Climate and average weather in Kōshū
In Kōshū, the summers are humid, warm, wet, and mostly cloudy and the winters are cold, snowy, and mostly clear.
Over the course of the year, the temperature in Kōshū typically varies from -6°C to 26°C, and is rarely below -15°C or above 29°C. August is the hottest month of the year, while January is the coldest.
Based on the travel score, the best time of year to visit Kōshū for warm-weather activities is from late April to late October.
- Hottest
- Aug
- 26°
- Coldest
- Jan
- -6°
- Wettest
- Jul
- 234 mm
- Driest
- Dec
- 60 mm
- Rain / yr
- 1751 mm
- 173 wet days
- Daylight
- 9.6–14.4 h
- shortest–longest
- Elevation
- 635 m
- 35.7°N
- Clearest
- Jan
- 41% cloud
Kōshū weather by month, at a glance
The whole year in one picture — sky, rain, humidity, temperature and travel score. Click any band to jump to its full chart.
Each stripe is one measure across the whole year, stacked so a single day reads top to bottom. The sky band runs overcast grey on top down to clear blue at the base — more blue means sunnier — followed by the rainfall curve, the humidity band, a temperature strip that tints each stretch of the year by how warm its average high is, and the travel-score line at the foot. Scan straight down any date to read that day across every measure at once; the score climbs highest around late April to late October.
Temperature through the year
Daily average highs and lows in Kōshū, from 1991–2020 of climate data. The shaded bands show the range most days fall in — 10th to 90th percentile.
The hot season lasts 3.5 months, from June 11 to September 23, with daily high temperatures above 20°C. The hottest month of the year in Kōshū is August, with an average high of 26°C and low of 18°C.
The cool season lasts 3.2 months, from December 7 to March 14, with daily high temperatures below 7°C. The coldest month of the year in Kōshū is January, with an average low of -6°C and high of 3°C.
Days typically run about 8°C warmer than nights, with the widest day–night swing (around 10°C) in April.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avg high (°C) | 3 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 25 | 26 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 6 |
| Avg low (°C) | -6 | -6 | -2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 3 | -2 |
| Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | -6 |
| Feb | 4 | -6 |
| Mar | 8 | -2 |
| Apr | 13 | 3 |
| May | 18 | 9 |
| Jun | 21 | 14 |
| Jul | 25 | 18 |
| Aug | 26 | 18 |
| Sep | 22 | 15 |
| Oct | 16 | 9 |
| Nov | 11 | 3 |
| Dec | 6 | -2 |
How hot and cold Kōshū really feels
The felt-temperature range through the year — heat index on the day's high (summer humidity), wind chill on the night's low (winter wind). The dashed lines are the plain thermometer; the gap is how much hotter or colder it really feels.
On the coldest nights, wind chill pulls the feels-like down to about -11°C (around January 29), with roughly 136 freezing days a year (feels-like at or below 0°C) — 20 of them bitterly cold — worst in January.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feels-like high (°C) | 3 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 25 | 25 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 6 |
| Air high (°C) | 3 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 18 | 21 | 25 | 26 | 22 | 16 | 11 | 6 |
| Feels-like low (°C) | -9 | -9 | -5 | 2 | 8 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 1 | -5 |
| Air low (°C) | -6 | -6 | -2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 18 | 18 | 15 | 9 | 3 | -2 |
| Feels-like high (°C) | Air high (°C) | Feels-like low (°C) | Air low (°C) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | 3 | -9 | -6 |
| Feb | 4 | 4 | -9 | -6 |
| Mar | 7 | 8 | -5 | -2 |
| Apr | 13 | 13 | 2 | 3 |
| May | 18 | 18 | 8 | 9 |
| Jun | 21 | 21 | 14 | 14 |
| Jul | 25 | 25 | 18 | 18 |
| Aug | 25 | 26 | 18 | 18 |
| Sep | 22 | 22 | 15 | 15 |
| Oct | 16 | 16 | 9 | 9 |
| Nov | 11 | 11 | 1 | 3 |
| Dec | 6 | 6 | -5 | -2 |
Average hourly temperature in Kōshū
A compact picture of the whole year, hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled average temperature. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
Read left to right for the day of the year and top to bottom for the hour of the day; the color is the modeled temperature, cool blues through to hot reds on the same scale as the other charts. A vertical slice is a single day's swing — coolest just before dawn, warmest in the mid-afternoon — while a horizontal slice follows one hour across the seasons. The darker overlay marks night and the lighter one the twilight around sunrise and sunset. Colors run warmest on August afternoons, near 26°C, and coldest before dawn in January, near -6°C.
