January is the coldest month of the year in Japan, but it is also one of the sunniest and driest on the Pacific side. Tokyo averages a high of 9.8°C (50°F) and a low of 1.2°C (34°F), and seven days in ten are sunny. Cross to the Sea of Japan side or head north and it is a different country: Sapporo stays below freezing all day and sees snow on 88% of January days, and Kanazawa gets rain or snow on three days in four.
This guide puts 58 years of Japan Meteorological Agency observations (1968 to 2025) for 12 cities on one page: temperatures, the share of sunny, rainy and snowy days, what to pack, the events worth planning around, and a tool that checks the odds for the exact dates of your trip.
- Tokyo: high 9.8°C (50°F), low 1.2°C (34°F), sunny days 70%, rain days 14%, 30°C days 0%, snow days 6%
- Coldest of the 12 cities: Sapporo (high -0.4°C (31°F)); warmest: Naha (Okinawa) (high 19.8°C (68°F))
- Wettest: Kanazawa (rain on 76% of days); driest: Tokyo (14%)
- Verdict: Yes, if you want dry, sunny days in Tokyo and Kyoto, snow festivals in the north and low prices.
Check the weather odds for your exact dates (58 years of records)
Choose a city, a date and a window, and the tool counts every January day since 1968 at that weather station: how often it was sunny, how often it rained or snowed, how often it hit 30°C, and what the last dozen years actually looked like. It is the same data set the rest of this page is built on, narrowed to your itinerary.
January weather in 12 Japanese cities
Japan stretches 3,000km from Hokkaido to Okinawa, so a single national figure means little. The table runs north to south. “Sunny days” is the share of days whose daytime weather log starts with clear or sunny; “rain days” is days with 1mm or more.
| City | High / low | Rain days (1mm+) | Sunny days | Rainfall | 30°C+ days | Also |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | -0 / -6°C 31°F / 20°F | 57% | 34% | 108mm | 0% | snow 88% |
| Sendai | 6 / -1°C 42°F / 30°F | 17% | 60% | 42mm | 0% | snow 48% |
| Kanazawa | 7 / 1°C 45°F / 34°F | 76% | 15% | 256mm | 0% | snow 53% |
| Tokyo | 10 / 1°C 50°F / 34°F | 14% | 70% | 60mm | 0% | snow 6% |
| Chiba (Tokyo Disney Resort) | 10 / 2°C 50°F / 36°F | 16% | 67% | 68mm | 0% | – |
| Nagoya | 9 / 1°C 49°F / 34°F | 17% | 65% | 51mm | 0% | snow 13% |
| Kyoto | 9 / 2°C 48°F / 35°F | 20% | 43% | 53mm | 0% | snow 23% |
| Osaka | 10 / 3°C 49°F / 37°F | 17% | 56% | 47mm | 0% | snow 8% |
| Hiroshima | 10 / 2°C 50°F / 36°F | 18% | 52% | 46mm | 0% | snow 20% |
| Fukuoka | 10 / 4°C 50°F / 39°F | 29% | 35% | 74mm | 0% | snow 16% |
| Nagasaki | 11 / 4°C 51°F / 39°F | 30% | 38% | 63mm | 0% | snow 14% |
| Naha (Okinawa) | 20 / 15°C 68°F / 59°F | 34% | 35% | 102mm | 0% | – |
Hokkaido and Tohoku (Sapporo, Sendai)
Hokkaido and Tohoku are deep in winter; Sendai is milder than its latitude suggests because it sits on the Pacific side. Sapporo -0.4°C (31°F) / -6.4°C (20°F), rain 57%, sunny 34%; Sendai 5.6°C (42°F) / -1.3°C (30°F), rain 17%, sunny 60%.
Sea of Japan coast (Kanazawa)
Kanazawa shows the Sea of Japan pattern: highs of 7°C but precipitation on three days in four, much of it snow. Kanazawa 7.1°C (45°F) / 1.2°C (34°F), rain 76%, sunny 15%.
Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka
The Pacific corridor from Tokyo to Osaka is cold, dry and sunny; Kyoto is the coldest of the four on winter mornings. Tokyo 9.8°C (50°F) / 1.2°C (34°F), rain 14%, sunny 70%; Kyoto 9.1°C (48°F) / 1.5°C (35°F), rain 20%, sunny 43%; Osaka 9.7°C (49°F) / 3.0°C (37°F), rain 17%, sunny 56%.
Western Japan and the south (Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Okinawa)
Kyushu is a few degrees milder; Okinawa is spring-like but cloudy. Fukuoka 10.2°C (50°F) / 3.9°C (39°F), rain 29%, sunny 35%; Naha (Okinawa) 19.8°C (68°F) / 14.9°C (59°F), rain 34%, sunny 35%.
What January feels like, and why
The winter monsoon shapes everything. In January a large high-pressure system sits over Siberia and pumps cold, dry air across the Sea of Japan. The air picks up moisture over the warm sea, dumps it as snow on the mountains and the Sea of Japan coast (Niigata, Kanazawa, Sapporo), then arrives on the Pacific side as a dry, crisp wind. That is why Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto get their sunniest weather of the year exactly when the other side of the country is buried in snow.
Cold, but a dry cold. Tokyo lows hover around freezing and the humidity drops to its yearly minimum, so the air feels thinner and sharper than the thermometer suggests but far less biting than a damp northern European winter. Kyoto and the inland basins radiate heat away at night and often wake up a few degrees colder than Tokyo; Kyoto records a sub-zero low on 32% of January mornings.
Snow on the Pacific side is rare but disruptive. Tokyo sees snow on only 6% of January days, usually from a low-pressure system tracking along the south coast, and even a few centimetres can stop trains for a morning. If you are skiing, the powder is at its best: Niseko, Hakuba and Nozawa are all at peak season, and Sapporo prepares for its Snow Festival in early February.
What to pack for Japan in January
The rule of thumb: dress for Tokyo’s average low in the morning and its average high in the afternoon, then adjust north or south. Indoor spaces are heated hard in winter and cooled hard in summer, so removable layers matter in every month.
| City | Feels like | What to wear | Rain gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sapporo | Freezing | a down coat, hat, gloves, thermal layers and shoes with grip for icy pavements | umbrella essential |
| Tokyo | Cold | a winter coat or down jacket, scarf and gloves; indoor heating is strong so layer up | rain gear optional |
| Kyoto | Cold | a winter coat or down jacket, scarf and gloves; indoor heating is strong so layer up | rain gear optional |
| Fukuoka | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | folding umbrella |
| Naha (Okinawa) | Cool | a jacket or light coat, a sweater for mornings and evenings | folding umbrella |
- Layer for a 15-degree swing between heated trains and the street: a down jacket you can open, a scarf, gloves and thermal underwear.
- Book onsen and ski accommodation months ahead; the year-end week is the most expensive of the year.
- Check for a south-coast low in the forecast if you fly out of Tokyo; a snow day can delay flights and stop the Narita Express.
- Dry air means chapped lips and static; a lip balm and moisturiser are worth packing.
Events and seasonal highlights in January
- New Year (1 to 3 January): most shops, restaurants and museums close and trains are packed on 2 to 3 January; shrines are crowded with hatsumode visitors. The weather is usually crisp and clear in Tokyo and Kyoto.
- Coming of Age Day (second Monday): young women in furisode kimono around shrines and city halls. Statistically one of the snow-prone days in Tokyo.
- Winter sales: department store sales start on 2 January with lucky bags (fukubukuro).
- Skiing: peak powder season in Hokkaido (Niseko, Furano) and Nagano (Hakuba, Nozawa Onsen).
- Snow monkeys: Jigokudani in Nagano is at its most photogenic in January snow.
- Okinawa: the earliest cherry blossoms in Japan (Kanhizakura) open in late January in the north of the main island.
Compare any two cities, month by month
Pick two of the 12 cities to see their highs, lows, rain days, sunny days, hot days and snow days side by side for the whole year. January is highlighted.
