Niseko weather in January

In January, Niseko sees average daytime highs of -3°C and overnight lows near -10°C, with 58 mm of precipitation across 12.6 wet days and about 9.2 hours of daylight. It is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month of the year here.

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -3°C through the month. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in January, and the air most often feels dry.

Daylight stretches from about 8 h 54 min at the start of January to 9 h 42 min by month's end. Set against the rest of the year, January is Niseko's 11th-clearest and 5th-windiest month. For the whole year in context, see Niseko's year-round climate.

Daytime high
-3°
12th warmest
Overnight low
-10°
1st coldest
Precipitation
58 mm
12.6 wet days
Daylight
9 h 12 min
7:11 AM – 4:22 PM
Cloud cover
74%
11th clearest
Wind
8 km/h
5th windiest
Solar energy
2.11 kWh/m²
Travel score
0.0
out of 10

Temperature in January

Average highAverage lowShaded bands: 10–90% of days

Day-to-day highs hold fairly steady near -3°C through the month.

A typical January day in Niseko reaches about -3°C in the afternoon and slips back to -10°C overnight — a 7°C spread between the day's warmth and the night's chill. On most days the high lands between -7°C and 1°C. Set against its neighbours, January runs about 3°C cooler than December and about 1°C cooler than February.

-15°-10°-5°151015202531
Avg high (°C)Avg low (°C)
1-2-9
2-2-9
3-3-9
4-3-9
5-3-9
6-3-9
7-3-10
8-3-10
9-3-10
10-3-10
11-3-10
12-3-10
13-3-10
14-3-10
15-3-10
16-3-10
17-3-10
18-3-10
19-3-10
20-3-10
21-3-10
22-3-10
23-3-10
24-3-10
25-3-10
26-3-10
27-3-10
28-3-10
29-3-10
30-3-10
31-3-10

How January really feels in Niseko

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
31 feel bitter (≤ -10°C)

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

Niseko weather by month

How January compares with the rest of the year at a glance. January is the 12th-warmest and 11th-wettest month here — the current month is highlighted below.

MonthHigh / Low (°C)Rainfall (mm)Wet daysSnow daysDaylight (hours)Travel score
Jan-3° / -10°5812.618.59.20.0
Feb-2° / -9°5110.415.610.30.0
Mar / -6°7113.213.911.60.0
Apr / 7511.95.213.11.7
May15° / 9412.60.314.44.3
Jun19° / 11°7710.6015.15.8
Jul23° / 16°13613.9014.86.0
Aug24° / 17°18213.8013.76.1
Sep20° / 12°14113.9012.35.6
Oct14° / 9913.70.610.83.7
Nov / -1°9214.810.19.60.6
Dec-1° / -7°7614.518.88.90.0

Cloud cover in January

ClearMostly clearPartly cloudyMostly cloudyOvercast

The sky is clear or mostly clear about 5% of the time in January.

Beyond those clear spells, partly cloudy skies cover about 17% of January, with mostly cloudy or overcast conditions the remaining 77%.

0%25%50%75%100%151015202531
Clearer (%)Cloudier (%)
12575
22476
32476
42476
52476
62476
72476
82476
92377
102377
112377
122377
132476
142377
152377
162377
172377
182476
192476
202476
212278
222179
232179
242080
252080
261981
271981
281882
291981
301981
311981

Chance of precipitation in January

Any precipitationSnow

Niseko gets around 58 mm of rain and snow over 12.6 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 40% and peaks near 47% on the wettest days, and about 19 days bring snow. The odds ease toward the end of the month.

0%20%40%60%151015202531
Rain chance (%)Snow chance (%)
14762
24762
34662
44662
54562
64462
74462
84361
94261
104161
114060
124060
133960
143960
153859
163859
173759
183758
193758
203758
213758
223758
233858
243858
253858
263859
273959
283859
293859
303858
313858

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 8 km/h in January.

Across January, daily wind ranges from about 8 km/h on the calmest days to 9 km/h at its breeziest. It stays fairly steady from day to day.

051015151015202531
Wind speed (km/h)Feels
19calm
29calm
39calm
49calm
59calm
69calm
79calm
89calm
99calm
109calm
119calm
128calm
138calm
148calm
158calm
168calm
178calm
188calm
198calm
208calm
218calm
228calm
238calm
248calm
258calm
268calm
278calm
288calm
298calm
308calm
318calm

Sunrise & sunset in January

DaylightNight

Daylight runs from about 8 h 54 min at the start of January to 9 h 42 min by month's end. The lit band spans sunrise to sunset each day.

Days grow by about 48 minutes over January. Sunrise moves from 7:13 AM to 7:01 AM, and sunset from 4:07 PM to 4:40 PM.

