Kanazawa in December: weather, what to wear and events

Kanazawa weather in December

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Kanazawa station (6 m above sea level).

High: 10.2°C (50°F)
Low: 3.5°C (38°F)
Precipitation: 301.1 mm
Wet days: 22.6 days
Sunshine: 69 hours
Snow on ground: 5.9 days

Highs fall 5.7°C from November and drop another 3.1°C into January.

That is 8.8°C below Kanazawa's yearly average high of 19.0°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Kanazawa is the 6th coldest in December: 1.4°C cooler than Nara and 1.7°C warmer than Kawaguchiko.

Of our 15 places, Kanazawa gets the most precipitation in December: 18.3 mm more than Shirakawa-go.

Rain or snow of 1 mm or more falls on 22.6 days, and 10 mm or more on 11.2 days.

Rain or snow of 30 mm or more in one day falls on 2.2 days, and 50 mm or more on 0.6 days.

The temperature drops below 0°C on 1.6 nights.

24 cm of snow falls in an average December; snow lies on the ground on 5.9 days.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 7.0 days, and 5.4 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

On 15 December 2026 the sun rises at 6:58 and sets at 16:39 in Kanazawa, giving 9 hours 41 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 6.8°C (44°F)
Humidity: 72%
Deepest snow (average of each year's deepest): 11 cm

Early, mid and late December

Kanazawa in December by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 December	12.0°C	4.8°C	96.7 mm
11–20 December	9.9°C	3.3°C	109.3 mm
21–31 December	8.9°C	2.4°C	95.2 mm

By the last ten days of December the average high in Kanazawa is 3.1°C lower than in the first ten.

By ten-day totals, 11–20 December is the wettest (109.3 mm) and 21–31 December the driest (95.2 mm).

What to wear in Kanazawa in December

Chilly: highs around 10.2°C

A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater.
Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 1.6 nights.
A waterproof jacket with a hood: rain or snow falls on 22.6 days.

Shoes

Waterproof boots with good grip: snow lies on the ground on 5.9 days (deepest 11 cm on average).

Pack

Waterproof jacket with a hood
Gloves and a warm hat
Waterproof boots with grip

Our clothing rules

Flowers and autumn colour in Kanazawa in December

Autumn leaves (maple)

The JMA's sample maple in Kanazawa turns red around 24 November and has lost most of its leaves by 4 December in an average year (1991–2020). In 2025: 25 November.

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

Kanazawa autumn leaves: every year since 2016

December records in Kanazawa

The extremes the JMA has measured in December at its Kanazawa station.

Hottest December day: 24.7°C (76°F) on 4 December 2018 (records since 1882)
Coldest December night: −6.7°C (20°F) on 30 December 1882 (records since 1882)
Wettest December day: 98.0 mm on 4 December 2014 (records since 1882)
Deepest December snow: 143 cm on 29 December 1917 (records since 1882)
Most snow in one December day: 45 cm on 17 December 1985 (records since 1953); also on 30 December 1967

Holidays and crowds in December

There are no national holidays in December 2026.

In December 2025, hotels and inns across Ishikawa Prefecture were 54.4% full on average (8th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 163,710 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 67.4% in November and 44.2% in January.

What's on in Kanazawa in December

Events in Kanazawa in December: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Yukitsuri (snow ropes) at Kenroku-en兼六園雪吊り作業	Work starts on 1 November every year and continues to about mid-December; the ropes can be seen until mid-March	Kenroku-en Garden, Kanazawa. Yukitsuri work is done across Kanazawa so that branches do not break under the weight of the wet snow typical of the Sea of Japan side. At Kenroku-en it begins on 1 November with the Karasaki pine and continues until about mid-December. Kenroku-en is open every day. Admission is 320 yen for adults and 100 yen for ages 6 to under 18; ages 65 and over are free with proof of age. Official page
Free entry to Kenroku-en over the New Year年末年始の兼六園の無料開園	31 December to 3 January (listed as an annual event); open all night from 31 December until 8:00 on 1 January	Kenroku-en, Kanazawa. Kenroku-en is free to enter from 8:00 to 17:00 between 31 December and 3 January, and is open all night from 31 December until 8:00 on 1 January. Official page

Kanazawa before and after December

Kanazawa: November, December and January (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
November	15.9°C (+5.7°C)	8.1°C (+4.6°C)	250.8 mm (−50.3 mm)	17.0 days (−5.6 days)
December	10.2°C	3.5°C	301.1 mm	22.6 days
January	7.1°C (−3.1°C)	1.2°C (−2.3°C)	256.0 mm (−45.1 mm)	23.4 days (+0.8 days)

Other places in December

December: Kanazawa against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Kanazawa	Wet days	Against Kanazawa
Tokyo	12.0°C	+1.8°C	5.2 days	−17.4 days
Kyoto	11.6°C	+1.4°C	6.6 days	−16.0 days
Osaka	12.3°C	+2.1°C	6.1 days	−16.5 days
Sapporo	2.0°C	−8.2°C	16.0 days	−6.6 days
OkinawaNaha	21.5°C	+11.3°C	9.3 days	−13.3 days

All 15 places in December

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Kanazawa in December?

The average high is 10.2°C (50°F) and the average low 3.5°C (38°F). 301.1 mm of rain or snow falls on about 22.6 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Kanazawa in December?

A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater. Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 1.6 nights. A waterproof jacket with a hood: rain or snow falls on 22.6 days.

Does it snow in Kanazawa in December?

Yes. 24 cm of snow falls in an average December, and snow lies on the ground on 5.9 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

Is Kanazawa busy in December?

In December 2025, hotels and inns across Ishikawa Prefecture were 54.4% full on average (8th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 163,710 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for December in Kanazawa?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Kanazawa in December is 24.7°C (76°F), on 4 December 2018. The lowest is −6.7°C (20°F), on 30 December 1882.

What events are on in Kanazawa in December?

Yukitsuri (snow ropes) at Kenroku-en: Work starts on 1 November every year and continues to about mid-December; the ropes can be seen until mid-March. Free entry to Kenroku-en over the New Year: 31 December to 3 January (listed as an annual event); open all night from 31 December until 8:00 on 1 January.

When do the leaves turn red in Kanazawa?