In December, the weather in Tokyo is stable and it will continue to be sunny. In December, there is
virtually no snow in Tokyo. However, please bring a coat or jumper as it is very cold. Winter clothes are required if you are outdoors for a long time. On this page, I will introduce Tokyo meteorological data of 2017. Please refer to this weather data and prepare for your trip.
Below are articles about the monthly weather in Tokyo. Click on the month you want to know more about.
| January | February | March |
| April | May | June |
| July | August | September |
| October | November | December |
Below are articles on the weather in Osaka and Hokkaido in December. If you plan to go to Hokkaido as well as Tokyo, please note that the weather in Hokkaido is quite different from Tokyo.
For winter clothes, please refer to the following article.
Table of Contents
Weather in Tokyo in December (overview)
Graph: Temperature change in Tokyo in December
※ Based on the data released by the Japan Meteorological Agency. Both high and low temperature data are averages over the past 30 years (1981-2010)
>> Click here for a [quick reference] converted from Celsius to Fahrenheit.
In December, Tokyo will finally enter the full-fledged winter season. At this time many people come with coats and jumpers. It is still relatively hot compared to January and February, but if you are visiting Japan from a warm country, I think you’d better prepare enough winter clothes.
The weather is good in December. The sky is very blue, so if you climb a tall building or tower, you can see Mt. Fuji in the distance. If you are lucky, in the evening you can see Mt. Fuji beautifully in the sunset behind the buildings in the city center.
In Tokyo, there is sometimes a little snow. If you want to see the snow, you may take a day trip to NaganoPrefecture or Niigata Prefecture.
Below is the meteorological data of December 2017 announced by the Japan Weather Association.
Please use this for reference.
Tokyo weather in early December
| Maximum temperature (Celsius) | 14.5 |
| Minimum air temperature | 1. 2 |
| Total precipitation | 4.5 mm |
| Fine weather ratio | 63 % |
December 2, 2018: Meiji Jingu Gaien is the most popular spot for autumn leaves viewing in the central area of Tokyo, Japan = Shutterstock
By early December, temperatures in Tokyo have fallen, and most people are walking wearing coats and jumpers. At this time you can still enjoy the autumn leaves. However, the leaves fall every day, making it feel that winter has arrived. The illuminations of Christmas shine beautifully in the town.
In early December, sunrise time in Tokyo is approximately 6:35, and sunset time is approximately 16:28.
Tokyo weather in the middle of December
| Maximum temperature (Celsius) | 16.0 |
| Minimum air temperature | -0.2 |
| Total precipitation | 0.0 mm |
| Fine weather ratio | 75 % |
DECEMBER 17TH, 2017. Couple enjoying winter lights illumination display at Meguro river at night, Tokyo, Japan = Shutterstock
In mid-December, autumn leaves are no longer visible. The people walking in the city are completely dressed in winter clothes. Besides coats, many people wear mufflers and gloves. Christmas lights shine throughout downtown areas.
In mid-December, sunrise time in Tokyo is around 6:43 and sunset time is around 16:29.
Tokyo weather in late December
| Maximum temperature (Celsius) | 15.0 |
| Minimum air temperature | 0.7 |
| Total precipitation | 10.5 mm |
| Fine weather ratio | 72 % |
December 24, 2018: Crowd pedestrians people walking on crosswalk at Shinjuku district at night in Tokyo, Japan
Tokyo is very cold in late December. The weather is very nice, but the wind is cold even in the daytime. Until the night of the 24th, Christmas illuminations are shining around the city. After the 25th, Japanese people are likely to be busy shopping and cleaning to prepare for the New Year.
Shinkansen and airplanes will be very crowded from around December 28th because many people will return home.
In late December, sunrise time in Tokyo is approximately 6:48, and sunset time is approximately 16:33.
※ Sunrise and sunset times are based on the 2019 data released by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. I posted the time of the 5th for the beginning of December, the time of the 15th for the middle of December, and the time of the 25th for the end of December.
Reference: Current weather and temperature in Tokyo, forecast for the next 7 days
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 |
Thank you for reading to the end.
For more information about Tokyo, please refer to the following articles.
>> Winter Wear in Japan! What should you wear?
>>Best Things to do in Tokyo : Asakusa, Ginza, Shinjuku, Shibuya, Disney etc.
>> Narita Airport! How to get to Tokyo / Explore Terminals 1, 2, 3
Now, let’s plan to make your vacation in Japan the best experience ever!
