Tokyo · December 2026 · Weather, late leaves, dated events and what closes
Tokyo in December is cool, dry and bright. In JMA’s 1991–2020 normals the high is 12.0°C and the low 3.8°C, with 174 hours of sunshine and only 5.2 days of 1 mm or more of rain. The sun sets at 16:28 from 1 to 13 December 2026. JMA’s Tokyo maple normally turns red on 28 November, so early December often still has colour. Government offices close from 29 December to 3 January.
Tokyo weather in December: the JMA numbers
JMA’s 30-year normals for central Tokyo, not a forecast for 2026.
| JMA normal (1991–2020) | November · December · January |
|---|---|
| Mean temperature | 12.5 · 7.7 · 5.4°C |
| Average high | 16.7 · 12.0 · 9.8°C |
| Average low | 8.8 · 3.8 · 1.2°C |
| Precipitation | 96.3 · 57.9 · 59.7 mm |
| Days with 1 mm or more | 7.4 · 5.2 · 4.5 |
| Sunshine | 149.8 · 174.4 · 192.6 hours |
| Days with a low below 0°C | 0.0 · 1.6 · 8.1 |
| Days with snow observed | 0.0 · 0.6 · 2.8 |
Source: Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo (station 47662), monthly normals 1991–2020. Snowfall is 0 cm in the December normal.
December is not Tokyo’s sunniest or driest month in these normals. January has more sunshine (192.6 hours) and February less precipitation (56.5 mm). But against November, December has about 16% more sunshine, 40% less precipitation and two fewer wet days. It is also about 5°C colder than November by day and by night.
On 1 December 2026 the sun rises at 6:32 and sets at 16:28; the sunset stays at 16:28 until the 13th, while sunrise moves later all month. The winter solstice is at 05:50 on Tuesday 22 December, when Tokyo has 9 hours 45 minutes between sunrise and sunset. For early mornings and late evenings outdoors, disposable hand warmers (Amazon Japan) help.
Are there still autumn leaves in Tokyo in early December?
Usually, yes. The Japan Meteorological Agency records the first day most leaves on its sample trees in Tokyo have changed colour, and leaf fall when about 80% have dropped.
Maple (kaede)
Turns: 28 November in the 1991–2020 normal. The latest date on record is 5 December (1990). In 2024 it was 3 December, in 2025 23 November.
Falls: 13 December in the normal. From 2016 to 2025 the leaf-fall date ranged from 3 December (2022) to 23 December (2016).
Ginkgo (icho)
Turns yellow: 23 November in the normal. In 2024 it was 3 December, the latest on record; in 2025 22 November.
Falls: 3 December in the normal. From 2016 to 2025 it ranged from 1 December (2016) to 14 December (2020).
The normals above are not a forecast for 2026. Check a current autumn-leaves forecast before you go; the 2026 season may run early or late.
Which garden turns last, opening hours and fees are in our Tokyo autumn leaves guide; the avenue itself, and its works at the gallery end, are in the Jingu Gaien ginkgo guide. For another late-autumn garden, see our Otaguro Park guide and check this year’s light-up dates before visiting. For the previous month, see Tokyo in November 2026.
December 2026 in Tokyo: the dates
Labels as checked on 14–15 October 2026, with the year-end events, museums and New Year’s Eve arrangements re-checked on 10 November 2026: 2026 confirmed (posted for 2026 on an official page), usually (a fixed date on an official standing calendar, with no 2026 notice on the linked page) or 2025–26 pattern (last season’s official arrangements; 2026–27 not announced when checked). Check each organiser’s page before you go. If you plan to stay near Asakusa for the battledore fair or for New Year’s Eve (a Thursday this year), compare Tokyo hotels for your dates.
