Kyushu in December: 8 places compared
Averages for 1991–2020 from the JMA station in each place. Tap a heading to sort.
- The most wet days (1 mm or more of rain or snow) are in Fukuoka (8.5 days), the fewest in Oita (4.7 days).
- Precipitation ranges from 47.1 mm in Oita to 93.2 mm in Kagoshima.
- Miyazaki gets the most sunshine (184 hours in the month) and Fukuoka the least (112 hours).
- Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima, Oita, Miyazaki and Saga are warmer than Tokyo (12.0°C) in December; the rest are colder.
Early, mid and late December in Kyushu
Average high and low for each ten days of December (JMA ten-day normals, 1991–2020).
| Place (JMA station) | 1–10 (°C) | 11–20 (°C) | 21–31 (°C) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka | 14.0low 7.0 | 12.2low 5.7 | 11.7low 4.8 |
| Nagasaki | 14.5low 7.2 | 12.7low 5.8 | 12.3low 5.0 |
| Kumamoto | 14.4low 4.7 | 12.5low 3.2 | 12.0low 2.4 |
| Kagoshima | 16.7low 8.4 | 14.9low 6.6 | 14.5low 5.9 |
| Oita | 14.3low 5.8 | 12.7low 4.3 | 12.2low 3.7 |
| Miyazaki | 16.2low 6.2 | 14.7low 4.8 | 14.2low 4.1 |
| Saga | 13.9low 4.9 | 12.0low 3.6 | 11.4low 2.5 |
| Yufuin | 11.1low 0.2 | 9.4low −0.9 | 8.8low −1.5 |
In Fukuoka, the average high is 14.0°C in the first ten days of December, 12.2°C in the middle ten and 11.7°C in the last ten.
Every place here is at least 2°C colder by the end of December than at the start.
What to wear in Kyushu in December
How we choose: from the JMA's average high and low for December, by our own rules.
Is Kyushu cold in December?
Yes, it is chilly. Fukuoka, the main city, averages 12.6°C (55°F) by day and 5.8°C (42°F) at night in December. It gets colder still: 21–31 January has highs of 9.8°C.
In December the clothing level runs from Cold in Yufuin to Cool in Kagoshima and Miyazaki, so pack for the coldest place on your route.
| Level | Average high | What to wear | Places |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cool | 15 to 20°C | Long sleeves with a light jacket or sweater. | Kagoshima 15.3°C and Miyazaki 15.0°C |
| Chilly | 10 to 15°C | A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater. | Fukuoka 12.6°C, Nagasaki 13.1°C, Kumamoto 12.9°C, Oita 13.0°C and Saga 12.4°C |
| Cold | 5 to 10°C | A winter coat over layers, and a scarf. | Yufuin 9.7°C |
- Gloves and a warm hat: frost on 10 nights or more in Yufuin.
Flowers and autumn colour in Kyushu in December
Kyushu in December: average dates for 1991–2020 and the latest year (JMA sample trees)
| Place (JMA station) | What | Average date | Latest year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka | Maple leaves turn red | 1 December | 1 December 2025 |
| Fukuoka | Maple leaves fall | 14 December | 15 December 2025 |
| Fukuoka | Ginkgo leaves fall | 4 December | 21 December 2025 |
| Nagasaki | Maple leaves turn red | 7 December | 2 December 2025 |
| Nagasaki | Maple leaves fall | 21 December | 17 December 2025 |
| Nagasaki | Ginkgo turns yellow | 5 December | 12 December 2025 |
| Nagasaki | Ginkgo leaves fall | 15 December | 17 December 2025 |
| Kumamoto | Maple leaves turn red | 2 December | 15 December 2025 |
| Kumamoto | Maple leaves fall | 15 December | 21 December 2025 |
| Kumamoto | Ginkgo leaves fall | 8 December | 15 December 2025 |
| Kagoshima | Maple leaves turn red | 15 December | 2 December 2025 |
| Kagoshima | Maple leaves fall | 24 December | 14 December 2025 |
| Kagoshima | Ginkgo leaves fall | 6 December | 14 December 2025 |
| Oita | Maple leaves fall | 11 December | 3 December 2025 |
| Oita | Ginkgo turns yellow | 5 December | 8 December 2025 |
| Oita | Ginkgo leaves fall | 15 December | 21 December 2025 |
| Miyazaki | Maple leaves turn red | 4 December | 26 November 2025 |
| Miyazaki | Maple leaves fall | 18 December | 12 December 2025 |
| Miyazaki | Ginkgo leaves fall | 9 December | 12 December 2025 |
| Saga | Maple leaves fall | 12 December | 18 December 2025 |
| Saga | Ginkgo leaves fall | 1 December | 3 December 2025 |
The first red maple leaves in Kyushu in an average year is in Fukuoka on 1 December.
The first yellow ginkgo leaves in Kyushu in an average year is in Nagasaki on 5 December.
Dates are for one sample tree at or near the JMA observatory, not for every park in the city.
Holidays and crowds in Kyushu in December
There are no national holidays in December 2026.
