Okinawa in January: weather, what to wear and events

Okinawa weather in January

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Naha station (28 m above sea level).

High: 19.8°C (68°F)
Low: 14.9°C (59°F)
Precipitation: 101.6 mm
Wet days: 10.2 days
Sunshine: 93 hours

Highs are 1.7°C below December and 0.4°C below February.

That is 6.2°C below Naha's yearly average high of 26.0°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Naha is the warmest in January, 9.6°C warmer than Fukuoka.

Of our 15 places, Naha has the 6th highest precipitation in January: 0.3 mm less than Takayama and 27.2 mm more than Fukuoka.

Rain of 1 mm or more falls on 10.2 days, and 10 mm or more on 3.8 days.

Rain of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 0.7 days.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 10.0 days, and 5.9 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

By the JMA's cloud records, 1.0 days are clear and 16.4 are overcast.

On 15 January 2027 the sun rises at 7:18 and sets at 17:59 in Naha, giving 10 hours 41 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 17.3°C (63°F)
Humidity: 66%

Early, mid and late January

Naha in January by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 January	20.2°C	15.2°C	29.8 mm
11–20 January	19.9°C	15.1°C	36.6 mm
21–31 January	19.3°C	14.5°C	35.2 mm

By the last ten days of January the average high in Naha is 0.9°C lower than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 11–20 January is the wettest (36.6 mm) and 1–10 January the driest (29.8 mm).

What to wear in Okinawa in January

Cool: highs around 19.8°C

This is for Naha (28 m above sea level).

Long sleeves with a light jacket or sweater.
An umbrella: rain falls on 10.2 days.

Pack

Umbrella

Our clothing rules

Flowers and autumn colour in Okinawa in January

Plum blossom

The JMA's sample plum tree in Okinawa opens around 13 January in an average year (1991–2020). In 2026: 18 January.

Cherry blossom

In Okinawa the JMA watches a Taiwan cherry (hikanzakura). The sample tree in Naha opens around 16 January and is in full bloom around 4 February in an average year (1991–2020). In 2026 it opened on 18 January and was in full bloom on 3 February.

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

January records in Okinawa

The extremes the JMA has measured in January at its Naha station.

Hottest January day: 27.0°C (81°F) on 25 January 2020 (records since 1891)
Coldest January night: 6.1°C (43°F) on 24 January 2016 (records since 1891); also on 20 January 1917 and 30 January 1909
Wettest January day: 149.2 mm on 13 January 1903 (records since 1891)

Holidays and crowds 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

In January 2025, hotels and inns across Okinawa Prefecture were 52.5% full on average (11th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 629,020 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 51.9% in December and 62.1% in February.

What's on in Okinawa in January

Events in Okinawa in January: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Motobu Yaedake Sakura Festivalもとぶ八重岳桜まつり	Mid-January to early February (17 January to 8 February in 2026)	Yaedake Sakura no Mori Park, Motobu Town. A cherry blossom festival at Yaedake Sakura no Mori Park in Motobu Town. Free shuttle buses run during the festival. The 2026 festival was extended to 8 February. Official page
Nago Sakura Festival名護さくら祭り	The last Saturday and Sunday of January (31 January and 1 February in 2026)	Nago Castle Park, the festival stage in Sakura Park, Nago Juji-ro Odori street and Nago fishing port, Nago City. A cherry blossom festival in Nago City with an opening ceremony, a pedestrian-only street with parades, street dance and live performances, and a garden festa at Nago fishing port. In 2026 the pedestrian-only street ran from 11:00 to 20:30 on both days. Official page

Okinawa before and after January

Naha: December, January and February (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
December	21.5°C (+1.7°C)	16.8°C (+1.9°C)	110.0 mm (+8.4 mm)	9.3 days (−0.9 days)
January	19.8°C	14.9°C	101.6 mm	10.2 days
February	20.2°C (+0.4°C)	15.1°C (+0.2°C)	114.5 mm (+12.9 mm)	9.9 days (−0.3 days)

Other places in January

January: Naha against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Naha	Wet days	Against Naha
Tokyo	9.8°C	−10.0°C	4.5 days	−5.7 days
Kyoto	9.1°C	−10.7°C	6.4 days	−3.8 days
Osaka	9.7°C	−10.1°C	5.6 days	−4.6 days
Sapporo	−0.4°C	−20.2°C	18.3 days	+8.1 days
Fukuoka	10.2°C	−9.6°C	9.3 days	−0.9 days

All 15 places in January

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Okinawa in January?

The average high is 19.8°C (68°F) and the average low 14.9°C (59°F). 101.6 mm of rain falls on about 10.2 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Okinawa in January?

Long sleeves with a light jacket or sweater. An umbrella: rain falls on 10.2 days.

Is Okinawa busy in January?

In January 2025, hotels and inns across Okinawa Prefecture were 52.5% full on average (11th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 629,020 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for January in Okinawa?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Naha in January is 27.0°C (81°F), on 25 January 2020. The lowest is 6.1°C (43°F), on 24 January 2016.

What events are on in Okinawa in January?

Motobu Yaedake Sakura Festival: Mid-January to early February (17 January to 8 February in 2026). Nago Sakura Festival: The last Saturday and Sunday of January (31 January and 1 February in 2026).

When do plum trees bloom in Okinawa?