When to go · Gokayama
Gokayama in January
Great month. Inside Gokayama's best window: Apr–Nov (check); Jan–Feb for snow scenery (check).
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C) / −3°C (27°F)27°F (−3°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 18
- Crowds
- Low
- Japan overall
- Prices
- Low
- Japan overall
Verdict
Inside Gokayama's best window: Apr–Nov (check); Jan–Feb for snow scenery (check).
Is another month better than January?
No other month rates higher than January for Gokayama in this guide.
Weather in January
- GokayamaHighs around 4 °C (39 °F), lows around -3 °C (27 °F), rain on about 18 daysHighs around 39 °F (4 °C), lows around 27 °F (-3 °C), rain on about 18 days
Festivals and holidays
Dates as our data lists them. Moving holidays (lunar and Islamic calendars, Easter) shift every year: check the date for your year before you build a trip on it.
New Year (Shōgatsu) big impact
29 Dec – 3 Jan · Japan
Shops, museums and many restaurants close; shrines packed on 1–3 Jan; trains full on 29–30 Dec and 2–3 Jan.
Crowds and prices
- Crowds · Japan overall
- Low
- Prices · Japan overall
- Low
Japan overall: Cold, dry and clear in the cities after 3 Jan; ski season in Hokkaidō and the Alps.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Gokayama, side by side.
Verdict
Jan: Great
Feb: Great
Daytime high
Jan: 4 °C (39 °F)39 °F (4 °C)
Feb: 5 °C (41 °F)41 °F (5 °C)
Night low
Jan: -3 °C (27 °F)27 °F (-3 °C)
Feb: -3 °C (27 °F)27 °F (-3 °C)
Rain days
Jan: 18
Feb: 16 (better)
Crowds
Jan: Low
Feb: Low
Prices
Jan: Low
Feb: Low
Festivals listed
Jan: 1
Feb: 0
January: Inside Gokayama's best window: Apr–Nov (check); Jan–Feb for snow scenery (check).
February: Inside Gokayama's best window: Apr–Nov (check); Jan–Feb for snow scenery (check).
Gokayama: figures are long-term averages from this guide, not a forecast.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat and gloves for mornings and evenings
- A rain jacket or umbrella and shoes that dry fast