When to go · Zao
Zao in January
Great month. Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C) / −5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 12
- Crowds
- Low
- Japan overall
- Prices
- Low
- Japan overall
Verdict
Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
Is another month better than January?
No other month rates higher than January for Zao in this guide.
Weather in January
- ZaoHighs around 2 °C (36 °F), lows around -5 °C (23 °F), rain on about 12 daysHighs around 36 °F (2 °C), lows around 23 °F (-5 °C), rain on about 12 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
- 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 Zao, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Great
Feb: Great
Daytime high
Jan: 2 °C (36 °F)36 °F (2 °C)
Feb: 3 °C (37 °F)37 °F (3 °C)
Night low
Jan: -5 °C (23 °F)23 °F (-5 °C)
Feb: -4 °C (25 °F)25 °F (-4 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 12
Feb: 10 (better)
Crowds
Jan: Low
Feb: Low
Prices
Jan: Low
Feb: Low
Festivals listed
Jan: 1
Feb: 0
January: Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
February: Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
Zao: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast