Matsushima in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Matsushima sees average daytime highs around 6°C and overnight lows near 1°C, with 158 mm of precipitation over about 24 wet days across the season. It is the coldest season of the year and the driest season of the year.
Over the season highs ease from about 10°C in early December to 7°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Matsushima's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Matsushima's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 6°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 1°C
- Precipitation
- 158 mm
- 24 wet days
- Avg wind
- 16 km/h
- Travel score
- 0.6
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Matsushima in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 10°C in early December to 7°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Matsushima reaches about 6°C and drops to 1°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest February.
How winter really feels in Matsushima
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 81 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Matsushima weather by month
How the three winter months (December, January and February) compare with the rest of the year — the season's months are highlighted.
| Month | High / Low (°C) | Rainfall (mm) | Wet days | Snow days | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 5° / 1° | 56 | 8.1 | 4.3 | 9.6 | 0.1 |
| Feb | 6° / 0° | 47 | 7.4 | 3.7 | 10.5 | 0.3 |
| Mar | 9° / 3° | 91 | 10.6 | 2.5 | 11.7 | 1.6 |
| Apr | 13° / 7° | 100 | 10.5 | 0.4 | 13 | 3.5 |
| May | 17° / 12° | 113 | 10.7 | 0 | 14.1 | 5.3 |
| Jun | 20° / 17° | 134 | 13 | 0 | 14.6 | 5.6 |
| Jul | 24° / 21° | 189 | 16.3 | 0 | 14.4 | 5.6 |
| Aug | 26° / 22° | 162 | 14.9 | 0 | 13.5 | 5.8 |
| Sep | 23° / 19° | 179 | 13.9 | 0 | 12.3 | 6.0 |
| Oct | 19° / 14° | 159 | 11.2 | 0 | 11 | 5.8 |
| Nov | 13° / 8° | 67 | 7.9 | 0 | 9.9 | 4.0 |
| Dec | 8° / 3° | 55 | 8.6 | 2.5 | 9.4 | 1.4 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 37% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Matsushima gets around 158 mm of rain and snow over 24 wet days across winter. The line is the day-by-day chance of measurable precipitation.
Humidity in Winter
Most of winter feels dry — the stacked bands show each day's mix of comfort levels, read off the dew point.
Wind in Winter
Winds average 16 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 9 h 30 min in early December to 11 hours by late February. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.
Solar energy in Winter
Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day across winter, about 2.7 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Matsushima
In winter, Matsushima overlaps 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.
Is winter a good time to visit Matsushima?
Our two travel scores rate winter for general sightseeing and for beach or pool weather — 0 (poor) to 10 (ideal), averaged across the three months.
winter is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Matsushima.
What to pack for Matsushima in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Matsushima sees daytime highs around 6°C and nights near 1°C. Pack a warm layer. Worth having: a heavy coat and rain gear. About 24 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Matsushima in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 11°C across winter — 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 11 | 9 | 8 | 10 | 13 | 17 | 21 | 23 | 22 | 19 | 16 | 14 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Cool | Cool | Bracing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Bracing |
| Feb | 9 | Bracing |
| Mar | 8 | Bracing |
| Apr | 10 | Bracing |
| May | 13 | Bracing |
| Jun | 17 | Cool |
| Jul | 21 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 23 | Refreshing |
| Sep | 22 | Refreshing |
| Oct | 19 | Cool |
| Nov | 16 | Cool |
| Dec | 14 | Bracing |
UV index in Matsushima in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages 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.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 2 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Low | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Moderate | Moderate | Low |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Low |
| Feb | 3 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 6 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 8 | Very high |
| Jul | 8 | Very high |
| Aug | 9 | Very high |
| Sep | 8 | Very high |
| Oct | 5 | Moderate |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Low |
Air quality in Matsushima in Winter
Average fine-particle pollution (PM2.5) through the year — so you can see where winter 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).
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 11 | 14 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 11 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 11 | Good |
| Feb | 14 | Moderate |
| Mar | 20 | Moderate |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 20 | Moderate |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 12 | Good |
| Aug | 10 | Good |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 11 | Good |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
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.
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 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.