Matsushima weather in January

In January, Matsushima sees average daytime highs of 5°C and overnight lows near 1°C, with 56 mm of precipitation across 8.1 wet days and about 9.6 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 5°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 9 h 24 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Matsushima's 3rd-clearest and 1st-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Matsushima's year-round climate.

Daytime high
12th warmest
Overnight low
2nd coldest
Precipitation
56 mm
8.1 wet days
Daylight
9 h 36 min
6:57 AM – 4:33 PM
Cloud cover
52%
3rd clearest
Wind
17 km/h
1st windiest
Solar energy
2.53 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.1
out of 10

Matsushima is town in Miyagi district, Miyagi prefecture, Japan.

Density
306/km²
people per km²
Founded
1928

Air quality: WHO Ambient Air Quality Database. Density & description: Wikidata (CC0), GeoNames.

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near 5°C through the month.

A typical January day in Matsushima reaches about 5°C in the afternoon and slips back to 1°C overnight — a 5°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between 2°C and 8°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°C cooler than December and on par with February.

-5°10°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
162
261
361
461
561
661
761
861
951
1051
1151
1251
1351
1451
1550
1650
1750
1850
1950
2050
2150
2250
2350
2450
2550
2650
2750
2850
2950
3050
3150

How January really feels in Matsushima

Once humidity and wind are folded in, January averages 0 days that feel above 32°C and 31 that feel at or below 0°C — the comfort signal a plain temperature reading hides.

Days feeling ≥ 32°C
0
heat index over the day's high
Days feeling ≤ C
31
wind chill below the day's low

The story in January is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.

Matsushima weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 10th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan / 568.14.39.60.1
Feb / 477.43.710.50.3
Mar / 9110.62.511.71.6
Apr13° / 10010.50.4133.5
May17° / 12°11310.7014.15.3
Jun20° / 17°13413014.65.6
Jul24° / 21°18916.3014.45.6
Aug26° / 22°16214.9013.55.8
Sep23° / 19°17913.9012.36.0
Oct19° / 14°15911.20115.8
Nov13° / 677.909.94.0
Dec / 558.62.59.41.4

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 39% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 22% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 39%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
16733
26733
36634
46634
56535
66436
76337
86337
96238
106238
116040
126040
136040
145941
155842
165842
175842
185842
195842
205842
215941
225941
236040
246040
256040
266238
276238
286238
296238
306238
316238

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Matsushima gets around 56 mm of rain and snow over 8.1 wet days in January. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.

Day to day, the chance of measurable precipitation averages around 26% and peaks near 27% on the wettest days, and about 4 days bring snow.

0%10%20%30%40%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
12512
22512
32612
42613
52613
62613
72614
82614
92614
102614
112715
122715
132715
142615
152615
162615
172615
182615
192614
202614
212614
222614
232614
242614
252614
262614
272615
282615
292515
302515
312515

Humidity in January

DryComfortableHumidMuggyOppressiveMiserable

Most of January feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.

By dew point, January lands in the dry band about 100% of days. It rarely turns muggy — the humid and sticky bands barely register.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Dry (%)
1100
2100
3100
4100
5100
6100
7100
8100
9100
10100
11100
12100
13100
14100
15100
16100
17100
18100
19100
20100
21100
22100
23100
24100
25100
26100
27100
28100
29100
30100
31100

Wind in January

Winds average 17 km/h in January, the windiest month of the year.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 17 km/h on the calmest days to 17 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

05101520151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
117light breeze
217light breeze
317light breeze
417light breeze
517light breeze
617light breeze
717light breeze
817light breeze
917light breeze
1017light breeze
1117light breeze
1217light breeze
1317light breeze
1417light breeze
1517light breeze
1617light breeze
1717light breeze
1817light breeze
1917light breeze
2017light breeze
2117light breeze
2217light breeze
2317light breeze
2417light breeze
2517light breeze
2617light breeze
2717light breeze
2817light breeze
2917light breeze
3017light breeze
3117light breeze

