Season guide · Osaka · Japan
Osaka 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-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Cool, dry and sunny with occasional cold snaps, city illuminations and lower hotel prices. Expect highs up to 12°C (54°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 20 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- 3°C (37°F) to 12°C (54°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 20
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 10°C (50°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 6 | 10.1 h | 2/5 |
| February | 10°C (50°F) | 3°C (37°F) | 7 | 10.9 h | 2/5 |
| December | 12°C (54°F) | 5°C (41°F) | 7 | 9.8 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 11°C (52°F) against a yearly 21°C (70°F), and 20 of the year's roughly 105 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: Toka Ebisu festival at Imamiya Ebisu Shrine (9–11 January)
- January: Osaka International Women's Marathon (usually late January)
- February: Plum blossom at Osaka Castle Park's plum grove (usually February to early March)
- February: Osaka Marathon (usually late February)
- December: Osaka Festival of the Lights — illuminations on Midosuji and Nakanoshima (usually December)
- December: New Year's Eve countdown events (31 December)
Good choices for winter
Aquarium · Bay Area
Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan
Go in the late afternoon on weekdays when school groups have left; combine with the Tempozan Ferris wheel next door.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
Viewpoint · Tennoji
Abeno Harukas 300
At 300 metres, Abeno Harukas is one of Japan's tallest skyscrapers.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Views
- After dark
- Rainy day
- Couples
Museum · Ikeda
Cupnoodles Museum Osaka Ikeda
Take the Hankyu Takarazuka line from Umeda to Ikeda, about 20 minutes, and arrive early on weekends for the workshop.
- Time needed
- 1.5 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Food
Street · Tenma
Tenjinbashisuji shopping street
Often called Japan's longest covered shopping street, Tenjinbashisuji runs about 2.6 km north from Osaka Tenmangu shrine past hundreds of local shops, croquette stands, sushi bars and cafés.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Shopping
- Food
- Rainy day
Market · Namba
Kuromon Market
Prices are high for street food; compare a few stalls, and go mid-morning when everything is fresh.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Day trips in winter
- Himeji Castle (About 30–60 minutes by train) — Japan's finest original castle, a white UNESCO-listed keep from the early 1600s, rises a 15-minute walk from Himeji Station, beside the Koko-en gardens.
- Koyasan (About 2 hours by train and cable car) — A mountaintop centre of Shingon Buddhism with more than 100 temples, Koyasan is known for Okunoin's forest cemetery of moss-covered tombs.
What to pack
- Layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Osaka?
It is a trade-off: Cool, dry and sunny with occasional cold snaps, city illuminations and lower hotel prices. The best months overall are March–May and October–November.
+What is the weather like in Osaka in winter?
Highs of up to 12°C (54°F) and lows around 3°C (37°F), with about 20 rainy days over the season.