Kanazawa Weather in January

Season: Winter

Overview:
1. Kanazawa weather in January is the coldest throughout the year.
2. In January, the city receives high precipitation and experiences changeable weather.
3. With too much rainfall and snow, January isn’t a good month to visit Kanazawa.

Kanazawa Castle Park on Sunny Day

Coldest Month of Kanazawa

Kanazawa in January has average temperatures from about 1 to 7 degrees Celsius (34 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit), which are the lowest in the entire year and also bring the city the coldest weather. Besides, the average wind speed is about 30 kilometers per hour (18.5 miles per hour), which is the highest in the entire year and will make the apparent temperature colder. So if you want to visit this city in January, 2026, you should first think carefully about whether you can tolerate the frigid weather. If you can, remember to bring enough thick clothes to keep warm.

Changeable Weather: Rain, Hail, and Snow

Kanazawa climate in January is further changeable and features high precipitation of about 257 mm on average, which is the second-highest throughout the year. In this month, Kanazawa experiences about 25 precipitation days averagely, which are the most in the entire year. Besides, the abundant precipitation is further in multiple forms typically including rain, hail, sleet, and snow, and the weather can be changeable among all these forms in a period of time. The high precipitation also leads to high humidity of about 73% this month, which will also make people feel even colder.

Sunrise, Sunset, & Length of Day

Kanazawa has a daytime of about 9h40min to 10h20min long in January, so sightseeing needs to be properly arranged within the relatively short daytime. The earliest sunrise time is at around 7:05 and the latest sunset time is at around 17:20. For those wanting a safe and convenient tour in Kanazawa in January, it’s suggested to finish sightseeing before the sunset time and come back to hotels to keep warm. High precipitation this month results in short sunshine duration, and the city has average sunshine time of about 5.5 hours, which is the shortest throughout the year.

Is January a Good Month to Visit Kanazawa?

In consideration of the low temperatures, the high precipitation, and the changeable weather in January, it’s not suggested to make a tour to Kanazawa in January. The heavy snow may affect traffic, and you have to pack many thick clothes into your luggage to deal with the coldness in this month.

However, January is the slack season of Kanazawa, when not too many people visit this city and hotel room prices are lower. If you are OK to travel in cold and damp weather and prefer snow scenery and seafood in season, on the premise of proper arrangements, you may have a not-bad tour here this month.

What to Wear in Kanazawa in January

Tops: Keeping warm is the most important point to consider when packing clothes in Kanazawa in January. To cope with coldness this month, people usually wear a thermal top, a thick sweater, and a thick down jacket as their tops.

Bottoms: It’s suggested to wear thermal pants and also jeans as outer windproof pants to keep legs warm.

Shoes: To safely walk on some snow-covered and slippery roads, anti-slippery and waterproof snow boots or sneakers are suitable. Don’t forget to wear thick wool socks.

Other requisites:
(1) Raingear: To cope with the changeable weather, an umbrella is more convenient than a raincoat.
(2) Warm accessories: To further keep your neck and hands warm, it’s suggested to bring a thick scarf and gloves.
(3) Cold medicine: In view of low temperatures this month, cold medicine is quite necessary.

Kanazawa January Travel Tips & Recommendations

Tips

1. People celebrate Japan’s New Year in 1st January, and most shops in Kanazawa would be closed during the New Year holiday between 29th December and 3rd January, so it’s suggested to avoid making your tour on the first three days this month.

2. Heavy snow may cause temporary closure of highways, so it’s suggested to check local weather conditions in advance, and avoid traveling on heavily snowy days.

3. With relatively short daytime, it’s suggested to arrange your itinerary properly and make full use of the time.

Higashichaya Old Town on Snowy Day

Recommendations

Though the weather is a little terrible, January still has some places and events worth visiting:

1. Never miss landmarks here like Kenroku-en Garden and Kanazawa Castle. On snowy days, the scenery in these two places will be more attractive. Besides, in Kenroku-en Garden this month, you will view Yukitsuri, a conic structure composed of slopes and bamboo ropes to protect pine trees against heavy snow

2. On quite cold days or days with rain, you can choose indoor attractions such as 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art.

3. You can go to the covered Omicho Market even on rainy or snowy days to taste delicious seafood. In January, both crabs and sweet shrimps are in season, and you can also find Japanese food such as seafood donburi, croquettes, and sushi.

4. If you visit Kanazawa on January 4th, 2026, you can go to the Kanazawa Castle to watch local firefighters celebrating the Kaga-tobi Dezomeshiki Festival and welcome the coming of the new year. They perform on more than 40 tall ladders and also use firehoses to spray water into the sky, presenting a large water curtain.

January Weather for More Destinations in Japan:

Kanazawa Weather by Month

January February March April May June July August September October November December

7-Day Kanazawa Weather Forecast