Kōshū weather by month
Every month at a glance. Click a month for its detailed page.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3° / -6° | 66 | 7 | 6.5 | 9.9 | 0.0 |
| Feb | 4° / -6° | 71 | 8.4 | 6.6 | 10.6 | 0.0 |
| Mar | 8° / -2° | 129 | 13.5 | 7.9 | 11.7 | 1.0 |
| Apr | 13° / 3° | 131 | 13.9 | 2.2 | 12.9 | 3.5 |
| May | 18° / 9° | 147 | 15.1 | 0.2 | 13.9 | 5.1 |
| Jun | 21° / 14° | 205 | 19.8 | 0 | 14.4 | 4.6 |
| Jul | 25° / 18° | 234 | 21.9 | 0 | 14.2 | 4.8 |
| Aug | 26° / 18° | 189 | 21.7 | 0 | 13.4 | 4.9 |
| Sep | 22° / 15° | 220 | 18.6 | 0 | 12.2 | 5.1 |
| Oct | 16° / 9° | 212 | 15.5 | 0 | 11.1 | 4.5 |
| Nov | 11° / 3° | 88 | 10.1 | 0.5 | 10.1 | 2.8 |
| Dec | 6° / -3° | 60 | 7.6 | 4.1 | 9.6 | 0.4 |
Chance of rain
How likely it is to rain on a typical day, and how that shifts across the wetter and drier seasons.
Kōshū gets about 1751 mm of precipitation a year. On a typical day the chance of rain is very wet, but that rises and falls sharply with the seasons.
The wetter season lasts 5.3 months, from around May 12 to Oct 19, peaking in June at about 71% chance on a given day. The drier stretch runs the rest of the year, bottoming out around Jan 1.
July is the wettest month by volume, with 234 mm over about 22 wet days; December is the driest, with 60 mm. Some of the cold-season precipitation falls as snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rain on a day (%) | 23 | 31 | 42 | 47 | 49 | 66 | 71 | 69 | 63 | 49 | 34 | 24 |
| Rain days | 7 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 10 | 8 |
| Rain on a day (%) | Rain days | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 23 | 7 |
| Feb | 31 | 8 |
| Mar | 42 | 14 |
| Apr | 47 | 14 |
| May | 49 | 15 |
| Jun | 66 | 20 |
| Jul | 71 | 22 |
| Aug | 69 | 22 |
| Sep | 63 | 19 |
| Oct | 49 | 16 |
| Nov | 34 | 10 |
| Dec | 24 | 8 |
Monthly rainfall
Over a full year, Kōshū collects about 1751 mm of rain across 173 wet days — roughly 146 mm in an average month.
It doesn’t fall evenly. July is the wettest month with 234 mm, while December is the driest at just 60 mm. The three wettest months alone bring about 38% of the year’s total, and some of the cold-season precipitation falls as snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainfall (mm) | 66 | 71 | 129 | 131 | 147 | 205 | 234 | 189 | 220 | 212 | 88 | 60 |
| Rain days | 7 | 8 | 14 | 14 | 15 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 10 | 8 |
| Snow days | 7 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Rainfall (mm) | Rain days | Snow days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 66 | 7 | 7 |
| Feb | 71 | 8 | 7 |
| Mar | 129 | 14 | 8 |
| Apr | 131 | 14 | 2 |
| May | 147 | 15 | 0 |
| Jun | 205 | 20 | 0 |
| Jul | 234 | 22 | 0 |
| Aug | 189 | 22 | 0 |
| Sep | 220 | 19 | 0 |
| Oct | 212 | 16 | 0 |
| Nov | 88 | 10 | 1 |
| Dec | 60 | 8 | 4 |
Snow in Kōshū
Average snowy days through the year, the snow-season span, and estimated snowfall — for ski trips and the perennial 'will there be snow at Christmas?' question.
