Osaka in December: weather, what to wear and events

Osaka weather in December

Averages for 1991–2020 at the JMA's Osaka station (23 m above sea level).

High: 12.3°C (54°F)
Low: 5.3°C (42°F)
Precipitation: 55.5 mm
Wet days: 6.1 days
Sunshine: 152 hours

Highs fall 5.5°C from November and drop another 2.6°C into January.

That is 9.0°C below Osaka's yearly average high of 21.3°C.

Of our 14 places with temperature records, Osaka is the 3rd warmest in December: 0.3°C cooler than Fukuoka and 0.2°C warmer than Hiroshima.

December is Osaka's 2nd driest month (55.5 mm).

Of our 15 places, Osaka has the 4th lowest precipitation in December: 1.1 mm less than Nagoya and 1.5 mm more than Hiroshima.

Rain of 1 mm or more falls on 6.1 days, and 10 mm or more on 1.9 days.

Snow or sleet falls on 1.8 days.

The sun is out for 40% or more of the possible hours on 19.4 days, and 2.9 days have under 0.1 hours of sunshine.

By the JMA's cloud records, 1.9 days are clear and 6.2 are overcast.

On 15 December 2026 the sun rises at 6:57 and sets at 16:49 in Osaka, giving 9 hours 52 minutes of daylight (NAOJ).

Average temperature: 8.7°C (48°F)
Humidity: 62%

Early, mid and late December

Osaka in December by ten-day period: averages for 1991–2020 (JMA)
Days	High	Low	Precipitation
1–10 December	13.9°C	6.7°C	18.4 mm
11–20 December	11.9°C	5.2°C	16.9 mm
21–31 December	11.1°C	4.3°C	20.3 mm

By the last ten days of December the average high in Osaka is 2.8°C lower than in the first ten.

What to wear in Osaka in December

Chilly: highs around 12.3°C

A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater.
A folding umbrella: rain falls on 6.1 days.

Pack

Folding umbrella

Our clothing rules

Flowers and autumn colour in Osaka in December

Autumn leaves (maple)

The JMA's sample maple in Osaka turns red around 1 December and has lost most of its leaves by 13 December in an average year (1991–2020). In 2025: 4 December.

Ginkgo turns yellow

The JMA's sample ginkgo in Osaka turns yellow around 22 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.

Osaka autumn leaves: every year since 2016

December records in Osaka

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

Hottest December day: 24.5°C (76°F) on 4 December 2018 (records since 1883)
Coldest December night: −4.5°C (24°F) on 21 December 1947 (records since 1883)
Wettest December day: 55.0 mm on 5 December 1996 (records since 1883)
Deepest December snow: 6 cm on 28 December 1916 (records since 1901)
Most snow in one December day: 1 cm on 31 December 2004 (records since 1953); also on 28 December 1983

Holidays and crowds in December

There are no national holidays in December 2026.

In December 2025, hotels and inns across Osaka Prefecture were 72.9% full on average (11th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 1.93 million nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency). That compares with 79.0% in November and 71.6% in January.

What's on in Osaka in December

Events in Osaka in December: dates from each organizer's official page
Event	When	Where and what
Midosuji Illumination (Osaka Festival of Lights)御堂筋イルミネーション（大阪・光の饗宴）	Early November to the end of December: 3 November to 31 December in 2026	Midosuji avenue, from the Hanshin-mae intersection in Kita Ward to the Namba Nishiguchi intersection in Chuo Ward, Osaka. Illumination along Midosuji, lit from about 17:00 to 25:00 (1:00 a.m.). It is one of the core programs of the Osaka Festival of Lights 2026, which runs from 3 November 2026 to 31 January 2027. The organizers note that the program may change after coordination with the organizations concerned. Official page
OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance (Osaka Festival of Lights)OSAKA光のルネサンス（大阪・光の饗宴）	11 to 25 December in 2026. Some contents run from 3 November to 31 December.	From around Osaka City Hall to Nakanoshima Park, Osaka. One of the core programs of the Osaka Festival of Lights 2026. Hours depend on each content. The organizers note that the program may change after coordination with the organizations concerned. Official page

Osaka before and after December

Osaka: November, December and January (JMA, 1991–2020)
Month	High	Low	Precipitation	Wet days
November	17.8°C (+5.5°C)	10.2°C (+4.9°C)	72.5 mm (+17.0 mm)	6.2 days (+0.1 days)
December	12.3°C	5.3°C	55.5 mm	6.1 days
January	9.7°C (−2.6°C)	3.0°C (−2.3°C)	47.0 mm (−8.5 mm)	5.6 days (−0.5 days)

Other places in December

December: Osaka against five other places (JMA, 1991–2020)
Place	High	Against Osaka	Wet days	Against Osaka
Tokyo	12.0°C	−0.3°C	5.2 days	−0.9 days
Kyoto	11.6°C	−0.7°C	6.6 days	+0.5 days
Sapporo	2.0°C	−10.3°C	16.0 days	+9.9 days
OkinawaNaha	21.5°C	+9.2°C	9.3 days	+3.2 days
Fukuoka	12.6°C	+0.3°C	8.5 days	+2.4 days

All 15 places in December

Frequently asked questions

What is the weather like in Osaka in December?

The average high is 12.3°C (54°F) and the average low 5.3°C (42°F). 55.5 mm of rain falls on about 6.1 days (JMA, 1991–2020).

What should I wear in Osaka in December?

A warm jacket or light coat over a sweater. A folding umbrella: rain falls on 6.1 days.

Does it snow in Osaka in December?

Sometimes. Snow or sleet falls on 1.8 days in an average December, but snow rarely stays on the ground (JMA, 1991–2020).

Is Osaka busy in December?

In December 2025, hotels and inns across Osaka Prefecture were 72.9% full on average (11th busiest of 12 months). Foreign guests spent 1.93 million nights there that month (Japan Tourism Agency).

What are the record temperatures for December in Osaka?

The highest temperature the JMA has recorded in Osaka in December is 24.5°C (76°F), on 4 December 2018. The lowest is −4.5°C (24°F), on 21 December 1947.

What events are on in Osaka in December?

Midosuji Illumination (Osaka Festival of Lights): Early November to the end of December: 3 November to 31 December in 2026. OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance (Osaka Festival of Lights): 11 to 25 December in 2026. Some contents run from 3 November to 31 December.

When do the leaves turn red in Osaka?