How January compares with the rest of the year in Tokyo
| Month | Tokyo high / low | Rain days | Sunny days | 30°C+ days | Snow days | Rainfall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10 / 1°C | 14% | 70% | 0% | 6% | 60mm |
| February | 11 / 2°C | 20% | 61% | 0% | 10% | 57mm |
| March | 14 / 5°C | 29% | 51% | 0% | 3% | 116mm |
| April | 19 / 10°C | 33% | 48% | 0% | 0% | 134mm |
| May | 24 / 15°C | 32% | 43% | 1% | 0% | 140mm |
| June | 26 / 18°C | 39% | 27% | 11% | 0% | 168mm |
| July | 30 / 22°C | 33% | 34% | 53% | 0% | 156mm |
| August | 31 / 24°C | 27% | 46% | 73% | 0% | 155mm |
| September | 28 / 20°C | 37% | 35% | 27% | 0% | 225mm |
| October | 22 / 15°C | 32% | 43% | 1% | 0% | 235mm |
| November | 17 / 9°C | 22% | 55% | 0% | 0% | 96mm |
| December | 12 / 4°C | 15% | 67% | 0% | 1% | 58mm |
In Tokyo, January ranks 1st of 12 for sunny days and 1st of 12 for fewest rain days. The previous month, December, averages a high of 12.0°C (54°F); the next, February, 10.9°C (52°F).
Forecasters watch one thing in January for Tokyo: a low-pressure system tracking along the south coast. If the forecast shows one and the 850hPa temperature is below minus 4°C, the rain may turn to snow and the city will slow down for a morning. Otherwise expect blue sky.
Frequently asked questions
How cold or hot is Japan in January?
Tokyo averages a high of 9.8°C (50°F) and a low of 1.2°C (34°F) in January. Sapporo in the north averages -0.4°C (31°F) / -6.4°C (20°F), while Naha in Okinawa averages 19.8°C (68°F) / 14.9°C (59°F). Kyoto and Osaka run a degree or two warmer than Tokyo in summer and slightly colder on winter mornings.
Does it rain a lot in Japan in January?
In Tokyo, 14% of January days get 1mm or more of rain (about 4 days), and 14% have a rainy weather log. Kyoto is at 20% of days and Naha at 34%. Sapporo records 57% of days with precipitation, much of it snow.
Is January a good month to visit Japan?
Yes, if you want dry, sunny days in Tokyo and Kyoto, snow festivals in the north and low prices. It is the coldest month, so pack for it, and note that many businesses close from 29 December to 3 January.
Does it snow in Tokyo in January?
Rarely: about 6% of January days record snow, typically one or two days a month and usually only a dusting. Heavy falls (10cm or more) happen a few times a decade and are more likely in February. See our Does it snow in Tokyo? guide for the full history.
Is January a good time to visit Kyoto?
Yes for atmosphere and prices: temples are quiet, and snow dusts Kinkaku-ji on 23% of January days. It is cold, with lows around 1.5°C and sub-zero mornings one day in three, so dress warmly and start late.
What about Okinawa in January?
Naha averages a high of 19.8°C (68°F), similar to a mild spring day in Tokyo, but it is the cloudiest time of year there (sunny 35% of days) and too cool for swimming. Whale watching season runs January to March.
- Tokyo averages 9.8°C (50°F) / 1.2°C (34°F); sunny on 70% of days, rain on 14%
- North to south range: Sapporo -0.4°C (31°F) to Naha 19.8°C (68°F)
- Yes, if you want dry, sunny days in Tokyo and Kyoto, snow festivals in the north and low prices.
- Use the date tool above to check the odds for your own dates
Sources: Japan Meteorological Agency climatological normals (1991 to 2020) for temperatures, precipitation and sunshine; JMA daily observations 1968 to 2025 (58 years) compiled by this site for the share of sunny, rainy, snowy, hot and cold days. Written by a certified Japanese weather forecaster (気象予報士). Percentages are the share of days in the month; a 30 percent rain-day figure means roughly 9 days a month.