- Fukuoka Prefecture71.1%
- Nagasaki Prefecture59.9%
- Kumamoto Prefecture58.4%
- Oita Prefecture56.6%
- Miyazaki Prefecture53.1%
- Kagoshima Prefecture52.5%
- Saga Prefecture47.9%
More on Kyushu and December
One place in December
Kyushu in other months
Other regions in December
Frequently asked questions
What is the weather like in Kyushu in December?
In December, average highs across 8 places in Kyushu run from 9.7°C (49°F) in Yufuin to 15.3°C (60°F) in Kagoshima (JMA, 1991–2020). Fukuoka, the main city, averages 12.6°C by day and 5.8°C at night. Snow is rare on the ground, but snow or sleet falls on 6.1 days in Fukuoka.
What should I wear in Kyushu in December?
Cold (Yufuin): A winter coat over layers, and a scarf. Chilly (Fukuoka, Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Oita and Saga): A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater. Cool (Kagoshima and Miyazaki): Long sleeves with a light jacket or sweater.
Is Kyushu cold in December?
Yes, it is chilly. Fukuoka, the main city, averages 12.6°C (55°F) by day and 5.8°C (42°F) at night in December. It gets colder still: 21–31 January has highs of 9.8°C.
Is there snow in Kyushu in December?
Not much on the ground. Snow or sleet falls on 6.1 days in Fukuoka in an average December, but no place here has snow lying for 5 days or more (JMA, 1991–2020).
Where is the warmest place in Kyushu in December?
Kagoshima, with an average high of 15.3°C (60°F). Next are Miyazaki (15.0°C) and Nagasaki (13.1°C). The coldest is Yufuin (9.7°C).
What events are on in Kyushu in December?
teamLab Fukuoka Castle Ruins: Festival of Light (one-time run) (Fukuoka), Ohori Park Winter Illumination (Fukuoka), Marine World Umi-no-Nakamichi Christmas (Fukuoka), Fukuoka Tower Christmas Illumination (Fukuoka) and Christmas Advent Fukuoka (formerly Fukuoka Christmas Market) (Fukuoka). Dates and official pages are on each place's month page.
December records in Kyushu
The highest and lowest temperatures ever recorded in December at each JMA station, with the date.
| Place (JMA station) | Highest (°C) | Lowest (°C) | Since |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fukuoka | 26.04 December 2018 | −5.428 December 1917 | 1890 |
| Nagasaki | 23.83 December 1890 | −3.922 December 1883 | 1878 |
| Kumamoto | 24.617 December 1936 | −7.928 December 1917 | 1890 |
| Kagoshima | 24.71 December 1992 | −5.530 December 1893 | 1883 |
| Oita | 25.04 December 2018 | −6.128 December 1917 | 1887 |
| Miyazaki | 25.615 December 2023 | −7.228 December 1917 | 1886 |
| Saga | 24.64 December 2018 | −6.530 December 1917 | 1890 |
| Yufuin | 21.84 December 2018 | −9.931 December 1995 | 1977 |
The hottest December day on record here was 26.0°C (79°F) in Fukuoka on 4 December 2018.
The coldest was −9.9°C (14°F) in Yufuin on 31 December 1995.
What's on in Kyushu in December
Events in the places that have their own month page. Dates, venues and the organisers' official pages are on each place's page.
Fukuoka
- teamLab Fukuoka Castle Ruins: Festival of Light (one-time run)
- Ohori Park Winter Illumination
- Marine World Umi-no-Nakamichi Christmas
- Fukuoka Tower Christmas Illumination
- Christmas Advent Fukuoka (formerly Fukuoka Christmas Market)
- Uminaka Candle Night
Nagasaki
- Momote Shinji (arrow purification rite), Suwa Shrine
- Susuharai Shinji (year-end cleaning rite), Suwa Shrine
Kumamoto
- Lux Night KUMAMOTO 2026
- Suizenji White Xmas 2026
- Ueki Art SPA Yugento 2026
Kagoshima
- Running Sakurajima (46th)
- Minato Odori Park Illumination
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Sources for this page
Show all 29
- Normals for 1991–2020: Fukuoka (福岡), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Nagasaki (長崎), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Kumamoto (熊本), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Kagoshima (鹿児島), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Oita (大分), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Miyazaki (宮崎), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Saga (佐賀), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Normals for 1991–2020: Yufuin (湯布院), month by month (平年値 年・月ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Fukuoka (福岡) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Nagasaki (長崎) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Kumamoto (熊本) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Kagoshima (鹿児島) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Oita (大分) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Miyazaki (宮崎) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Saga (佐賀) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Yufuin (湯布院) (平年値 旬ごとの値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Fukuoka (福岡) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Nagasaki (長崎) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Kumamoto (熊本) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Kagoshima (鹿児島) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Oita (大分) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Miyazaki (宮崎) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Saga (佐賀) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Records for December: Yufuin (湯布院) (観測史上1〜10位の値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- National holidays (国民の祝日について)Cabinet Office
- 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
- Maple leaves turning red, 2025–2026 (かえでの紅葉日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Yearly records of flowering and leaf colour since 1953 (生物季節観測累年値)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)
- Ginkgo leaves turning yellow, 2025–2026 (いちょうの黄葉日)Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA)