Kyoto Weather in January

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

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Kyoto Uji Nantan city Kameoka

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

What to Expect in Kyoto in January

Kyoto, Japan is a region in Japan. January in Kyoto generally has cold temperatures, with precipitation levels ranging from moderate to high. January falls during the winter season.

Temperatures

You can expect cold maximum daytime temperatures of around 9°C (48°F) and nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) in Kyoto. On average, January is the coldest month of the year in Kyoto, Japan. So be prepared and make sure to pack winter cloths.

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

Precipitation

In January, precipitation varies across different areas. From moderate rainfall in Uji with an average of 69 mm (2.7 in) to high rainfall in Kyotango with 159 mm (6.3 in).

Average sunshine

Most places get a reasonable amount of sunshine. Take Kyoto as an example - it receives around 124 hours of sunlight, offering a nice mix of sunny and partly cloudy days. Want to compare this with brighter destinations? Try our weather planner to explore your options.

Explore Kyoto by month

Pick a month to see the average temperature, rainfall and sunshine in Kyoto — and find the best time to visit. (based on Kyoto)

January9°C (48°F) February10°C (50°F) March14°C (57°F) April19°C (66°F) May24°C (75°F) This monthJune27°C (81°F) July31°C (88°F) August33°C (91°F) September29°C (84°F) October23°C (73°F) November17°C (63°F) December11°C (52°F)
Best Time to Visit Kyoto →

Best Places to Visit in Kyoto in January

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

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 Kyoto

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

Temperature range in Kyoto (January)

Precipitation variation in Kyoto (January)

Kyoto

In January Kyoto generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and moderate monthly snow/rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
9°C (48°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
138 hours
124 hours
120 hours
Monthly snow/rainfall
71 mm (2.8 in)
73 mm (2.9 in)
88 mm (3.5 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
21 days
21 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Kyoto →

Uji

In January Uji generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
0°C (32°F)
1°C (34°F)
Monthly sun hours
138 hours
124 hours
120 hours
Monthly rainfall
66 mm (2.6 in)
69 mm (2.7 in)
83 mm (3.3 in)
Monthly rainy days
16 days
20 days
20 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Uji →

Nantan city

In January Nantan city generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 8°C (46°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
8°C (46°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
3°C (37°F)
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
138 hours
124 hours
120 hours
Monthly rainfall
90 mm (3.5 in)
95 mm (3.7 in)
102 mm (4 in)
Monthly rainy days
22 days
25 days
23 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Nantan city →

Kameoka

In January Kameoka generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 0°C (32°F) and moderate monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
11°C (52°F)
9°C (48°F)
10°C (50°F)
Min temperature
2°C (36°F)
0°C (32°F)
0°C (32°F)
Monthly sun hours
138 hours
124 hours
120 hours
Monthly rainfall
71 mm (2.8 in)
70 mm (2.8 in)
86 mm (3.4 in)
Monthly rainy days
18 days
21 days
21 days
Weather conditions
unpleasant
poor
poor
Climate in Kameoka →

Kyotango

In January Kyotango generally has low temperatures with maximum daytime temperatures around 9°C (48°F), minimum nighttime temperatures around 3°C (37°F) and high monthly rainfall. So on average the conditions are poor that month.

« December
January
February »
December
January
February
Max temperature
12°C (54°F)
9°C (48°F)
9°C (48°F)
Min temperature
6°C (43°F)
3°C (37°F)
3°C (37°F)
Monthly rainfall
162 mm (6.4 in)
159 mm (6.3 in)
132 mm (5.2 in)
Monthly rainy days
26 days
28 days
25 days
Weather conditions
poor
poor
poor
Climate in Kyotango →

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

City Weather Day temp Night temp Rainfall
Kyoto 9°C (48°F) 0°C (32°F) 73 mm (2.9 in)
Uji 9°C (48°F) 0°C (32°F) 69 mm (2.7 in)
Nantan city 8°C (46°F) 0°C (32°F) 95 mm (3.7 in)
Kameoka 9°C (48°F) 0°C (32°F) 70 mm (2.8 in)
Kyotango 9°C (48°F) 3°C (37°F) 159 mm (6.3 in)
Miyazu 9°C (48°F) 2°C (36°F) 109 mm (4.3 in)

Kyoto weather in January: frequently asked questions

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

January in Kyoto, Japan brings poor weather. In Kyoto, daytime temperatures are typically around 9°C (48°F) and nighttime lows hover near 0°C (32°F).

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

Kyoto averages a daytime maximum of 9°C (48°F) in January, with overnight lows close to 0°C (32°F).

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

Not particularly. Kyoto averages just 73 mm (2.9 in) of snow/rain in January, making it a mostly dry month for Kyoto, Japan.

Is January a Good Time to Visit Kyoto, Japan?

In our opinion, January may not be the ideal time to visit Kyoto, Japan due to the typically poor weather in Kyoto.

Generally speaking, the best visiting conditions can be found in May and October offering mostly pleasant weather in Kyoto. The weather in January, February, July and August, on the other hand, tends to be poor.

Interested in more climate information?

We have much more information about the climate in Kyoto.

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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