When to go · Zao
Zao in December
Great month. Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
Key facts
- Verdict
- Great
- Temperature
- 5°C (41°F)41°F (5°C) / −2°C (28°F)28°F (−2°C)
- average high / low
- Rain days
- 10
- Crowds
- Medium
- Japan overall
- Prices
- Medium
- Japan overall
Verdict
Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
Is another month better than December?
No other month rates higher than December for Zao in this guide.
Weather in December
- ZaoHighs around 5 °C (41 °F), lows around -2 °C (28 °F), rain on about 10 daysHighs around 41 °F (5 °C), lows around 28 °F (-2 °C), rain on about 10 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
- Medium
- Prices · Japan overall
- Medium
Japan overall: Cold and clear until the New Year shutdown from 29 Dec.
Compare two months
Weather, crowds and prices for any two months in Zao, side by side.
Verdict
Dec: Great
Jan: Great
Daytime high
Dec: 5 °C (41 °F)41 °F (5 °C)
Jan: 2 °C (36 °F)36 °F (2 °C)
Night low
Dec: -2 °C (28 °F)28 °F (-2 °C)
Jan: -5 °C (23 °F)23 °F (-5 °C)
Rain days
Dec: 10 (better)
Jan: 12
Crowds
Dec: Medium
Jan: Low
Prices
Dec: Medium
Jan: Low
Festivals listed
Dec: 1
Jan: 1
December: Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
January: Inside Zao's best window: Jun–Oct for the crater; Dec–Mar for skiing.
Zao: 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