12 AM4 AM8 AM12 PM4 PM8 PM12 AM151015202531
Daylight (h)Sunrise (AM)Sunset (PM)
18.97:134:07
28.97:144:08
38.97:144:09
48.97:144:10
59.07:144:11
69.07:144:12
79.07:144:13
89.07:134:13
99.07:134:14
109.07:134:15
119.17:134:16
129.17:134:18
139.17:124:19
149.17:124:20
159.27:124:21
169.27:114:22
179.27:114:23
189.27:104:24
199.37:104:25
209.37:094:26
219.37:094:28
229.37:084:29
239.47:074:30
249.47:074:31
259.47:064:33
269.57:054:34
279.57:054:35
289.57:044:36
299.67:034:38
309.67:024:39
319.77:014:40

Solar energy in January

Daily solar energy (kWh/m²)

Average shortwave solar energy reaching the ground each day in January, about 2.11 kWh/m².

For context, solar energy here swings from a low near 1.68 kWh/m² to a high of 5.48 kWh/m² in May across the year — January's 2.11 kWh/m² sits near the bottom.

0123151015202531
Solar energy (kWh/m²)Level
11.9Dim
21.9Dim
31.9Dim
41.9Dim
51.9Dim
61.9Dim
71.9Dim
81.9Dim
92.0Dim
102.0Dim
112.0Dim
122.0Moderate
132.0Moderate
142.0Moderate
152.0Moderate
162.1Moderate
172.1Moderate
182.1Moderate
192.1Moderate
202.2Moderate
212.2Moderate
222.2Moderate
232.3Moderate
242.3Moderate
252.3Moderate
262.3Moderate
272.4Moderate
282.4Moderate
292.4Moderate
302.5Moderate
312.5Moderate
Planning a trip in January

Hazard calendar for Niseko

In seasonPeak

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

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

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

Is January a good time to visit Niseko?

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

0.0
Sightseeing
9th-best month of the year
0.0
Beach & pool
7th-best month of the year

January is a weaker month for outdoor sightseeing in Niseko.

What to pack for Niseko in January

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

In January, Niseko sees daytime highs around -3°C and nights near -10°C. Pack a warm layer and a heavy coat. Worth having: rain gear. About 13 days see rain.

a warm layera heavy coatrain gear

Sea temperature near Niseko in January

The nearest coast averages about 8°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 26 km away) is warmest in August at about 22°C and coldest in February near 6°C.

It's comfortable for a long swim from Jul 29 to Sep 25 — about 1.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.

5°10°15°20°25°JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecbracingcoolrefreshingwarmcomfortable to swim
Sea temperature (°C)Comfort
Jan8Bracing
Feb6Bracing
Mar6Bracing
Apr8Bracing
May11Bracing
Jun15Bracing
Jul19Cool
Aug22Refreshing
Sep21Refreshing
Oct17Cool
Nov13Bracing
Dec10Bracing

UV index in Niseko in January

LowModerateHighVery highExtreme

Clear-sky midday UV in January peaks around 1. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.

Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Niseko peaks around August 18 at about 8 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near December 20 at about 1 (low).

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

025710JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecLowModerateHighVery highHighVery highHighModerateLowAug 18UV 8Dec 20UV 1
UV index (midday)Level
Jan1Low
Feb2Moderate
Mar3Moderate
Apr5High
May8Very high
Jun7High
Jul5Moderate
Aug9Very high
Sep6High
Oct4Moderate
Nov2Low
Dec1Low

Air quality in Niseko 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 Niseko is worst in April — around 20 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.5× the cleanest month (December, 8 µg/m³).

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

0102030JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecGoodModerateGoodApr 1219 µg/m³Dec 158 µg/m³
PM2.5 (µg/m³)Level
Jan10Good
Feb14Moderate
Mar19Moderate
Apr20Moderate
May18Moderate
Jun12Moderate
Jul11Good
Aug10Good
Sep9Good
Oct11Good
Nov9Good
Dec8Good
Location & terrain

Where is Niseko?

Niseko sits at 42.8°N, 140.7°E, 0 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Kutchan, 11 km away.

Topography around Niseko

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

Within 3 km, the terrain around Niseko has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 199 m around an average of 161 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,881 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,867 m.

The land around Niseko is covered by trees (56%) and cropland (31%) within 3 km, trees (80%) within 16 km, and water (47%) and trees (44%) within 80 km.

3 km
199 m
16 km
1,881 m
80 km
1,867 m
treesgrasslandcroplandartificial surfaceswater
January weather nearby: Kutchan 11 km · Date 41 km · Yoichi 44 km · Otaru 50 km · Noboribetsu 57 km · Muroran 60 km · Sapporo 61 km · Shiraoi 61 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 Niseko (42.8089°, 140.686°, elevation 0 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).