Month guide · Osaka · Japan
Osaka in December
What December is really like in Osaka: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: 名古屋太郎, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
December is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 12°C (54°F), lows of 5°C (41°F), about 7 rainy days and roughly 9.8 hours of daylight. Cool and dry with winter illuminations along Midosuji and Nakanoshima; busy around New Year.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 12°C (54°F) / 5°C (41°F)
- Rainy days
- About 7
- Daylight
- About 9.8 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in December
December is the 10th-warmest month in Osaka: days average 12°C (54°F) against a yearly average high of 21°C (70°F), and nights fall to about 5°C (41°F). Rain falls on roughly 7 of its 31 days. Compared with November (18°C (64°F)), December is cooler; by January highs drop to around 10°C (50°F).
- Sunrise (15 December)
- About 06:58
- Sunset (15 December)
- About 16:49
- Daylight
- About 9.8 hours
Winter (December–February). Cool, dry and sunny with occasional cold snaps, city illuminations and lower hotel prices.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, December rates 3 for crowds (the peak is April at 5) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in April). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in December
- Osaka Festival of the Lights — illuminations on Midosuji and Nakanoshima (usually December)
- New Year's Eve countdown events (31 December)
Dates move from year to year. Check the organiser’s site before booking travel around an event.
What to do in December
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Viewpoint · Umeda
Umeda Sky Building Floating Garden Observatory
Two 40-storey towers are joined at the top by a ring-shaped observatory reached by glass-tube escalators that cross the open space between them.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Couples
- Architecture
- Iconic
Viewpoint · Tennoji
Abeno Harukas 300
Clear winter days give the longest views; the department store below has a large food hall.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Couples
Waterfront · Nakanoshima
Nakanoshima riverside and museums
The island between two rivers holds the red-brick Osaka City Central Public Hall, the Museum of Oriental Ceramics with its fine Korean and Chinese pieces, and the National Museum of Art, while Nakanoshima Park's rose garden blooms in May and October.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Architecture
- Couples
- Outdoors
Park · Suita
Expo '70 Commemorative Park and Tower of the Sun
Take the Osaka Monorail to Banpaku-kinen-koen; the park is ideal for a picnic in spring or autumn.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Outdoors
- Art
- History
What to pack
For highs near 12°C, lows near 5°C and 7 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is December a good time to visit Osaka?
A shoulder-season month, with 2 notable events on the calendar. If your dates are flexible, March–May and October–November are better overall. Compare every month.
Osaka in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is December a good time to visit Osaka?
It is a shoulder-season month. Cool and dry with winter illuminations along Midosuji and Nakanoshima; busy around New Year.
+How warm is Osaka in December?
Average highs are around 12°C (54°F) and lows around 5°C (41°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Osaka in December?
Expect rain on about 7 days of the month.