Japan in December: Winter Lights, Hokkaido Snow, Weather and Where to Go

In December, the trees along Marunouchi’s main shopping street in Tokyo glow in champagne gold after dark, and office workers slow down to look up at them on the way to the station. Farther north the first heavy snow settles over Hokkaido, while in Okinawa people still walk around in light sweaters. December in Japan is a month of winter illuminations, early ski slopes and a country that splits sharply by region.

Mount Fuji and the Japanese countryside in winter · Illustration

What is the weather like in Japan in December?

December is cool and fairly dry on the main island’s Pacific side, snowy and gray in Hokkaido and along the Sea of Japan coast, and mild in Okinawa. Japan is not one climate, and the gap between Sapporo and Naha is wide enough that the two feel like different countries.

Place	Average high (°F)	Average low (°F)	Precipitation (in)	Daylight on the 15th (hours and minutes)
Tokyo	53.6	38.8	2.28	9 h 46 min
Kyoto	52.9	38.3	2.26	9 h 49 min
Osaka	54.1	41.5	2.19	9 h 51 min
Sapporo	35.6	24.8	4.51	9 h 02 min
Okinawa (Naha)	70.7	62.2	4.33	10 h 31 min
Fukuoka	54.7	42.4	2.66	9 h 57 min
Kanazawa	50.4	38.3	11.85	9 h 41 min
Hiroshima	53.8	39.2	2.13	9 h 53 min

Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka and Hiroshima share a similar winter: bright, crisp days with highs in the low 50s and mornings that call for a scarf. Tokyo has about 174 hours of sunshine in the month, and rain falls on only about five days, so most days are good for walking between lit-up streets and shrines. Kyoto is a little grayer, with snow or sleet on several days, though it is usually only a light dusting of about two centimeters in total.

The Sea of Japan side is another story. Kanazawa gets nearly 12 inches of precipitation in December, with rain, sleet or snow on more than 22 days and only 69 hours of sunshine.

Sapporo stays below freezing on average, with snow or sleet on nearly every day of the month and 44.5 inches of snowfall in total. Naha, at the other end of the country, has highs around 70°F and a sea near 75°F, though showers come on about nine days.

Where to go in Japan in December

Tokyo and the Kanto region

Tokyo in December is a city of lights. The trees on Marunouchi’s main shopping street turn champagne gold, and YEBISU GARDEN PLACE shows one of the world’s largest Baccarat chandeliers, with 250 lights, during the illuminations. Tokyo Midtown and Futako Tamagawa Rise both open ice skating rinks for the winter season, so an evening can mean skating, then a walk beneath the lit trees.

Yomiuriland, an amusement park a short trip from central Tokyo, puts up a gemstone-themed light display in December that draws a good crowd. Days are mostly dry and sunny, with highs in the low 50s, which suits long walks. Snow in the city is uncommon, about half a day in a typical December, so you can plan around the weather with some confidence.

Kyoto, Osaka and the Kansai region

Kyoto’s temples and gardens in December are cold and damp, with highs near 53°F and mornings close to freezing. Humidity is higher here than in Tokyo, so the cold feels sharper, and snow or sleet falls on a number of days, usually as a light dusting. A thin cover of snow on a temple roof is a possibility, never a promise.

Osaka is a touch milder, with lows around 41°F, and its warm food culture suits the season: street snacks, hot noodles and long evenings out in the entertainment districts. Hiroshima and Fukuoka, farther west, have similar temperatures, and Fukuoka has snow or sleet on several days. Kansai suits travelers who want temples, food and city nights in cool weather.

Hokkaido

Sapporo in December is a winter city. Highs stay around 35°F, lows fall near 25°F, and snow is on the ground and in the air for most of the month. Daylight is the shortest of the places on this list, so the days are brief and the evenings long.

Hokkaido is one of the regions that typically gets snow earlier than the rest of Japan, and the ski season generally opens in December, with dates set by each resort. Peak season comes in January and February, when snowfall is most frequent. Sahoro Ski Resort is one of the recommended resorts in Japan. This is the place for travelers who want real winter.

Okinawa

Okinawa is where December feels the mildest. Naha has highs near 71°F and the longest daylight of the places here, about ten and a half hours on the 15th. The sea near Naha averages about 75°F, a shade warmer than a daily mean, which is a mild figure for a December water temperature.