Kōshū averages about 28 snowy days a year. Snow season runs roughly Nov 17 to May 1 — about 5.5 months.
March is snowiest, with roughly 7 days of snow and an estimated 51 cm of snowfall. Over the year that adds up to an estimated 202 cm of snow.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snow days | 7 | 7 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Snowfall (cm) | 58 | 55 | 51 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 19 |
| Snow days | Snowfall (cm) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7 | 58 |
| Feb | 7 | 55 |
| Mar | 8 | 51 |
| Apr | 2 | 16 |
| May | 0 | 0 |
| Jun | 0 | 0 |
| Jul | 0 | 0 |
| Aug | 0 | 0 |
| Sep | 0 | 0 |
| Oct | 0 | 0 |
| Nov | 1 | 2 |
| Dec | 4 | 19 |
Clouds and sunshine
How often the daytime sky is clear, partly cloudy or overcast.
In Kōshū, the average share of the sky covered by clouds shows significant seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year begins around October 20 and lasts for 5.7 months, ending around April 11. The clearest month is December, when the sky is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 71% of the time on average.
The cloudier part of the year begins around April 12 and lasts for 6.3 months, ending around October 19. The cloudiest month is June, when it is overcast or mostly cloudy 83% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearer (%) | 71 | 62 | 51 | 44 | 33 | 17 | 22 | 32 | 31 | 43 | 60 | 71 |
| Cloudier (%) | 29 | 38 | 49 | 56 | 67 | 83 | 78 | 68 | 69 | 57 | 40 | 29 |
| Clearer (%) | Cloudier (%) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 71 | 29 |
| Feb | 62 | 38 |
| Mar | 51 | 49 |
| Apr | 44 | 56 |
| May | 33 | 67 |
| Jun | 17 | 83 |
| Jul | 22 | 78 |
| Aug | 32 | 68 |
| Sep | 31 | 69 |
| Oct | 43 | 57 |
| Nov | 60 | 40 |
| Dec | 71 | 29 |
Daylight, sunrise and sunset
Hours of daylight through the year, with sunrise and sunset times.
The gold band is daylight — sunrise runs along its lower edge, sunset along the upper — so it widens toward summer and pinches toward winter, with night the dark area above and below. The longest day, around June 10, brings about 14 h 24 min of light; the shortest, around January 1, only 9 h 36 min — a swing of roughly 4 h 48 min.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.9 | 10.6 | 11.7 | 12.9 | 13.9 | 14.4 | 14.2 | 13.4 | 12.2 | 11.1 | 10.1 | 9.6 |
| Sunrise (AM) | 6:59 | 6:40 | 6:03 | 5:18 | 4:45 | 4:33 | 4:45 | 5:08 | 5:33 | 5:58 | 6:28 | 6:53 |
| Sunset (PM) | 4:49 | 5:19 | 5:46 | 6:12 | 6:38 | 6:57 | 6:57 | 6:30 | 5:46 | 5:02 | 4:33 | 4:29 |
| Daylight (h) | Sunrise (AM) | Sunset (PM) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.9 | 6:59 | 4:49 |
| Feb | 10.6 | 6:40 | 5:19 |
| Mar | 11.7 | 6:03 | 5:46 |
| Apr | 12.9 | 5:18 | 6:12 |
| May | 13.9 | 4:45 | 6:38 |
| Jun | 14.4 | 4:33 | 6:57 |
| Jul | 14.2 | 4:45 | 6:57 |
| Aug | 13.4 | 5:08 | 6:30 |
| Sep | 12.2 | 5:33 | 5:46 |
| Oct | 11.1 | 5:58 | 5:02 |
| Nov | 10.1 | 6:28 | 4:33 |
| Dec | 9.6 | 6:53 | 4:29 |
Sunny days
How many genuinely sunny days each month brings — days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — banded into plain-language zones.
Kōshū averages about 9 sunny days a month — counting the days the sky stays clear or mostly clear — with a clear seasonal swing between 2 and 20 days.
The sunnier stretch runs 5.2 months, from around Oct 19 to Mar 25. The sunniest month is January, with roughly 18 sunny days (bright).
