December is cold but, in Tokyo, the sunniest month of the year: 67% of days are sunny and rain falls on only 15%. The high averages 12°C (54°F) and the low 3.8°C, the air is dry and clear, and Mt Fuji is visible from the city on most mornings. Sapporo is in full winter with snow on 77% of days, Kyoto shows its last autumn leaves in the first week, and Okinawa is a mild 21°C.
Here you will find 58 years of Japan Meteorological Agency data for 12 cities, what to pack, the illumination and New Year calendar (and the closures that go with it), and a tool to check the odds for your dates.
- Tokyo: high 12.0°C (54°F), low 3.8°C (39°F), sunny days 67%, rain days 15%, 30°C days 0%, snow days 1%
- Coldest of the 12 cities: Sapporo (high 2.0°C (36°F)); warmest: Naha (Okinawa) (high 21.5°C (71°F))
- Wettest: Kanazawa (rain on 73% of days); driest: Tokyo (15%)
- Verdict: Cold but bright: Tokyo has its sunniest month of the year, illuminations everywhere, and the ski season opens in Hokkaido and Nagano.
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 December 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.
December 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 | 2 / -4°C 36°F / 25°F | 50% | 35% | 115mm | 0% | snow 77% |
| Sendai | 8 / 1°C 47°F / 34°F | 16% | 58% | 44mm | 0% | snow 27% |
| Kanazawa | 10 / 4°C 50°F / 38°F | 73% | 21% | 301mm | 0% | snow 23% |
| Tokyo | 12 / 4°C 54°F / 39°F | 15% | 67% | 58mm | 0% | – |
| Chiba (Tokyo Disney Resort) | 12 / 5°C 54°F / 41°F | 17% | 65% | 57mm | 0% | – |
| Nagoya | 12 / 3°C 53°F / 38°F | 18% | 65% | 57mm | 0% | snow 6% |
| Kyoto | 12 / 4°C 53°F / 38°F | 20% | 51% | 57mm | 0% | snow 7% |
| Osaka | 12 / 5°C 54°F / 42°F | 18% | 61% | 56mm | 0% | – |
| Hiroshima | 12 / 4°C 54°F / 39°F | 17% | 55% | 54mm | 0% | snow 11% |
| Fukuoka | 13 / 6°C 55°F / 42°F | 28% | 40% | 68mm | 0% | snow 9% |
| Nagasaki | 13 / 6°C 56°F / 43°F | 27% | 42% | 75mm | 0% | snow 7% |
| Naha (Okinawa) | 22 / 17°C 71°F / 62°F | 29% | 42% | 110mm | 0% | – |
Hokkaido and Tohoku (Sapporo, Sendai)
Sapporo is in full winter with snow on 77% of days and highs of 2°C. Sapporo 2.0°C (36°F) / -4.0°C (25°F), rain 50%, sunny 35%; Sendai 8.3°C (47°F) / 0.9°C (34°F), rain 16%, sunny 58%.
Sea of Japan coast (Kanazawa)
Kanazawa has its wettest month (301mm) as rain and snow on three days in four. Kanazawa 10.2°C (50°F) / 3.5°C (38°F), rain 73%, sunny 21%.
Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto and Osaka
Tokyo’s sunniest month; cold, dry and clear from Tokyo to Osaka. Tokyo 12.0°C (54°F) / 3.8°C (39°F), rain 15%, sunny 67%; Kyoto 11.6°C (53°F) / 3.5°C (38°F), rain 20%, sunny 51%; Osaka 12.3°C (54°F) / 5.3°C (42°F), rain 18%, sunny 61%.
Western Japan and the south (Hiroshima, Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Okinawa)
Fukuoka is cool and cloudier than Tokyo; Okinawa is a mild 21°C. Fukuoka 12.6°C (55°F) / 5.8°C (42°F), rain 28%, sunny 40%; Naha (Okinawa) 21.5°C (71°F) / 16.8°C (62°F), rain 29%, sunny 42%.
What December feels like, and why
The winter monsoon settles in. From mid December the Siberian high strengthens and the west-high east-low pattern becomes the default: snow on the Sea of Japan side, dry sunshine on the Pacific side. Tokyo’s December rainfall of 58mm is a quarter of October’s, humidity drops toward 50%, and static electricity and dry skin become daily annoyances.
