Takayama in January: weather, what to wear and events

Takayama weather in January

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Takayama station (560 m above sea level).

High: 3.2°C (38°F)
Low: −4.8°C (23°F)
Precipitation: 101.9 mm
Wet days: 14.6 days
Sunshine: 93 hours
Snow on ground: 24.9 days

Highs are 3.0°C below December and 1.5°C below February.

That is 14.3°C below Takayama's yearly average high of 17.5°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Takayama is the 3rd coldest in January: 2.3°C cooler than Kawaguchiko and 0.4°C warmer than Shirakawa-go.

January is Takayama's 3rd driest month (101.9 mm).

Of our 15 places, Takayama has the 5th highest precipitation in January: 6.5 mm less than Sapporo and 0.3 mm more than Naha.

Rain or snow of 1 mm or more falls on 14.6 days, and 10 mm or more on 3.1 days.

The temperature drops below 0°C on 28.9 nights.

On 3.6 days it stays below 0°C all day.

117 cm of snow falls in an average January; snow lies on the ground on 24.9 days.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 10.8 days, and 4.1 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

Average temperature: −1.2°C (30°F)
Humidity: 82%
Deepest snow (average of each year's deepest): 44 cm

Early, mid and late January

Takayama in January by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 January	3.5°C	−4.2°C	35.6 mm
11–20 January	3.2°C	−4.8°C	32.2 mm
21–31 January	3.1°C	−5.2°C	34.2 mm

What to wear in Takayama in January

Freezing: highs around 3.2°C

A heavy winter coat (down or similar), thermal underwear, a hat, gloves and a scarf.
Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 28.9 nights.
A waterproof jacket with a hood: rain or snow falls on 14.6 days.

Shoes

Waterproof boots with good grip: snow lies on the ground on 24.9 days (deepest 44 cm on average).

Pack

Waterproof jacket with a hood
Gloves and a warm hat
Thermal underwear
Scarf
Waterproof boots with grip

Our clothing rules

January records in Takayama

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

Hottest January day: 16.7°C (62°F) on 27 January 1969 (records since 1900)
Coldest January night: −23.5°C (−10°F) on 11 January 1918 (records since 1900)
Wettest January day: 44.7 mm on 29 January 1956 (records since 1900)
Deepest January snow: 128 cm on 8 January 1981 (records since 1900)
Most snow in one January day: 68 cm on 29 January 1956 (records since 1953)

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 Gifu Prefecture were 50.5% full on average (10th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 206,350 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 50.0% in December and 55.0% in February.

What's on in Takayama in January

Events in Takayama in January: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Winter Illumination in Takayama (Nakabashi Bridge)冬の飛騨高山ライトアップ	From 1 December to mid-March, 16:30 to 21:30 (last season: 1 December 2025 to 15 March 2026)	Around Nakabashi Bridge over the Miya River, Takayama. The red Nakabashi Bridge is lit up on winter nights, standing out against the fallen snow. The dates on the official page are for the 2025-26 season (1 December 2025 to 15 March 2026); the 2026-27 dates were not yet published on that page. Official page
Nijuyokka-ichi (24th-day fair)二十四日市	24 January every year, 10:00 to 17:00	Honmachi-dori and Yasukawa-dori, central Takayama. A winter street market where folk crafts such as shoke (zaru baskets), miyagasa (hats) and Udo shakushi (rice scoops), and local food, are sold from stalls. The official page says the day is known for heavy snow and rough weather every year. Official page
Winter Illumination of Hida-no-Sato (Hida Folk Village)飛騨の里冬のライトアップ	Mid-January to the end of February (9 January to 28 February in 2027), 17:30 to 20:30	Hida-no-Sato (Hida Folk Village), Kamiokamoto-cho, Takayama. Gassho-style houses covered in snow are lit up at night. Admission during the light-up hours is 300 yen for adults and 100 yen for children. Shuttle buses run from JR Takayama Station: a free shuttle (admission still required) and a Nohi Bus shuttle sold as a set of bus ticket and admission; the bus does not run on some January dates. Official page

Takayama before and after January

Takayama: December, January and February (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
December	6.2°C (+3.0°C)	−1.7°C (+3.1°C)	104.4 mm (+2.5 mm)	13.4 days (−1.2 days)
January	3.2°C	−4.8°C	101.9 mm	14.6 days
February	4.7°C (+1.5°C)	−4.9°C (−0.1°C)	93.5 mm (−8.4 mm)	11.7 days (−2.9 days)

Other places in January

January: Takayama against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Takayama	Wet days	Against Takayama
Tokyo	9.8°C	+6.6°C	4.5 days	−10.1 days
Kyoto	9.1°C	+5.9°C	6.4 days	−8.2 days
Osaka	9.7°C	+6.5°C	5.6 days	−9.0 days
Sapporo	−0.4°C	−3.6°C	18.3 days	+3.7 days
OkinawaNaha	19.8°C	+16.6°C	10.2 days	−4.4 days

All 15 places in January

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Takayama in January?

The average high is 3.2°C (38°F) and the average low −4.8°C (23°F). 101.9 mm of rain or snow falls on about 14.6 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Takayama in January?

A heavy winter coat (down or similar), thermal underwear, a hat, gloves and a scarf. Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 28.9 nights. A waterproof jacket with a hood: rain or snow falls on 14.6 days.

Does it snow in Takayama in January?

Yes. 117 cm of snow falls in an average January, and snow lies on the ground on 24.9 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

Is Takayama busy in January?

In January 2025, hotels and inns across Gifu Prefecture were 50.5% full on average (10th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 206,350 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for January in Takayama?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Takayama in January is 16.7°C (62°F), on 27 January 1969. The lowest is −23.5°C (−10°F), on 11 January 1918.

What events are on in Takayama in January?

Winter Illumination in Takayama (Nakabashi Bridge): From 1 December to mid-March, 16:30 to 21:30 (last season: 1 December 2025 to 15 March 2026). Nijuyokka-ichi (24th-day fair): 24 January every year, 10:00 to 17:00. Winter Illumination of Hida-no-Sato (Hida Folk Village): Mid-January to the end of February (9 January to 28 February in 2027), 17:30 to 20:30.

Related items

Sources for this page

Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Takayama (高山), month by month (平年値年・月ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Normals for 1991–2020: Takayama (高山), rain days, temperature days and snow (詳細)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Ten-day normals for 1991–2020: Takayama (高山) (平年値旬ごとの値)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) Records for January: Takayama (高山) (観測史上1〜10位の値)checked October 2, 2026
Cabinet Office National holidays (国民の祝日について)checked October 2, 2026
Japan Tourism Agency Overnight Travel Statistics Survey, 2025 final figures (宿泊旅行統計調査 2025年年の確定値)checked October 2, 2026
Hida Takayama Tourism and Convention Association (Hida Takayama official tourism guide) Winter Illumination in Takayama (Nakabashi Bridge) (冬の飛騨高山ライトアップ)checked October 2, 2026
Hida Takayama Tourism and Convention Association (Hida Takayama official tourism guide) Nijuyokka-ichi (24th-day fair) (二十四日市)checked October 2, 2026
Hida Takayama Tourism and Convention Association (Hida Takayama official tourism guide) Winter Illumination of Hida-no-Sato (Hida Folk Village) (飛騨の里冬のライトアップ)checked October 2, 2026

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