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Shikoku in January: weather, what to wear and what's on

In January, average highs across 4 places in Shikoku run from 9.7°C (49°F) in Takamatsu to 12.2°C (54°F) in Kochi (JMA, 1991–2020). Takamatsu, the main city, averages 9.7°C by day and 2.1°C at night. Snow is rare on the ground, but snow or sleet falls on 7.6 days in Takamatsu.

Shikoku in January: 4 places compared

Averages for 1991–2020 from the JMA station in each place. Tap a heading to sort.

4 places in Shikoku in January: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Place (JMA station)High (°C)Low (°C)Wet daysSun (hours)Clothes
Takamatsu9.72.15.9141Cold
Matsuyama10.22.67.1129Chilly
Kochi12.22.15.3191Chilly
Tokushima10.02.95.2160Chilly
  • The most wet days (1 mm or more of rain or snow) are in Matsuyama (7.1 days), the fewest in Tokushima (5.2 days).
  • Precipitation ranges from 39.4 mm in Takamatsu to 59.1 mm in Kochi.
  • Kochi gets the most sunshine (191 hours in the month) and Matsuyama the least (129 hours).
  • Matsuyama, Kochi and Tokushima are warmer than Tokyo (9.8°C) in January; the rest are colder.

Early, mid and late January in Shikoku

Average high and low for each ten days of January (JMA ten-day normals, 1991–2020).

Shikoku in January by ten-day period: average high and low in °C (JMA 1991–2020)
Place (JMA station)1–10 (°C)11–20 (°C)21–31 (°C)
Takamatsu10.4low 2.59.6low 2.29.2low 1.7
Matsuyama10.8low 3.010.2low 2.69.6low 2.1
Kochi12.5low 2.212.2low 2.211.8low 1.8
Tokushima10.7low 3.49.9low 3.09.5low 2.5

In Takamatsu, the average high is 10.4°C in the first ten days of January, 9.6°C in the middle ten and 9.2°C in the last ten.

What to wear in Shikoku in January

How we choose: from the JMA's average high and low for January, by our own rules.

Is Shikoku cold in January?

Yes, it is cold. Takamatsu, the main city, averages 9.7°C (49°F) by day and 2.1°C (36°F) at night in January. 21–31 January is the coldest stretch of the year, with highs of 9.2°C.

In January the clothing level runs from Cold in Takamatsu to Chilly in Matsuyama, Kochi and Tokushima, so pack for the coldest place on your route.

What to wear in Shikoku in January, by average high
LevelAverage highWhat to wearPlaces
Chilly10 to 15°CA warm jacket or light coat over a sweater.Matsuyama 10.2°C, Kochi 12.2°C and Tokushima 10.0°C
Cold5 to 10°CA winter coat over layers, and a scarf.Takamatsu 9.7°C

Flowers and autumn colour in Shikoku in January

Shikoku in January: average dates for 1991–2020 and the latest year (JMA sample trees)
Place (JMA station)WhatAverage dateLatest year
TakamatsuPlum blossom opens13 January19 January 2026
MatsuyamaPlum blossom opens5 January23 December 2025
KochiPlum blossom opens27 January26 January 2026

The first plum blossom in Shikoku in an average year is in Matsuyama on 5 January.

Dates are for one sample tree at or near the JMA observatory, not for every park in the city.

Holidays and crowds in Shikoku in January

National holidays in January 2027:

  • Fri 1 January — New Year's Day
  • Mon 11 January — Coming of Age Day
  • Fri 1 January to Sun 3 January: 3 days off in a row
  • Sat 9 January to Mon 11 January: 3 days off in a row
How full hotels were in January 2025 (%)

Average room occupancy for all hotels and inns, by prefecture. Japan as a whole: 54.6%.

  1. Ehime Prefecture53.1%
  2. Kagawa Prefecture47.7%
  3. Tokushima Prefecture46.0%
  4. Kochi Prefecture37.9%

More on Shikoku and January

Shikoku in other months

Other regions in January

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Shikoku in January?

In January, average highs across 4 places in Shikoku run from 9.7°C (49°F) in Takamatsu to 12.2°C (54°F) in Kochi (JMA, 1991–2020). Takamatsu, the main city, averages 9.7°C by day and 2.1°C at night. Snow is rare on the ground, but snow or sleet falls on 7.6 days in Takamatsu.

What should I wear in Shikoku in January?

Cold (Takamatsu): A winter coat over layers, and a scarf. Chilly (Matsuyama, Kochi and Tokushima): A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater.

Is Shikoku cold in January?

Yes, it is cold. Takamatsu, the main city, averages 9.7°C (49°F) by day and 2.1°C (36°F) at night in January. 21–31 January is the coldest stretch of the year, with highs of 9.2°C.

Is there snow in Shikoku in January?

Not much on the ground. Snow or sleet falls on 7.6 days in Takamatsu in an average January, but no place here has snow lying for 5 days or more (JMA, 1991–2020).

Where is the warmest place in Shikoku in January?

Kochi, with an average high of 12.2°C (54°F). Next are Matsuyama (10.2°C) and Tokushima (10.0°C). The coldest is Takamatsu (9.7°C).

January records in Shikoku

The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded in January at each JMA station, with the date.

January records in Shikoku (JMA, all years on record)
Place (JMA station)Highest (°C)Lowest (°C)Since
Takamatsu18.91 January 1997−7.728 January 19451942
Matsuyama24.49 January 1916−7.019 January 18921890
Kochi23.527 January 1969−7.618 January 19361886
Tokushima22.519 January 1989−5.420 January 18921892

The hottest January day on record here was 24.4°C (76°F) in Matsuyama on 9 January 1916.

The coldest was −7.7°C (18°F) in Takamatsu on 28 January 1945.

Related items

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Sources for this page

Show all 16
  1. Normals for 1991–2020: Takamatsu (高松), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  2. Normals for 1991–2020: Matsuyama (松山), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  3. Normals for 1991–2020: Kochi (高知), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  4. Normals for 1991–2020: Tokushima (徳島), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  5. Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Takamatsu (高松) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  6. Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Matsuyama (松山) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  7. Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Kochi (高知) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  8. Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Tokushima (徳島) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  9. Records for January: Takamatsu (高松) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  10. Records for January: Matsuyama (松山) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  11. Records for January: Kochi (高知) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  12. Records for January: Tokushima (徳島) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  13. National holidays (国民の祝日について)Cabinet Office
  14. Overnight Travel Statistics Survey, 2025 final figures (宿泊旅行統計調査 2025年 年の確定値)Japan Tourism Agency
  15. Plum blossom opening dates, 2025–2026 (うめの開花日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
  16. Yearly records of flowering and leaf colour since 1953 (生物季節観測累年値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)