The greyest month is June, down near 2 sunny days — about 88% fewer than the January peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunny days | 18 | 13 | 10 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 14 | 17 |
| Sky | Bright | Mixed | Mixed | Mixed | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Gloomy | Mixed | Mixed | Bright |
| Sunny days | Sky | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 18 | Bright |
| Feb | 13 | Mixed |
| Mar | 10 | Mixed |
| Apr | 8 | Mixed |
| May | 6 | Gloomy |
| Jun | 2 | Gloomy |
| Jul | 3 | Gloomy |
| Aug | 5 | Gloomy |
| Sep | 4 | Gloomy |
| Oct | 9 | Mixed |
| Nov | 14 | Mixed |
| Dec | 17 | Bright |
Humidity comfort
Share of days at each humidity comfort level, based on the dew point — the measure that tracks how muggy it actually feels.
Humidity comfort is graded by the dew point — the temperature at which the air would be fully saturated — because it tracks how muggy it actually feels far better than relative humidity does. A low dew point feels dry and crisp; a high one feels sticky and oppressive no matter the reading on a humidity gauge.
In Kōshū, how humid it feels changes dramatically over the year.
The more humid part of the year lasts 3.3 months, from around June 18 to September 24. The muggiest month is August, when the air feels humid, muggy or worse about 90% of the time.
The most comfortable stretch runs from around September 25 to June 17, and April is the most comfortable month — the air is dry or comfortable 100% of the time.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry (%) | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 94 | 45 | 2 | 1 | 27 | 85 | 100 | 100 |
| Comfortable (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 34 | 18 | 9 | 28 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Humid (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 19 | 53 | 43 | 36 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Muggy (%) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 28 | 47 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dry (%) | Comfortable (%) | Humid (%) | Muggy (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| May | 94 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| Jun | 45 | 34 | 19 | 2 |
| Jul | 2 | 18 | 53 | 28 |
| Aug | 1 | 9 | 43 | 47 |
| Sep | 27 | 28 | 36 | 9 |
| Oct | 85 | 13 | 2 | 0 |
| Nov | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Wind
Average wind speed through the year, banded into plain-language speed zones so a number reads as 'breezy' or 'calm' without knowing the scale.
This is the average sustained wind speed at the standard 10 metres above open ground — the steady flow a weather station reports, not the sharper gusts that come and go, which can run half again as fast. It's the number that says whether a place is generally breezy or calm.
Wind in Kōshū is steady company: average speeds sit near 5 km/h — calm — in every month of the year, with no meaningful windy or calm season.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wind speed (km/h) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 |
| Feels | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm | calm |
| Wind speed (km/h) | Feels | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | calm |
| Feb | 6 | calm |
| Mar | 6 | calm |
| Apr | 6 | calm |
| May | 5 | calm |
| Jun | 5 | calm |
| Jul | 4 | calm |
| Aug | 4 | calm |
| Sep | 5 | calm |
| Oct | 5 | calm |
| Nov | 5 | calm |
| Dec | 6 | calm |
Best time to visit Kōshū
To characterize how pleasant the weather is in Kōshū throughout the year, we compute two travel scores — one for general sightseeing, one for beach and pool weather.
Around mid October, Kōshū is still near the tail of its best-weather window — great conditions with the peak-season crowds already thinning.
Inferred from the travel-score curve; month-by-month visitor numbers are a planned addition.
The travel score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 18°C and 28°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Kōshū for general outdoor tourist activities is from late April to late October, with a peak score in the first week of September.
The travel score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travel score (0–10) | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.1 | 3.4 | 5.0 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.9 | 5.1 | 4.5 | 2.8 | 0.5 |
| Rating | poor | poor | poor | poor | fair | fair | fair | fair | fair | fair | poor | poor |
| Travel score (0–10) | Rating | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0.0 | poor |
| Feb | 0.0 | poor |
| Mar | 1.1 | poor |
| Apr | 3.4 | poor |
| May | 5.0 | fair |
| Jun | 4.6 | fair |
| Jul | 4.8 | fair |
| Aug | 4.9 | fair |
| Sep | 5.1 | fair |
| Oct | 4.5 | fair |
| Nov | 2.8 | poor |
| Dec | 0.5 | poor |
The beach/pool score favors clear, rainless days with daytime highs between 24°C and 34°C. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Kōshū for hot-weather activities is from early July to mid September, with a peak score in the third week of August.
