Yakushima in Winter
In winter (December, January and February), Yakushima sees average daytime highs around 15°C and overnight lows near 12°C, with 362 mm of rain over about 38 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 18°C in early December to 16°C by late February. The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time across winter, and the air most often feels dry.
Winter is Yakushima's weakest season of the year to visit on our travel score. For the whole year in context, see Yakushima's year-round climate.
- Avg daytime high
- 15°C
- coldest season of the year
- Avg overnight low
- 12°C
- Rainfall
- 362 mm
- 38 wet days
- Avg wind
- 30 km/h
- Travel score
- 4.2
- weakest season of the year
- Months
- Dec · Jan · Feb
Temperature in Yakushima in Winter
Over the season highs ease from about 18°C in early December to 16°C by late February.
A typical winter day in Yakushima reaches about 15°C and drops to 12°C overnight. The warmest of the three months is December, the coolest January.
How winter really feels in Yakushima
Once humidity and wind are folded in, winter brings about 0 days that feel above 32°C and 0 that feel at or below 0°C.
winter sits comfortably in between — no days that feel dangerously hot or drop to a hard freeze once humidity and wind are folded in.
Yakushima 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 | Daylight (hours) | Travel score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 14° / 12° | 122 | 13.1 | 10.3 | 3.8 |
| Feb | 15° / 12° | 126 | 12.7 | 10.9 | 4.0 |
| Mar | 17° / 14° | 182 | 14.6 | 11.8 | 4.8 |
| Apr | 19° / 17° | 190 | 12.7 | 12.7 | 5.7 |
| May | 22° / 20° | 210 | 12.9 | 13.5 | 6.1 |
| Jun | 25° / 23° | 438 | 19.6 | 13.9 | 5.1 |
| Jul | 27° / 26° | 173 | 12.6 | 13.8 | 5.9 |
| Aug | 28° / 27° | 141 | 14.7 | 13.1 | 5.4 |
| Sep | 27° / 25° | 237 | 15.8 | 12.2 | 5.7 |
| Oct | 24° / 22° | 170 | 13 | 11.3 | 6.5 |
| Nov | 20° / 18° | 149 | 12 | 10.5 | 6.1 |
| Dec | 16° / 14° | 114 | 11.8 | 10.1 | 4.9 |
Cloud cover in Winter
The sky is clear or mostly clear about 21% of the time across winter.
Chance of precipitation in Winter
Yakushima gets around 362 mm of rain over 38 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 30 km/h across winter.
Sunrise & sunset in Winter
Daylight runs from about 10 h 12 min in early December to 11 h 18 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 2.6 kWh/m².
Hazard calendar for Yakushima
In winter, Yakushima overlaps its pacific typhoon season. The full year is below, with each hazard's peak months called out.
Yakushima sits in the Pacific typhoon belt; the season peaks July–October.
Is winter a good time to visit Yakushima?
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 reasonable time to visit Yakushima for sightseeing.
What to pack for Yakushima in Winter
From winter's temperature range, rain chance, sun and wind — what's worth putting in the bag.
In winter, Yakushima sees daytime highs around 15°C and nights near 12°C. Pack rain gear and a windbreaker. Worth having: a warm layer. About 38 days see rain.
Sea temperature near Yakushima in Winter
The nearest coast averages about 21°C across winter — the other half of the beach question. The full-year curve and swim-comfort zones are below.
The sea offshore is warmest in August at about 29°C and coldest in February near 20°C.
It's comfortable for a long swim from Feb 25 to Feb 7 — about 11.4 months when the water holds above 20°C.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sea temperature (°C) | 21 | 20 | 20 | 21 | 23 | 25 | 28 | 29 | 28 | 26 | 24 | 22 |
| Comfort | Refreshing | Cool | Refreshing | Refreshing | Refreshing | Warm | Warm | Tropical | Warm | Warm | Warm | Refreshing |
| Sea temperature (°C) | Comfort | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 21 | Refreshing |
| Feb | 20 | Cool |
| Mar | 20 | Refreshing |
| Apr | 21 | Refreshing |
| May | 23 | Refreshing |
| Jun | 25 | Warm |
| Jul | 28 | Warm |
| Aug | 29 | Tropical |
| Sep | 28 | Warm |
| Oct | 26 | Warm |
| Nov | 24 | Warm |
| Dec | 22 | Refreshing |
UV index in Yakushima in Winter
Clear-sky midday UV across winter averages around 4 — enough to warrant sun protection. The full-year curve, shaded by WHO exposure level, is below.
Under clear skies, the midday UV index in Yakushima peaks around June 22 at about 11 (extreme) — sunscreen, a hat and midday shade are essential. It bottoms out near January 10 at about 4 (moderate).
The index reaches 3 or more — the level where the WHO recommends sun protection — every month of the year.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UV index (midday) | 4 | 6 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 5 | 4 |
| Level | Moderate | High | Very high | Very high | Very high | Extreme | Extreme | Very high | Extreme | High | High | Moderate |
| UV index (midday) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4 | Moderate |
| Feb | 6 | High |
| Mar | 7 | Very high |
| Apr | 9 | Very high |
| May | 9 | Very high |
| Jun | 11 | Extreme |
| Jul | 11 | Extreme |
| Aug | 10 | Very high |
| Sep | 10 | Extreme |
| Oct | 7 | High |
| Nov | 5 | High |
| Dec | 4 | Moderate |
Air quality in Yakushima 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 Yakushima is worst in April — around 21 µg/m³ PM2.5 (moderate), about 2.1× the cleanest month (July, 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) | 13 | 16 | 20 | 21 | 19 | 13 | 10 | 11 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 10 |
| Level | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| PM2.5 (µg/m³) | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 13 | Moderate |
| Feb | 16 | Moderate |
| Mar | 20 | Moderate |
| Apr | 21 | Moderate |
| May | 19 | Moderate |
| Jun | 13 | Moderate |
| Jul | 10 | Good |
| Aug | 11 | Good |
| Sep | 10 | Good |
| Oct | 10 | Good |
| Nov | 11 | Good |
| Dec | 10 | Good |
Where is Yakushima?
Yakushima sits at 30.4°N, 130.6°E, 0 m above sea level, in Japan. The nearest listed city is Nishinoomote, 51 km away.
Topography around Yakushima
How much the land rises and falls, and what covers it, within 3, 16 and 80 km of Yakushima.
Within 3 km, the terrain around Yakushima has large variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 608 m around an average of 81 m above sea level; within 16 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,916 m; within 80 km, very significant variations in elevation — a maximum elevation change of 1,893 m.
The land around Yakushima is covered by trees (54%) and water (44%) within 3 km, water (67%) and trees (33%) within 16 km, and water (93%) 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 Yakushima (30.388°, 130.6492°, 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.