SeasonMapNozawa Onsen (Nozawa) weather in January
Japan
January in Nozawa Onsen: freezing, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 25 rainy days.
#2 of 12 months in Nozawa Onsen · #298 of 1383 destinations to visit in January · comfort 86/100 (tier A)
Updated September 2026 · climate normals from ERA5 reanalysis
Traveller notes on Nozawa Onsen in January
Notes from nearby Hakuba (57 km away)
Nozawa Onsen doesn't have its own notes for January yet — these are about Hakuba, close enough to share the season.
Hakuba's forum calls January and February peak powder season, with regular storms delivering fresh snow well into March, but regulars are honest that rain events do happen even mid-winter, and mid-January snowfall isn't always guaranteed until the base fully builds. Expect the slopes busiest during the January school holidays, quieting down by late February.
Add your own note from Nozawa Onsen's card on the map.
Nozawa Onsen climate normals — January
| Daytime high | 2°C / 36°F | 🥶 freezing |
|---|---|---|
| Nighttime low | -5°C / 23°F | |
| Feels like (high) | -1°C / 30°F | |
| Rainfall | 221 mm / 8.7 in | ⛈ soaked |
| Rainy days | 25 days | |
| Humidity | 86% | 💦 very humid |
| Dew point | -4°C / 25°F | |
| Sunshine | 6.7 h/day | |
| Daylight | 10 h | |
| Wind | 11 km/h / 7 mph | |
| Snowfall | 133.7 cm / 52.6 in | |
| Air quality (US AQI) | 32 | 🍃 good |
Monthly averages from ERA5 reanalysis. AQI is the mean US Air Quality Index for the month.
Crowds in Nozawa Onsen in January
How busy the place itself is — school and mass holidays, the months an editor tagged, and how sought-after the weather makes them. Never part of the comfort score.
Quiettravelers describe it as quiet, Dosojin Fire Festival, New Year in the village
Sourced from traveler notes: “…r further north. Posters describe the resort as comfortably uncrowded through January even with a heavy Australian presence tied…” — Tripadvisor community
Peak crowdsBusyShoulder seasonQuiet
Best months for Nozawa Onsen's weather
Ranked by this destination's own climate comfort score across the year — a different thing from how busy it gets (see Crowds above).
Best weatherNozawa Onsen's weather peaks December–February.
January includes Dosojin Fire Festival.
Best weatherFair weatherToughest weather
What's on in Nozawa Onsen in January
Recurring seasonal events, natural spectacles, closures and holidays — curated and sourced.
- Festival
Dosojin Fire Festival
15 JanMajor festivalCrowdedBook earlyMen of twenty-five and forty-two defend a wooden shrine on the night of 15 January while the rest of the village attacks it with burning torches. One of the three great fire festivals, and the village is full for it. Source ↗
- Season
Ski season
28 Nov – 5 May · usuallyOne long mountain above a working hot-spring village, usually open from the end of November to early May. The top runs hold snow well after the base has gone.
- Holiday
New Year in the village
28 Dec – 3 JanChristmas & New YearCrowdedBook earlyThe Japanese holiday week fills every inn in the old village. The thirteen free public baths are busiest at this time of year and the etiquette is not optional. Source ↗
- Season
Wet season
MonsoonRisk25 rainy days and about 221 mm in the month — the real kind of rainy season, not afternoon showers.
from the climate normals
- Season
Snow season
Ski seasonAbout 134 cm of snow falls in the month.
from the climate normals
Nearby, and something's on
Within 300 km of Nozawa Onsen — a day trip or a short hop — with something on this month. Never part of the comfort score.
Where is Nozawa Onsen?
Nozawa Onsen in January — FAQ
- Is January a good time to visit Nozawa Onsen?
- January in Nozawa Onsen: freezing, soaked, with clean air — fine if you can take 25 rainy days. It ranks #2 of 12 months for Nozawa Onsen on SeasonMap's comfort score (86/100).
- What is the weather like in Nozawa Onsen in January?
- In January, Nozawa Onsen averages a daily high of 2°C and a low of -5.1°C, with about 221.4 mm of rain over roughly 25.1 rainy days.
- What is the air quality in Nozawa Onsen in January?
- Nozawa Onsen has a mean US Air Quality Index of about 32 in January.
- Does it snow in Nozawa Onsen in January?
- Nozawa Onsen sees roughly 133.7 cm of snowfall in January.
Other months in Nozawa Onsen
Compare Nozawa Onsen in January
Warmer or cooler than Nozawa Onsen in January
Similar destinations in East Asia — January
Within 300 km: Karuizawa's First lifts in Japan on 1 Nov – 31 Mar, and Hakuba's Ski season around 28 Nov – 6 May.