The beach/pool score (filled area), and its constituents: the temperature score (red line), the cloud cover score (blue line), and the precipitation score (green line).
What to pack for Kōshū, by month
Month by month, what's worth putting in the bag — from the temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind. Tap a month for a quick packing note.
For a warm-season trip around August (highs near 26°C), the essentials are light clothes, rain gear and sun protection. In the cold season around January (highs near 3°C), pack a warm layer and a heavy coat.
In August, Kōshū sees daytime highs around 26°C and nights near 18°C. Pack rain gear. Worth having: light clothes and sun protection. About 22 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Kōshū
Average ocean temperature at the nearest coast, month by month, banded into swim-comfort zones — the other half of the beach question.
The sea at the nearest coast (about 68 km away) is warmest in August at about 27°C and coldest in February near 15°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from May 30 to Nov 23 — about 5.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 16 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 19 | 22 | 24 | 27 | 26 | 23 | 21 | 18 |
| Comfort | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 16 | Cool |
| Feb | 15 | Cool |
| Mar | 15 | Cool |
| Apr | 17 | Cool |
| May | 19 | Cool |
| Jun | 22 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 24 | Warm |
| Aug | 27 | Warm |
| Sep | 26 | Warm |
| Oct | 23 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 21 | Refreshing |
| Dec | 18 | Cool |
UV index (midday) in Kōshū by month
Clear-sky midday UV index through the year, shaded by the WHO exposure levels — how much sun protection each month calls for.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Kōshū peaks around July 16 at about 10 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 23 at about 2 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 10 months of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 3 | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 6 | High |
| Apr | 7 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 10 | Very high |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 4 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Moderate |
Average hourly UV index in Kōshū
Modeled clear-sky UV for every hour of every day — when in the day sun protection actually matters.
The whole year hour by hour: each column is a day, each row an hour, and the color is the modeled clear-sky UV index — the midday peak scaled down as the sun sits lower in the sky. Darker overlays mark night, lighter ones the civil-twilight hours around sunrise and sunset.
UV falls off far faster than brightness as the sun drops, so even in July the burn window is concentrated in the middle of the day: about 8.5 hours a day reach index 3 (protection recommended), and 6 hours reach 6 or more. Mornings and late afternoons stay comparatively gentle year round.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | 0 | 4 | 5.5 | 7 | 8 | 8.5 | 8.5 | 8 | 7 | 5.5 | 3 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 5.5 | 4.5 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| UV ≥ 3 (h/day) | UV ≥ 6 (h/day) | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 0 | 0 |
| Feb | 4 | 0 |
| Mar | 5.5 | 0 |
| Apr | 7 | 3.5 |
| May | 8 | 5 |
| Jun | 8.5 | 6 |
| Jul | 8.5 | 6 |
| Aug | 8 | 5.5 |
| Sep | 7 | 4.5 |
| Oct | 5.5 | 1 |
| Nov | 3 | 0 |
| Dec | 0 | 0 |
Air quality in Kōshū by month
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see which months the air is worst, not just the yearly average.
Air quality in Kōshū is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 10 µg/m³).
Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 14 | 19 | 21 | 20 | 18 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 12 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 14 | Moderate |
| Mar | 19 | Moderate |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 20 | Moderate |
| Jun | 18 | Moderate |
| Jul | 15 | Moderate |
| Aug | 14 | Moderate |
| Sep | 13 | Moderate |
| Oct | 12 | Moderate |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Growing season
The growing season in Kōshū typically lasts about 245 days, from around March 31 to November 30 — the span where a frost-free day is more likely than not. It is reliably frost-free from April 20 to November 7.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frost-free chance (%) | 6 | 10 | 30 | 82 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 99 | 78 | 23 |
| Frost nights | 31 | 28 | 31 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 31 |
| Frost-free chance (%) | Frost nights | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6 | 31 |
| Feb | 10 | 28 |
| Mar | 30 | 31 |
| Apr | 82 | 19 |
| May | 100 | 0 |
| Jun | 100 | 0 |
| Jul | 100 | 0 |
| Aug | 100 | 0 |
| Sep | 100 | 0 |
| Oct | 99 | 0 |
| Nov | 78 | 23 |
| Dec | 23 | 31 |
Growing degree days
Growing degree days tally heat above 10°C: each day adds however many degrees its average temperature runs over that threshold, and cold days add nothing. Kōshū banks about 1,378 degree days a year, and the running total — which growers use to time plantings and predict maturity — climbs fastest around August.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 108 | 217 | 348 | 369 | 250 | 81 | 0 | 0 |
| Growing degree days (°C·days) | |
|---|---|
| Jan | 0 |
| Feb | 0 |
| Mar | 0 |
| Apr | 5 |
| May | 108 |
| Jun | 217 |
| Jul | 348 |
| Aug | 369 |
| Sep | 250 |
| Oct | 81 |
| Nov | 0 |
| Dec | 0 |
Solar energy
Average daily shortwave solar energy reaching the ground, banded into brightness zones so the number means something at a glance.
