Nara in January: weather, what to wear and events

Nara weather in January

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Nara station (102 m above sea level).

High: 8.7°C (48°F)
Low: 0.8°C (33°F)
Precipitation: 52.4 mm
Wet days: 6.2 days
Sunshine: 118 hours
Snow on ground: 0.7 days

Highs are 2.9°C below December and 1.2°C below February.

That is 12.2°C below Nara's yearly average high of 20.9°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Nara is the 7th coldest in January: 0.4°C cooler than Kyoto and 1.6°C warmer than Kanazawa.

Of our 15 places, Nara has the 5th lowest precipitation in January: 0.9 mm less than Kyoto and 1.6 mm more than Nagoya.

Rain or snow of 1 mm or more falls on 6.2 days, and 10 mm or more on 1.7 days.

The temperature drops below 0°C on 12.2 nights.

1 cm of snow falls in an average January; snow lies on the ground on 0.7 days.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 14.7 days, and 3.2 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

On 15 January 2027 the sun rises at 7:04 and sets at 17:08 in Nara, giving 10 hours 4 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 4.5°C (40°F)
Humidity: 69%
Deepest snow (average of each year's deepest): 1 cm

Early, mid and late January

Nara in January by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 January	9.2°C	1.1°C	12.8 mm
11–20 January	8.7°C	0.7°C	16.4 mm
21–31 January	8.3°C	0.5°C	23.2 mm

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

By ten-day totals, 21–31 January is the wettest (23.2 mm) and 1–10 January the driest (12.8 mm).

What to wear in Nara in January

Cold: highs around 8.7°C

A winter coat over layers, and a scarf.
Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 12.2 nights.
A folding umbrella: rain or snow falls on 6.2 days.

Shoes

Shoes with good grip: snow or sleet falls on 11.5 days.

Pack

Folding umbrella
Gloves and a warm hat
Scarf

Our clothing rules

Flowers and autumn colour in Nara in January

Plum blossom

The JMA's sample plum tree in Nara opens around 31 January in an average year (1991–2020). In 2026: 19 January.

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

January records in Nara

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

Hottest January day: 18.9°C (66°F) on 5 January 1960 (records since 1954)
Coldest January night: −7.0°C (19°F) on 17 January 1967 (records since 1954)
Wettest January day: 63.8 mm on 29 January 1959 (records since 1954)
Deepest January snow: 14 cm on 31 January 1984 (records since 1954)
Most snow in one January day: 14 cm on 31 January 1984 (records since 1954)

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 Nara Prefecture were 37.6% full on average (the quietest month of the year). Foreign guests spent 30,220 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 47.7% in December and 42.5% in February.

What's on in Nara in January

Events in Nara in January: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Wakakusa Yamayaki (Mount Wakakusa Grass Burning)若草山焼き行事	Fourth Saturday of January: 24 January in 2026	Mount Wakakusa, Nara Park area, Nara. About 600 fireworks are launched from 18:15. At 18:30 about 300 Nara city firefighters light the mountain at once with torches lit from the sacred fire taken from the Kasuga no Otondo bonfire, and the whole mountain burns. Cancelled in bad weather. Road traffic restrictions apply around the venue on the day. From fiscal 2025, the area inside the Wakakusa foot gate and the rooftop of the Nara Park bus terminal became paid viewing areas. Official page

Nara before and after January

Nara: December, January and February (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
December	11.6°C (+2.9°C)	3.0°C (+2.2°C)	56.8 mm (+4.4 mm)	6.6 days (+0.4 days)
January	8.7°C	0.8°C	52.4 mm	6.2 days
February	9.9°C (+1.2°C)	1.0°C (+0.2°C)	63.1 mm (+10.7 mm)	6.9 days (+0.7 days)

Other places in January

January: Nara against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Nara	Wet days	Against Nara
Tokyo	9.8°C	+1.1°C	4.5 days	−1.7 days
Kyoto	9.1°C	+0.4°C	6.4 days	+0.2 days
Osaka	9.7°C	+1.0°C	5.6 days	−0.6 days
Sapporo	−0.4°C	−9.1°C	18.3 days	+12.1 days
OkinawaNaha	19.8°C	+11.1°C	10.2 days	+4.0 days

All 15 places in January

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Nara in January?

The average high is 8.7°C (48°F) and the average low 0.8°C (33°F). 52.4 mm of rain or snow falls on about 6.2 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Nara in January?

A winter coat over layers, and a scarf. Gloves and a hat for mornings and nights: the temperature drops below 0°C on 12.2 nights. A folding umbrella: rain or snow falls on 6.2 days.

Does it snow in Nara in January?

Sometimes. Snow or sleet falls on 11.5 days in an average January, but snow rarely stays on the ground (JMA, 1991–2020).

Is Nara busy in January?

In January 2025, hotels and inns across Nara Prefecture were 37.6% full on average (the quietest month of the year). Foreign guests spent 30,220 nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for January in Nara?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Nara in January is 18.9°C (66°F), on 5 January 1960. The lowest is −7.0°C (19°F), on 17 January 1967.

What events are on in Nara in January?

Wakakusa Yamayaki (Mount Wakakusa Grass Burning): Fourth Saturday of January: 24 January in 2026.

When do plum trees bloom in Nara?