Sendai City (Miyagi Prefecture), the largest city in Japan’s Tohoku region, is in full-blown winter in January. It is a little colder than Tokyo or Osaka. Compared to other cities in the Tohoku region and Sapporo in Hokkaido, it does not snow that much. However, about 10 centimeters of snow can accumulate. A walk along the Hirose River promenade after it snows is sure to be a wonderful memory!
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does it snow in Sendai in January?
In January, snow sometimes falls even in central Sendai. However, it does not often snow that much. If you want to experience the snowy world in January, you should tour around the mountain side of Sendai or other areas in the Tohoku region.
Weather in Sendai in early January

SENDAI.JAPAN – 2 JANUARY 2018: Unidentified tourists make their first Shinto shrine visit at Osaki Hachimangu Shrine, Sendai, Miyagi, Japan = Shutterstock
Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
Sendai | 2.4℃ (36.3°F) 6.0℃ (42.8°F) -0.8℃ (30.6°F) |
11.7 mm (0.46 inch) 5 cm (1.97 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 Sendai in mid-January
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Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan – January 18 2020: Loople Bus the tour sightseeing bus of Sendai city = Shutterstock
Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
Sendai | 1.8℃ (35.2°F) 5.4℃ (41.7°F) -1.5 ℃ (29.3°F) |
11.7 mm (0.46 inch) 5 cm (1.97 inch) |
※Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
Weather in Sendai in late January

Jozenji Street in central Sendai, Miyagi, Japan, January 2022 = Shutterstock
Average temperature Highest temperature (Lowest temperature) |
Total precipitation (Total snowfall depth) |
|
Sendai | 1.7℃ (35.1°F) 5.4℃ (41.7°F) -1.6℃ (29.1°F) |
18.9 mm (0.74 inch) 11 cm (4.33 inch) |
※ Source: All figures are the average for 30 years of 1991-2020 announced by the Japan Meteorological Agency
What to wear in Japan during winter
For winter clothes, please refer to the following articles.
Monthly weather in Sendai
Below are articles about the weather in Sendai. 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!