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 9 h 24 min at the start of January to 10 hours by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 36 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 6:58 AM to 6:49 AM, and sunset from 4:20 PM to 4:49 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
19.46:584:20
29.46:584:21
39.46:584:21
49.46:584:22
59.46:584:23
69.46:584:24
79.46:584:25
89.56:584:26
99.56:584:26
109.56:584:27
119.56:584:28
129.56:584:29
139.56:584:30
149.66:584:31
159.66:574:32
169.66:574:33
179.66:574:34
189.66:564:35
199.76:564:36
209.76:564:37
219.76:554:38
229.76:554:39
239.86:544:40
249.86:544:41
259.86:534:42
269.96:524:44
279.96:524:45
289.96:514:46
299.96:514:47
3010.06:504:48
3110.06:494:49

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.53 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 2.13 kWh/m² to a high of 5.38 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 2.53 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
12.3Moderate
22.3Moderate
32.4Moderate
42.4Moderate
52.4Moderate
62.4Moderate
72.4Moderate
82.4Moderate
92.4Moderate
102.4Moderate
112.4Moderate
122.4Moderate
132.4Moderate
142.4Moderate
152.4Moderate
162.5Moderate
172.5Moderate
182.5Moderate
192.5Moderate
202.5Moderate
212.6Moderate
222.6Moderate
232.6Moderate
242.7Moderate
252.7Moderate
262.7Moderate
272.8Moderate
282.8Moderate
292.8Moderate
302.9Moderate
312.9Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Matsushima

In seasonPeak

In January, Matsushima sits inside its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.

Matsushima sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.

Matsushima's rainy season runs March–October, when most of the year's rain falls.

Pacific typhoon
Rainy season
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Is January a good time to visit Matsushima?

Our two travel scores rate January for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal).

0.1
Sightseeing
12th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
9th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Matsushima.

What to pack for Matsushima in January

From January's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.

In January, Matsushima sees daytime highs around 5°C and nights near 1°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 8 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Matsushima in January

The nearest coast averages about 11°C in January — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.

The sea at the nearest coast (about 27 km away) is warmest in August at about 23°C and coldest in March near 8°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 10 to Oct 8 — about 3 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan11Bracing
Feb9Bracing
Mar8Bracing
Apr10Bracing
May13Bracing
Jun17Cool
Jul21Refreshing
Aug23Refreshing
Sep22Refreshing
Oct19Cool
Nov16Cool
Dec14Bracing

UV index in Matsushima in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 2. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Matsushima peaks around August 16 at about 9 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 at about 2 (low).

The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — in 8 months of the year.

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecModerateHighVery highModerateLowAug 16UV 9Jan 1UV 2
UV index (midday)Level
Jan2Low
Feb3Moderate
Mar4Moderate
Apr6High
May8Very high
Jun8Very high
Jul8Very high
Aug9Very high
Sep8Very high
Oct5Moderate
Nov3Moderate
Dec2Low

Air quality in Matsushima in January

GoodModeratePoorUnhealthyVery unhealthy

Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where January falls, not just the annual average.

Air quality in Matsushima is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.2× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).

Modeled monthly averages (CAMS reanalysis, 2015–2024).

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1621 µg/m³Dec 1710 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan11Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar20Moderate
Apr21Moderate
May20Moderate
Jun14Moderate
Jul12Good
Aug10Good
Sep10Good
Oct11Good
Nov11Good
Dec9Good
Location & terrain

Where is Matsushima?

Matsushima sits at 38.4°N, 141.1°E, 20 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Shiogama, 7.0 km away.

Topography around Matsushima

How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Matsushima.

Within 3 km, the terrain around Matsushima has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 180 m around an average of 34 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 216 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,840 m.

The land around Matsushima is covered by trees (52%) and water (29%) within 3 km, trees (33%) and water (29%) within 16 km, and trees (53%) and water (31%) within 80 km.

3 km
180 m
16 km
216 m
80 km
1,840 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfacesbare terrainwater
January weather nearby: Shiogama 7.0 km · Rifu 9.0 km · Tagajō-shi 10 km · Shōbudahama 10 km · Higashimatsushima 11 km · Yamoto 15 km · Tomiya 15 km · Yoshioka 18 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
Shintoism 49%Buddhism 46%other 4%Christianity 1%

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 Matsushima (38.3736°, 141.061°, elevation 20 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. Tropical-cyclone seasons are the published climatological basin seasons (NOAA National Hurricane Center / regional warning centres). 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).