When to go · Hakone
Hakone in December
Great month. Inside Hakone's best window: Oct–Feb for Fuji views; Apr–May and Nov for walking.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C) / −1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 6
- Crowds
- Medium
- Japan overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Japan overall
Verdict
Inside Hakone's best window: Oct–Feb for Fuji views; Apr–May and Nov for walking.
Is another month better than December?
No other month rates higher than December for Hakone in this guide.
Weather in December
- HakoneHighs around 8 °C (46 °F), lows around -1 °C (30 °F), rain on about 6 daysHighs around 46 °F (8 °C), lows around 30 °F (-1 °C), rain on about 6 days
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year (Shōgatsu) big impact
29 Dec – 3 Jan · Japan
Shops, museums and many restaurants close; shrines packed on 1–3 Jan; trains full on 29–30 Dec and 2–3 Jan.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Japan overall
- Medium
- Prices · Japan overall
- Medium
Japan overall: Cold and clear until the New Year shutdown from 29 Dec.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Hakone, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Great
Jan: Great
Daytime high
Dec: 8 °C (46 °F)46 °F (8 °C)
Jan: 6 °C (43 °F)43 °F (6 °C)
Night low
Dec: -1 °C (30 °F)30 °F (-1 °C)
Jan: -3 °C (27 °F)27 °F (-3 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 6
Jan: 6
Crowds
Dec: Medium
Jan: Low
Prices
Dec: Medium
Jan: Low
Festivals listed
Dec: 1
Jan: 1
December: Inside Hakone's best window: Oct–Feb for Fuji views; Apr–May and Nov for walking.
January: Inside Hakone's best window: Oct–Feb for Fuji views; Apr–May and Nov for walking.
Hakone: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings