The following is an overview of Kyoto Prefecture’s climate in December. First of all, Kyoto City is located in a basin, so it is a little colder in winter than Tokyo and Osaka, etc. You can enjoy walking around the city with beautiful autumn leaves until early December, but it gradually gets colder and you will need a coat. On the other hand, Miyama-cho, located about an hour and a half north of Kyoto City by bus, is colder than Kyoto City, and it sometimes snows. Maizuru City on the Sea of Japan side also has occasional snowfall.
Table of Contents
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Weather in Kyoto (Kyoto City, Miyama Town, Maizuru City) in early January
- Weather in Kyoto (Kyoto City, Miyama Town, Maizuru City) in mid-January
- Weather in Kyoto (Kyoto City, Miyama Town, Maizuru City) in late January
- What to wear in Japan during winter
- Reference: Current weather and temperature in Kyoto, forecast for the next 7 days
- Monthly weather in Kyoto
- Weather in tourist destinations around Japan
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see autumn leaves in December?
In early December, you can see the autumn leaves in Kyoto Prefecture. Especially in Kyoto City, you can enjoy the autumn foliage at many temples and other places.
When does it start snowing in Kyoto?
In the center of Kyoto City, there is almost no snow in December. In Miyama Town, north of Kyoto City, and Maizuru City on the Sea of Japan side, there is some snowfall from early December. However, even in Miyama and Maizuru, snow does not begin to fall in earnest until January.
Weather in Kyoto (Kyoto City, Miyama Town, Maizuru City) in early January
Kyoto, Japan – January 1, 2020: Kyoto Station is a railway station and transportation hub in Kyoto, Japan = Shutterstock
| average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Kyoto | 5.2℃ (41.4°F) 9.4 ℃ (48.9 F) 1.7℃ (35.1°F) |
14.3mm (0.56inch) 1cm (0.39inch) |
| Miyama | 2.2℃ (36.0°F) 6.7℃ (44.0°F) -0.8℃ (30.6°F) |
44.0mm (1.73inch) 20cm (7.87inch) |
| Maizuru | 4.1℃ (39.4°F) 8.1 ℃ (46.6 F) 1.1℃ (34.0°F) |
56.7mm (2.23inch) 15cm (5.9inch) |
※ 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 Kyoto (Kyoto City, Miyama Town, Maizuru City) in mid-January
Kyoto, Japan – January 13, 2020: Shimogamo shrine is one of the oldest shinto shrines in Kyoto, Japan. Its formal name is Kamo-mioya-jinja = Shutterstock
| average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Kyoto | 4.9℃ (40.8°F) 9.1℃ (48.4°F) 1.5 ℃ (34.7°F) |
17.8 mm (0.70inch) 1cm (0.39inch) |
| Miyama | 1.8℃ (35.2°F) 6.3 ℃ (43.3°F) -1.3℃ (29.7°F) |
58.4mm (2.30inch) 21cm (28.27inch) |
| Maizuru | 3.8℃ (38.8°F) 7.7℃ (45.9°F) 0.8 ℃ (33.4°F) |
58.4 mm (2.3inch) 12cm (4.72inch) |
※Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Weather in Kyoto (Kyoto City, Miyama Town, Maizuru City) in late January
Kyoto January 21, 2018 – Winter : Beautiful Architecture at Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto, Japan = Shutterstock
| average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
| Kyoto | 4.5℃ (40.1°F) 8.7℃ (47.7°F) 1.1℃ (34.0°F) |
21.2mm (0.83inch) 2cm (0.79inch) |
| Miyama | 1.3℃ (34.3°F) 5.7℃ (42.3°F) -1.8℃ (31.82°F) |
52.8mm (2.08inch) 33cm (13.0inch) |
| Maizuru | 3.2℃ (37.8°F) 7.2℃ (45.0°F) 0.3℃ (28.8°F) |
68.3mm (2.69inch) 27cm (10.6inch) |
※ Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Mountainous areas in northern Kyoto are cold
Kyoto, Japan – January 25, 2018: Kifune Shrine is a Shinto shrine located at Sakyo-ku in Kyoto, Japan.Kifune Shrine is dedicated to the god of water = Shutterstock
Areas in northern Kyoto such as Kibune, Kurama, and Ohara receive more snowfall than central Kyoto. Coats and gloves are essential due to the low temperatures.
What to wear in Japan during winter
For winter clothes, please refer to the following articles.
Reference: Current weather and temperature in Kyoto, forecast for the next 7 days
Monthly weather in Kyoto
Below are articles about the weather in Kyoto. 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!
