Tokyo in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Tokyo sees average daytime highs around 10°C and overnight lows near 2°C, with 187 mm of precipitation over about 22 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 13°C in early December to 11°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 55% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Tokyo's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Tokyo's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 10°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 2°C
- Precipitation
- 187 mm
- 22 wet days
- Avg wind
- 12 km/h
- Travel score
- 2.6
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Tokyo in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 13°C in early December to 11°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Tokyo reaches about 10°C and drops to 2°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Tokyo
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 69 that feel at or below 0°C.
The story in winter is cold — wind chill drags the overnight "feels like" below the raw low.
Tokyo 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 | 9° / 1° | 67 | 6.9 | 1.2 | 9.9 | 2.1 |
| Feb | 10° / 2° | 62 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 10.6 | 2.4 |
| Mar | 13° / 5° | 113 | 11.6 | 0.8 | 11.7 | 3.7 |
| Apr | 18° / 10° | 113 | 11.4 | 0 | 12.9 | 5.5 |
| May | 23° / 15° | 129 | 11.8 | 0 | 13.9 | 6.4 |
| Jun | 25° / 19° | 159 | 13.6 | 0 | 14.4 | 5.8 |
| Jul | 29° / 23° | 149 | 12.9 | 0 | 14.2 | 4.9 |
| Aug | 31° / 25° | 110 | 10.8 | 0 | 13.3 | 4.5 |
| Sep | 27° / 21° | 180 | 13.6 | 0 | 12.2 | 5.6 |
| Oct | 21° / 15° | 209 | 12.9 | 0 | 11.1 | 6.1 |
| Nov | 16° / 9° | 91 | 9.8 | 0 | 10.1 | 5.3 |
| Dec | 12° / 4° | 59 | 7.5 | 0.2 | 9.6 | 3.3 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 55% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Tokyo gets around 187 mm of rain and snow over 22 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 12 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 9 h 48 min in early December to 11 h 06 min 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 2.9 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Tokyo
In winter, Tokyo overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Tokyo sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Is winter a good time to visit Tokyo?
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 Tokyo.
What to pack for Tokyo in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Tokyo sees daytime highs around 10°C and nights near 2°C. Pack a warm layer. About 22 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Tokyo in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 14°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 18 km away) is warmest in August at about 26°C and coldest in February near 13°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Jun 7 to Nov 3 — about 4.9 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 14 | 13 | 13 | 15 | 18 | 21 | 23 | 26 | 25 | 22 | 19 | 16 |
| Comfort | Bracing | Bracing | Bracing | Cool | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Refreshing | Cool | Cool |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14 | Bracing |
| Feb | 13 | Bracing |
| Mar | 13 | Bracing |
| Apr | 15 | Cool |
| May | 18 | Cool |
| Jun | 21 | Refreshing |
| Jul | 23 | Refreshing |
| Aug | 26 | Warm |
| Sep | 25 | Warm |
| Oct | 22 | Refreshing |
| Nov | 19 | Cool |
| Dec | 16 | Cool |
UV index in Tokyo in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 3. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Tokyo peaks around July 20 at about 10 (very high) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 1 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) | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 2 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | Very high | High | Moderate | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 2 | Moderate |
| Feb | 4 | Moderate |
| Mar | 4 | Moderate |
| Apr | 7 | High |
| May | 8 | Very high |
| Jun | 9 | Very high |
| Jul | 10 | Very high |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 9 | Very high |
| Oct | 6 | High |
| Nov | 3 | Moderate |
| Dec | 2 | Moderate |
Air quality in Tokyo 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 Tokyo is worst in April — around 18 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 1.9× the cleanest month (December, 9 µg/m³).
Seasonal pattern from CAMS reanalysis, scaled to Tokyo's WHO annual average of 12.9 µg/m³.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | 10 | 14 | 17 | 18 | 16 | 14 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 11 | 9 |
| Level | Good | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10 | Good |
| Feb | 14 | Moderate |
| Mar | 17 | Moderate |
| Apr | 18 | Moderate |
| May | 16 | Moderate |
| Jun | 14 | Moderate |
| Jul | 12 | Good |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 11 | Good |
| Oct | 11 | Good |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 9 | Good |
Where is Tokyo?
Tokyo sits at 35.7°N, 139.7°E, 44 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Yoyogi, 1.0 km away.
Topography around Tokyo
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Tokyo.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Tokyo has only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 57 m around an average of 37 m above sea level; within 16 km, only modest variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 102 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 2,092 m.
The land around Tokyo is covered by artificial surfaces (89%) within 3 km, artificial surfaces (83%) within 16 km, and trees (38%) and artificial surfaces (27%) 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 Tokyo (35.6895°, 139.6917°, elevation 44 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.