (19°F) 82 mm (3.2 in)

Iwate weather in January: frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Iwate, Japan in January?

January in Iwate, Japan brings poor weather. In Morioka, daytime temperatures are typically around 0°C (32°F) and nighttime lows hover near -9°C (16°F).

What is the average temperature in Iwate, Japan in January?

Morioka averages a daytime maximum of 0°C (32°F) in January, with overnight lows close to -9°C (16°F).

Does Iwate, Japan get a lot of snow/rain in January?

Not particularly. Morioka averages just 85 mm (3.3 in) of snow/rain in January, making it a mostly dry month for Iwate, Japan.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Iwate, Japan?

Given the typically poor weather conditions in Morioka, January may not be the ideal time to visit Iwate, Japan.

On average, the best time to visit Iwate, Japan is in June, July, August and September with generally pleasant weather in Morioka. The weather in January, February, March, April, November and December, on the other hand, tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Iwate.

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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