Rain falls on about nine days, usually in showers, and sunshine is around 107 hours. It suits travelers who want a break from the cold, with island time and warm food, and who can accept some gray days.

The Japanese Alps and the Sea of Japan coast

In winter heavy snow regularly covers Japan’s mountains and northern regions, and the high-altitude mountains of Nagano get snow earlier than most places. Shiga Kogen in Nagano Prefecture is the largest ski resort complex in Japan, with 85 courses. Peak season comes in January and February.

On the coast, Kanazawa is wet and dim in December, with rain or snow on most days and snow totals around nine inches. Pack for gray skies and plan indoor stops, such as museums and tea houses, between outings.

What to do in Japan in December

Winter illuminations in Tokyo

The illuminations are the big event of the month in Tokyo. Walk the champagne-gold trees of Marunouchi, then see the Baccarat chandelier at YEBISU GARDEN PLACE, which holds 250 lights. Each has its own mood: one is a long avenue of warm light, the other a single glittering centerpiece.

Yomiuriland’s gemstone-themed display is a different kind of outing, set in an amusement park. The Tokyo evenings are cold but mostly dry, so a coat and gloves are enough for an hour or two outdoors.

Ice skating

Tokyo Midtown and Futako Tamagawa Rise both open ice skating rinks during the winter season. They suit couples, friends and families who want something active between meals and shopping, and they combine well with a night of lights.

Skiing and snow

The ski season generally opens in December and runs to April, with exact dates set by each resort. Hokkaido and the high mountains of Nagano get snow early. Yamagata Zao Onsen is the largest single ski resort in Japan, while Shiga Kogen is the largest complex. Early in the season, expect conditions to vary from resort to resort.

Christmas and New Year

Christmas in Japan is not a national holiday, though gifts are sometimes exchanged, and the lights and cakes in the shops set the mood. The real holiday is New Year, officially January 1, celebrated with osechi, a selection of dishes eaten for the occasion. In the last days of December, the country prepares for it.

Is Japan busy in December?

Japan is busiest at the end of the month, when the New Year holidays begin, and quieter in the first half of December. Most of the activity comes from the illuminations, skating rinks and the opening of ski resorts, which pull people toward Tokyo’s lit streets and the northern mountains.

Christmas is not a day off, so offices and shops run as usual, with shops in cities generally open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. every day. Rural shops often close earlier, sometimes as early as 6:00 p.m. When the New Year holidays arrive, many restaurants and attractions close, so the days around January 1 are a time for home, shrines and osechi rather than sightseeing.

Okinawa and the cities of the south feel like places away from the snow, while Hokkaido and Nagano draw winter-sports travelers.

What to pack for Japan in December

Packing depends on where you go: layers for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, serious snow gear for Hokkaido and the mountains, and light clothes with a rain layer for Okinawa.

A warm coat and layers, since highs in Tokyo and Kyoto sit in the low 50s.
A scarf and gloves for mornings near freezing in the cities.
Waterproof boots with grip for snow in Sapporo and the mountains.
A compact umbrella or rain jacket for Kanazawa’s wet days and Okinawa’s showers.
Thermal underlayers for the north and for ski days.
A light sweater for Okinawa, where highs reach about 71°F.

Good to know before you go

December falls outside the rainy season, and rain is limited in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, though Kanazawa and Sapporo see frequent precipitation, mostly as snow. Daylight is short, about nine and three-quarter hours in Tokyo mid-month, so sights close and evenings start early. Around the New Year holidays many restaurants and attractions are closed, so plan meals ahead for those days.

Is December a good time to visit Japan?

December is a good month for travelers who want winter lights, early skiing or a warm escape, and the best region depends on the goal: Tokyo for illuminations, Hokkaido and Nagano for snow, Okinawa for mild weather. The cold is real in the main cities, though the dry, sunny days in Tokyo make it comfortable with a good coat.

Compared with November, December is colder: Tokyo highs fall from the low 60s to the low 50s, and Kyoto drops by about ten degrees. January is colder again, with Tokyo highs near 50°F and Sapporo highs around 31°F, and it is the peak ski season. December sits between the two, with the snow arriving and the cities lit. What makes December special is the mix of a country in lights and a country in snow, with the New Year just ahead and osechi on the table.

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