When to go · Tokyo
Tokyo in December
Good month. Illuminations; closures Dec 29–Jan 3.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Good
- Temperature
- 12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C) / 4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 5
- Crowds
- Medium
- Japan overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Japan overall
Verdict
Illuminations; closures Dec 29–Jan 3.
All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.
Is another month better than December?
December is rated good. These months rate higher:
Weather in December
- TokyoHighs around 12 °C (54 °F), lows around 4 °C (39 °F), rain on about 5 daysHighs around 54 °F (12 °C), lows around 39 °F (4 °C), rain on about 5 days
- Honshū cities, Japan · Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshimacool
Rainy season June to mid-July; humid heat July–August; typhoon risk peaks in September.
Winter season
Clear skies, Fuji visible from the city, illuminations, the New Year shrine visit at Meiji Jingū.
Watch: Closures from 29 Dec to 3 Jan (museums, some restaurants).
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.
Autumn leaves check
Late November – early December · Rikugien, Jingū Gaien ginkgo avenue, Shinjuku Gyoen, Koishikawa Kōrakuen
Evening garden illuminations with timed tickets; ginkgo avenue packed on weekends.
Winter illuminations
Mid-November to December or February · Marunouchi, Roppongi, Omotesandō, Shibuya
Free light displays along main streets; crowded on weekends before Christmas.
New Year
Dec 31–Jan 3
Meiji Jingū and Sensō-ji see millions of visitors; many restaurants closed.
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 Tokyo, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Good
May: Great (better)
Daytime high
Dec: 12 °C (54 °F)54 °F (12 °C)
May: 24 °C (75 °F)75 °F (24 °C)
Night low
Dec: 4 °C (39 °F)39 °F (4 °C)
May: 15 °C (59 °F)59 °F (15 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 5 (better)
May: 11
Crowds
Dec: Medium
May: Medium
Prices
Dec: Medium
May: Medium
Festivals listed
Dec: 3
May: 4
December: Illuminations; closures Dec 29–Jan 3.
May: Avoid Golden Week.
Tokyo: 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