Solar energy is how much sunlight actually reaches the ground each day, measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre (kWh/m²) — the combined effect of how long the sun is up, how high it climbs, and how much cloud gets in the way. It's the raw fuel a solar panel has to work with: for scale, 1 kWh/m² a day is dim and wintry, while 7+ is desert-bright.
Kōshū receives about 4.0 kWh/m² a day of solar energy on average — moderate — with a clear seasonal swing between 2.5 and 5.3 kWh/m².
The brighter stretch of the year lasts 6.4 months, from around Feb 24 to Sep 7. The brightest month is May, averaging about 5.3 kWh/m² (bright).
The dimmest month is December, down near 2.6 kWh/m² — roughly 51% less than the May peak.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | 3.0 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.7 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Bright | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate |
| Solar energy (kWh/m²) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 3.0 | Moderate |
| Feb | 3.8 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4.5 | Bright |
| Apr | 5.1 | Bright |
| May | 5.3 | Bright |
| Jun | 4.6 | Bright |
| Jul | 4.7 | Bright |
| Aug | 4.7 | Bright |
| Sep | 3.8 | Moderate |
| Oct | 3.1 | Moderate |
| Nov | 2.7 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2.6 | Moderate |
Where is Kōshū?
Kōshū sits at 35.7°N, 138.8°E, 635 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Enzan, 4.0 km away.
Topography around Kōshū
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Kōshū.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Kōshū has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 817 m around an average of 795 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,980 m; within 80 km, extreme variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 3,735 m.
The land around Kōshū is covered by trees (79%) within 3 km, trees (86%) within 16 km, and trees (70%) within 80 km.
Japan travel facts
- Travel advisory
- Level 1
- Exercise Normal Precautions
- Power plugs
- Type A / B
- 100 V · 50 / 60 Hz
- Prices
- ≈ 65% of US
- price level, 2025
- GDP per capita
- $35,951
- 2025
- Happiness
- 6.1 / 10
- World Happiness, 2025
- Safe drinking water
- 99%
- of population, 2024
- Homicide rate
- 0.2
- per 100k, 2023
- Road deaths
- 3.6
- per 100k/yr, 2019
- Income group
- High
- World Bank
- English
- Very low
- EF EPI 446
- Religion
Sources: World Bank, US State Department, World Happiness Report, WHO/UNICEF, EF EPI, CIA World Factbook.
Data sources
Temperature, precipitation, cloud, humidity, wind and solar figures are a 1991–2020 climatology for Kōshū (35.7242°, 138.7711°, elevation 635 m), computed from hourly ERA5 reanalysis — contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information. Sun figures are astronomical calculations, not observations. City data © GeoNames, CC BY 4.0. Map outlines from Natural Earth (public domain); interactive map © Google. Sea temperatures are the NOAA OISST v2.1 1991–2020 monthly climatology (public domain), sampled at the nearest ocean point. UV index is derived from CAMS (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service) clear-sky UV data — contains modified Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service information. Monthly air-quality (PM2.5) seasonality is from the CAMS EAC4 reanalysis (Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service), scaled to the WHO annual mean where available. Topography is sampled from the Copernicus DEM GLO-90 elevation model (© ESA/Airbus) and ESA WorldCover 2021 land cover (CC BY 4.0).