Season guide · Nara · Japan
Nara in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 663highland, CC BY 2.5
Quick answer
Cold, dry and the quietest season, with Wakakusa Yamayaki in January and lantern festivals in February. Expect highs up to 11°C (52°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F), with about 18 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 0°C (32°F) to 11°C (52°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 18
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9°C (48°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 5 | 10.1 h | 2/5 |
| February | 10°C (50°F) | 0°C (32°F) | 7 | 10.9 h | 2/5 |
| December | 11°C (52°F) | 1°C (34°F) | 6 | 9.8 h | 2/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 10°C (50°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 18 of the year's roughly 103 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- January: Wakakusa Yamayaki — burning of Mount Wakakusa with fireworks (usually the fourth Saturday of January)
- February: Setsubun Mantoro — all of Kasuga Taisha's lanterns lit (usually around 3 February)
- December: Kasuga Wakamiya On-matsuri — processions and performing arts (usually 15–18 December)
Good choices for winter
Museum · Nara Park
Nara National Museum
Visit the permanent Buddhist sculpture galleries in the old building, a good stop on a rainy afternoon.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Day trips in winter
- Mount Yoshino (About 1.5–2 hours by train and ropeway) — A mountain covered with tens of thousands of cherry trees that bloom in stages up the slopes, usually in early to mid-April.
- Asuka (About 45 minutes to 1 hour by train) — The rural seat of power before Nara, with rice fields, mysterious stone sculptures, the Ishibutai kofun tomb and Asuka-dera's Great Buddha, the oldest in Japan.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Nara?
It is a trade-off: Cold, dry and the quietest season, with Wakakusa Yamayaki in January and lantern festivals in February. The best months overall are March–May and October–November.
+What is the weather like in Nara in winter?
Highs of up to 11°C (52°F) and lows around 0°C (32°F), with about 18 rainy days over the season.