Cold that builds through the month. Early December in Tokyo still has 15°C afternoons and the last ginkgo and maple colour; by the year-end week lows are near freezing. Kyoto is a couple of degrees colder in the mornings with sub-zero on 10% of days. Snow in Tokyo is rare (1% of December days); in Kyoto 7%.
Heavy snow returns to the north and west. Sapporo highs average 2°C with a growing snowpack, and December is notorious for sudden heavy falls on the Hokuriku coast (Kanazawa has rain or snow on 73% of days) because the sea is still warm enough to feed the snow clouds. Ski resorts in Hokkaido and Nagano are fully open by mid December.
What to pack for Japan in December
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 | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | rain gear optional |
| Kyoto | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | rain gear optional |
| Fukuoka | Chilly | a coat and sweater, scarf on windy days | folding umbrella |
| Naha (Okinawa) | Mild | long sleeves or a T-shirt with a light jacket; evenings need the jacket | folding umbrella |
- Layer for heated trains and cold streets: a down jacket you can unzip, gloves, a scarf. Thermal underwear for Hokkaido.
- Book the year-end week early and check what will be closed; many museums shut from 28 December to 4 January.
- Dry air: pack lip balm and moisturiser, and drink water even though you are not sweating.
- For guaranteed snow, take a day trip to Nikko, Karuizawa or a Nagano ski resort; Tokyo itself almost never has it in December.
Events and seasonal highlights in December
- Illuminations: Tokyo (Marunouchi, Roppongi, Shibuya), Kobe Luminarie, Sapporo White Illumination; peak from early December.
- Last autumn leaves in Kyoto and Tokyo in the first week.
- Christmas (24 to 25 December): not a holiday; restaurants and hotels are booked out on the 24th.
- Year-end (29 December to 3 January): most businesses, museums and some restaurants close; trains and flights are full on 28 to 30 December.
- Toshikoshi soba on 31 December and the temple bells at midnight; Meiji Jingu hatsumode from midnight.
- Ski season fully open in Hokkaido and Nagano; Okinawa stays around 21°C.
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. December is highlighted.
How December 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, December ranks 2nd of 12 for sunny days and 2nd of 12 for fewest rain days. The previous month, November, averages a high of 16.7°C (62°F); the next, January, 9.8°C (50°F).
December on the Pacific coast is forecasting at its easiest: the winter monsoon means dry sunshine almost every day. The exceptions are the south-coast lows, which bring cold rain to Tokyo and heavy snow to the mountains an hour away.
Frequently asked questions
How cold or hot is Japan in December?
Tokyo averages a high of 12.0°C (54°F) and a low of 3.8°C (39°F) in December. Sapporo in the north averages 2.0°C (36°F) / -4.0°C (25°F), while Naha in Okinawa averages 21.5°C (71°F) / 16.8°C (62°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 December?
In Tokyo, 15% of December days get 1mm or more of rain (about 4 days), and 15% have a rainy weather log. Kyoto is at 20% of days and Naha at 29%. Sapporo records 50% of days with precipitation, much of it snow.
Is December a good month to visit Japan?
Cold but bright: Tokyo has its sunniest month of the year, illuminations everywhere, and the ski season opens in Hokkaido and Nagano. Book early for the year-end holidays.
Is Tokyo sunny in December?
Yes, it is Tokyo’s sunniest month: 67% of days are sunny and rain falls on only 15% of days. The winter monsoon brings dry air from the continent across the mountains, so the Pacific side gets clear skies while the Sea of Japan side gets snow.
What is open over New Year in Japan?
From 29 December to 3 January most museums, many restaurants, small shops and some attractions close; department stores reopen on 2 January with sales. Shrines, temples, convenience stores, big hotels and trains run. Plan New Year’s Day around a shrine visit and a walk.
Does it snow in Tokyo in December?
Almost never: snow is recorded on about 1% of December days, typically a few flakes. January and February are the months for it, and even then the chance is low.
- Tokyo averages 12.0°C (54°F) / 3.8°C (39°F); sunny on 67% of days, rain on 15%
- North to south range: Sapporo 2.0°C (36°F) to Naha 21.5°C (71°F)
- Cold but bright: Tokyo has its sunniest month of the year, illuminations everywhere, and the ski season opens in Hokkaido and Nagano.
- 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.