The beginning of the New Year is the coldest time of the year in Japan. Even though it is not the peak of the tourist season, it is possible to enjoy your stay here very well! And to be honest, the minimum number of other tourists was rather an advantage…
I went to Japan at the end of December and stayed here during January. In Tokyo, where I spent most of my time, the average temperature in January is around 9 degrees.
Source: https://www.weather-atlas.com
In all of January (2023) it only rained for about two days in Tokyo and the rest of the weather was beautiful, so it happened several times that the temperature was even higher thanks to the sun’s rays and I could walk without a warmer jacket, which was very pleasant for long hiking trips.
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If I compare my stay in Tokyo in the summer and winter, I don’t see any significant difference. I was able to visit everything I wanted to see in both July and January (except for the hike to Mount Fuji, which is only allowed in July and August). In the summer I needed less clothing, but it was very hot again, in the winter I needed more clothing and the days were shorter, but the weather suited me better in terms of temperature. The ideal period could be spring or autumn.
What I didn’t quite estimate was some of the clothes and shoes I brought. For a month’s stay, I had packed, for example, two sweatshirts, two shirts and two shoes. I definitely only needed to take one piece of everything. I also recommend packing some functional T-shirts.
But definitely don’t bring an umbrella to Japan. First, they can be bought very cheaply, and secondly, there is an “umbrella sharing” system here. Umbrellas are more or less in front of every shop or restaurant, so if you get caught in the rain, you can take an umbrella that is available there and return it at a different or the same place. However, in certain places, such as in front of some museums, you may come across special umbrella locks.
Below is a list of things I traveled with. Since I “jumped” from Tokyo to Okinawa, where it was significantly warmer, I also had summer clothes.
- 2 long pants
- 2 shoes, hiking + sports
- winter jacket
- socks + underwear
- cosmetics
- 4 T-shirts
- 2 shirts
- 2 sweatshirts
- swimsuits (Okinawa)
- shorts (Okinawa)
- small backpack
- camera + charger
- mobile phone + charger
- power adapter (!!! important)
- medicines
