Tokyo in January

Cold, clear skies.

All twelve months in one grid — weather, crowds and prices, with gaps left as unknown.

January is rated good. These months rate higher:

• MayGreatAvoid Golden Week.
• OctoberGreatGood walking weather.
• NovemberGreatLeaves late November.

• TokyoHighs around 10 °C (50 °F), lows around 1 °C (34 °F), rain on about 5 daysHighs around 50 °F (10 °C), lows around 34 °F (1 °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.

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 shrine visits (hatsumōde)

  1–3 January · Meiji Jingū, Sensō-ji, every shrine

  Millions queue at the big shrines; one-way crowd routes at Harajuku and Asakusa. Many restaurants, museums and gardens close 29 Dec–3 Jan.

• New Year greeting at the Imperial Palace check

  2 January · Imperial Palace inner grounds

  The one day the public enters the inner palace plaza; security queues from early morning.

• Coming of Age Day

  Second Monday of January · Shrines and city halls

  20-year-olds in kimono and suits at shrines; a public holiday, so museums shift their closing day.

• Grand Sumo tournaments check

  15 days, starting the second Sunday of the month · Ryōgoku Kokugikan

  Tickets sell out on release weekends; same-day unreserved seats in small numbers (check).

• New Year

  Dec 31–Jan 3

  Meiji Jingū and Sensō-ji see millions of visitors; many restaurants closed.

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.

Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Tokyo, side by side.

• A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
• Layers: a fleece or light jacket

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