In November, the temperature in Nagano Prefecture drops even lower and the autumn leaves begin to change color in earnest. Even in major cities in the basin, such as Nagano City and Matsumoto City, the autumn leaves are at their best. On the other hand, in the mountainous areas and highlands, snow begins to fall near the tops of the mountains and the weather turns wintry at once. You will need to prepare coats and down jackets.
Table of Contents
- Overview of Nagano Prefecture’s climate (year-round)
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Weather in Nagano Pref. in early November
- Weather in Nagano Pref. in mid-November
- Weather in Nagano Pref. in late November
- Reference: Current weather and temperature in Nagano, forecast for the next 7 days
- Monthly weather in Nagano Pref.
- Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Overview of Nagano Prefecture’s climate (year-round)
In Nagano prefecture, there is a big difference in climate depending on the location such as mountainous areas and basins. So, first, let’s get an overview of the climate of Nagano prefecture throughout the year.
Mountainous areas are cold and snowy
In Nagano prefecture in the central region of Honshu, mountainous areas (Japanese Alps) with an altitude of 2,000 to 3,000 m are connected from north to south, and major cities such as Nagano City and Matsumoto City are located in the basin. Mountainous areas such as Hakuba, Kamikochi, and Shiga Kogen are cold and ideal as summer resorts, but in winter it is very cold and it snows a lot.
Basins have relatively little snow
On the other hand, in Nagano City, Matsumoto City, Suwa City, Iida City, etc., which are located in the basin, the maximum temperature is as high as in Tokyo during the daytime in summer, but it is cool in the morning and evening. It doesn’t snow as much as in the mountains in winter, but it’s colder than in Tokyo and Osaka.
Karuizawa does not get much snow in winter
Karuizawa, an hour away from Tokyo on the Hokuriku Shinkansen, is a popular highland resort area as a summer resort. However, Karuizawa has much less snow than Hakuba and Shiga Kogen. The entire area of Nagano has less rainfall than other areas such as Tokyo. The cherry blossoms bloom a little later than in Tokyo and after early April.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear in Nagano Prefecture in November?
In November, you need to prepare a solid fall clothing. If you are going to mountainous areas or highlands such as Kamikochi, Hakuba, or Karuizawa, winter clothes such as cords or down jackets are preferable. For more information on fall and winter clothing, please refer to the following articles.
Is June the best season for sightseeing in Nagano Prefecture?
Yes, November is the fall tourist season. The weather is often sunny, so you can travel comfortably. However, the temperature in Nagano Prefecture is a little cooler than in Tokyo, Kyoto, or Osaka, so please be careful what you wear.
Can we see snow in Nagano Prefecture in November?
In some areas of Nagano Prefecture, the first snowfall is observed in November. However, except in the upper mountainous areas, snow has yet to accumulate.
Weather in Nagano Pref. in early November
Kamikochi, Nagano, Japan. November 3, 2019: Kamikochi, which is located in a mountainous area, is finally covered with deep autumn leaves in November. Nagano Prefecture, Japan = Shutterstock
Karuizawa, JAPAN – November 3, 2017: Autumn leaves peak in Karuizawa, a highland resort. Nagano Prefecture, Japan = Shutterstock
| Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Nagano City | 9.8℃ (49.6°F) 15.6℃ (60.1°F) 5.2 ℃ (41.4°F) |
12.6 mm (0.50 inch) – |
| Matsumoto | 9.7℃ (49.5°F) 16.2℃ (61.2°F) 4.3 ℃ (39.7°F) |
14.9 (0.59 inch) – |
| Hakuba | 7.5 ℃ (45.5°F) 14.0℃ (57.2°F) 2.5 ℃ (36.5°F) |
29.6 mm (1.17 inch) – |
| Karuizawa | 6.7℃ (44.1°F) 13.3℃ (55.9°F) 1.5 ℃ (34.7°F) |
14.1 mm (0.56 inch) – |
※ Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
>> Click here for a [quick reference] converted from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
Weather in Nagano Pref. in mid-November
November 13, 2019: Signs of winter begin to drift in Kamikochi. Nagano Prefecture, Japan = Shutterstock
NAGANO, JAPAN – NOVEMBER 18, 2015 :: Coats and jumpers start to stand out among the people walking through the temple town of Zenkoji = Shutterstock
| Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Nagano City | 7.9℃ (46.2°F) 13.3℃ (55.9°F) 3.4 ℃ (38.1°F) |
16.7 mm (0.66 inch) – |
| Matsumoto | 7.8℃ (46.0°F) 13.7℃ (56.7°F) 2.7 ℃ (36.9°F) |
22.6 mm (0.89 inch) – |
| Hakuba | 5.5 ℃ (41.9°F) 11.2℃ (52.2°F) 1.0 ℃ (33.8°F) |
39.1 mm (1.54 inch) – |
| Karuizawa | 4.7 ℃ (40.5°F) 11.0℃ (51.8°F) -0.3 ℃ (31.5°F) |
22.2 mm (0.87 inch) – |
※Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Weather in Nagano Pref. in late November
Karuizawa,Japan – 20 November 2016 : Many people shopping in the Karuizawa prince shopping plaza = Shutterstock
MATSUMOTO, JAPAN – NOVEMBER 21, 2015: Children at Atsuta shrine in a Traditional rite of passage and festival day in held for 3 and 7-year-old girls and 3 and 5-year-old boys = Shutterstock
| Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Nagano City | 6.0℃ (42.8°F) 11.2℃ (52.2°F) 1.7 ℃ (35.1°F) |
15.0 mm (0.59 inch) – |
| Matsumoto | 5.9 ℃ (42.6°F) 11.8℃ (53.2°F) 0.8 ℃ (33.44°F) |
18.9 mm (0.74 inch) – |
| Hakuba | 3.7 ℃ (38.7°F) 9.2℃ (48.6°F) -0.6 ℃ (30.9°F) |
31.7 mm (1.25 inch) – |
| Karuizawa | 3.0℃ (37.4°F) 9.2℃ (48.6°F) -1.9 ℃ (28.6°F) |
16.2 mm (0.64 inch) – |
※ Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Reference: Current weather and temperature in Nagano, forecast for the next 7 days
Monthly weather in Nagano Pref.
Below are articles about the weather in Nagano Prefecture. Click on the month of interest to see articles about that month.
| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July | August | September |
| October | November | December |
Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Below are pages showing the climates of various regions in Japan at the same time of the year.
| Tokyo | Osaka | Kyoto |
| Hokkaido | Sendai | Nagano |
| Nagoya | Hiroshima | Fukuoka |
| Okinawa |
Now, let’s plan to make your vacation in Japan the best experience ever!
