When to go · Shima
Shima in January
Avoid month. Listed as a month to avoid: Jul–Aug (humid, crowded beaches), Jan–Feb (cold).
Key facts
- Verdict
- Avoid
- Temperature
- 10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C) / 2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 6
- Crowds
- Low
- Japan overall
- Prices
- Low
- Japan overall
Verdict
Listed as a month to avoid: Jul–Aug (humid, crowded beaches), Jan–Feb (cold).
Is another month better than January?
January is rated avoid. These months rate higher:
Weather in January
- ShimaHighs around 10 °C (50 °F), lows around 2 °C (36 °F), rain on about 6 daysHighs around 50 °F (10 °C), lows around 36 °F (2 °C), rain on about 6 days
- Honshū cities, Japan · Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshimacool
Rainy season June to mid-July; humid heat July–August; typhoon risk peaks in September.
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
- Low
- Prices · Japan overall
- Low
Japan overall: Cold, dry and clear in the cities after 3 Jan; ski season in Hokkaidō and the Alps.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Shima, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Avoid
Apr: Great (better)
Daytime high
Jan: 10 °C (50 °F)50 °F (10 °C)
Apr: 19 °C (66 °F)66 °F (19 °C)
Night low
Jan: 2 °C (36 °F)36 °F (2 °C)
Apr: 10 °C (50 °F)50 °F (10 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 6 (better)
Apr: 10
Crowds
Jan: Low
Apr: High
Prices
Jan: Low
Apr: High
Festivals listed
Jan: 1
Apr: 2
January: Listed as a month to avoid: Jul–Aug (humid, crowded beaches), Jan–Feb (cold).
April: Inside Shima's best window: Apr–Jun, Oct–Nov.
Shima: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- Layers: a fleece or light jacket