| Date | What happens, where, and its label |
|---|---|
| Tue 1 – Sun 13 Dec | Earliest sunsets, 16:28 every day. 2026 confirmed: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. |
| to Sun 6 Dec | Evening opening at Rikugien for the autumn leaves (25 November – 6 December). 2026 confirmed: Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association. Times and tickets are in our Tokyo autumn light-ups guide. |
| Late October – spring | Winter illuminations. 2026 confirmed for Marunouchi only: Marunouchi’s runs from 12 November 2026 to 14 February 2027, 16:00–23:00 (marunouchi.com). Other displays and their dates: Tokyo winter illuminations. |
| Sat 12 – Mon 14 Dec | Ako Gishi-sai, Sengakuji temple: the winter festival for the 47 retainers of Ako, whose graves are at the temple. 2026 confirmed: the temple’s page. Grounds open 7:00–20:00 on all three days; a retainers’ procession (gishi gyoretsu) is due to arrive at about 15:30 on Monday 14 December. That day the inner gate is split into entrance and exit from 12:00 to 16:00, and entry may be restricted from about 15 minutes before the procession arrives. |
| Tue 15 – Wed 16 Dec | Setagaya Boroichi, a street market on Boroichi-dori, 9:00–20:00; it returns on Fri 15 – Sat 16 Jan 2027. 2026 confirmed: Setagaya City’s Boroichi page carries the 2026–27 poster with these dates. |
| Thu 17 – Sat 19 Dec | Hagoita-ichi, Senso-ji, Asakusa: dozens of stalls selling decorated battledores (hagoita) in the temple grounds. Usually: the temple’s standing calendar gives 17–19 December. |
| Tue 22 Dec | Toji, the winter solstice, at 05:50. 2026 confirmed: NAOJ. Many Tokyo sento offer yuzu baths around the solstice each year. Usually: Tokyo Sento Association; its 2025 notice went up on 8 December 2025. Some baths shift the day around their closing day. |
| to Fri 25 Dec | Tokyo Christmas Market at Shin-Toyosu (from 20 Nov) and Shiba Park (from 4 Dec). 2026 confirmed: the market’s site. Christmas is not a public holiday. |
| Tue 29 Dec – Sun 3 Jan | Government offices closed, under the Act on the Holidays of Administrative Organs. Museums set their own dates; see below. |
| Thu 31 Dec | New Year’s Eve: temple bells and overnight trains. 2025–26 pattern; see below. |
One date to correct if you see it elsewhere: 23 December is not a holiday. The Cabinet Office’s list has no national holiday in December 2026 and puts the Emperor’s Birthday on Tuesday 23 February 2027.
New Year’s Eve in Tokyo: bells and trains
Temple bells (joya no kane). At Senso-ji, the temple’s page says the bell on Bentenyama is struck at midnight, then rung 108 times by members of its 108 Society, which takes about 40 minutes. At Tsukiji Hongwanji, the temple’s notice for 31 December 2025 said anyone could ring the bell set up in its grounds from 21:00; the schedule listed the bell’s end before the 00:00 New Year message, and the gates closed at 00:30. Neither temple had posted its 2026 bell arrangements when checked on 10 November 2026.
Trains on 31 December run differently. On the night of 31 December 2025 to 1 January 2026, JR East ran trains through the night on six lines in the Tokyo area, the Yamanote Line about every 10–25 minutes from about 1:00 to 5:00. Tokyo Metro and Toei Subway did not run all night or move their last trains later (Impress Watch, 29 December 2025). Keio and Keisei ran overnight services on some lines. JR East announced last season’s plan on 17 October 2025; 2026–27 arrangements were not posted when checked on 10 November 2026. If your hotel is on a subway line only, plan the walk or taxi from a JR station.
To check train times and opening days on the move in late December, see Japan eSIM plans before you land.
What closes for New Year in Tokyo
Government offices close from Tuesday 29 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027, as the law sets out. Museums do not all close on the same days. Three examples from their own pages:
Year-end closing days, as posted
Tokyo National Museum, Ueno: main galleries open until Sunday 20 December 2026 (closed on Mondays and on Tuesday 15 December). From 22 to 25 December only the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures and the Kuroda Memorial Hall open; the whole museum is closed 26–31 December and reopens on Friday 1 January 2027, from 12:00 to 20:00. Since 1 August 2026 it does not allow suitcases inside, and since 8 September 2026 it has run metal-detector and bag checks at the main gate.
National Museum of Western Art, Ueno: closed 28 December – 1 January, by its standing rules (no year given).
Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Ueno: closed for maintenance 21–28 December, then for New Year 29 December 2026 – 3 January 2027, so shut from 21 December.
Ueno’s museums start closing early. The Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum shuts from 21 December, the Tokyo National Museum opens only two small buildings from 22 December and closes fully from 26 December, and the National Museum of Western Art closes from 28 December. If a museum is the point of a day, go by 20 December.
Banks, shops, konbini and shrines over New Year are covered sector by sector in our Japan New Year closures 2026–27 calendar.
What Japan itself is talking about in December
Two sets of Japanese figures: companies’ plans for the 2026–27 party season, and visitor numbers for December 2025.
Fewer year-end parties
What was reported. Tokyo Shoko Research surveyed 5,052 companies on 1–8 October 2026: 56.5% will hold a year-end party (bonenkai) or a New Year party this season, down from 57.2% in its December 2025 survey and the second fall in a row. Before the pandemic about eight in ten companies held one.
Why. Among companies that held parties before the pandemic but will not this season, the most common reason was little demand (63.7%), then more staff reluctant to attend (39.6%); 21.9% gave cutting costs (more than one answer allowed).
For you. It counts companies, not restaurant bookings.
A record December for visitors
What was reported. JNTO estimated 3,617,700 visitors to Japan in December 2025, 3.7% more than in December 2024 and the most for any December. It linked the rise to school holidays and Christmas and New Year travel in many markets.
One market down. Arrivals from China fell 45.3% to 330,400. JNTO said demand was seasonally calm and that the Chinese government had advised against travel to Japan, with fewer flights also a factor.
For you. These are Japan-wide figures, not Tokyo’s, and they do not predict December 2026.
Which half of December to choose
| If you want | 1–14 December, or 15–31 December |
|---|---|
| Autumn colour | First half. The ginkgo leaf-fall normal is 3 December and the maple’s 13 December. |
| Year-end markets | Second half. Boroichi on 15–16 December, Hagoita-ichi on 17–19 December. Gishi-sai is earlier, 12–14 December. |
| Solstice baths | Second half. Many sento hold yuzu baths around the solstice on Tuesday 22 December; check each bath’s 2026 dates. |
| Museums | First half, ideally by 20 December. Two Ueno museums close or open only partly from 21–22 December; the Western Art museum closes from 28 December. |
| New Year’s Eve | Second half. Temple bells (Senso-ji’s at midnight); check the 2026–27 train plans. |
What to wear. With highs around 12°C and lows near 4°C, a warm coat, a sweater or fleece, and gloves for evenings out are enough for the city. Nationwide advice, from Hokkaido to Okinawa, is in Japan in December 2026.
Day trips from Tokyo that work in December
Mt Fuji and the Fuji Five Lakes. In Fuji City’s 8 a.m. records for 1991–2025, taken from the mountain’s southern side, December has the highest visibility rate of any month: fully visible on 61.7% of mornings and partly on 23.2%, 84.9% in all. In 2025, 8 a.m. was the time of the city’s three daily checks with the most fully visible days, so go early. The lakes on the northern side, where I live, are covered in our Fuji Five Lakes in two days itinerary, which needs no car. If you would rather not plan it, compare Mt Fuji day tours from Tokyo.
Nikko. The shrines, Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji in winter, the buses up to them and what closes for the season are in our Nikko winter guide. To stay overnight, compare places to stay in Nikko.
Tokyo in December: FAQ
Is December a good time to visit Tokyo?
Yes, for dry, bright weather: JMA’s normals give 174 hours of sunshine and 5.2 wet days. Early December often still has maples; later come the year-end markets and New Year’s Eve. Plan around the 16:28 sunsets and the museum closures in late December (some from 21 December).
Does it snow in Tokyo in December?
Rarely. JMA’s 1991–2020 normal for Tokyo is 0 cm of December snowfall and snow observed on 0.6 days. Days with a low below 0°C average 1.6 a month.
What’s open in Tokyo on 31 December?
Temples, for the midnight bells, and in 2025–26 JR East’s overnight trains on six lines, though not Tokyo Metro or Toei. Government offices are closed from 29 December, and the main Ueno museums are closed (some from 21 December). Our New Year closures calendar has shops, banks and konbini.
Are there Christmas markets in Tokyo?
Yes. In 2026 the Tokyo Christmas Market runs at Shin-Toyosu from 20 November and at Shiba Park from 4 December, both to 25 December.
When do Tokyo’s illuminations end?
It depends on the display. This season Marunouchi’s runs to 14 February 2027, while KITTE’s Christmas display runs from 19 November to 25 December 2026. Our illuminations guide lists the other displays.
What closes in Tokyo for New Year?
Government offices from 29 December 2026 to 3 January 2027. The Tokyo National Museum’s main galleries close after 20 December, it closes fully 26–31 December and reopens on 1 January 2027; the National Museum of Western Art’s standing rule is 28 December – 1 January; the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum is closed from 21 December to 3 January.
Sources (checked 14–15 October and 10 November 2026)
- Japan Meteorological Agency, Tokyo monthly normals 1991–2020: main table, precipitation days, temperature days, sunshine and snow days (Japanese)
- Japan Meteorological Agency, phenology: maple colouring, maple leaf fall, ginkgo colouring, ginkgo leaf fall (PDFs, all years and normals); how maple dates are observed (PDF); Oita Local Meteorological Office, definition of leaf fall (Japanese)
- National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Tokyo sunrise and sunset, December 2026 and 2026 almanac, solar terms; Cabinet Office, national holidays 2026 and 2027; e-Gov, Act on the Holidays of Administrative Organs, Article 1 (Japanese)
- Events: Sengakuji, Ako Gishi-sai 2026; Senso-ji, Hagoita-ichi and New Year’s Eve bell; Setagaya City, Boroichi (with the 2026–27 poster); Tokyo Metropolitan Park Association, Rikugien notices; Tokyo Sento Association, seasonal baths and 2025 yuzu-bath notice; Tokyo Christmas Market 2026, Shin-Toyosu and Shiba Park; Marunouchi.com, Marunouchi Bright Holiday 2026 (English); KITTE Marunouchi, events; Tsukiji Hongwanji, New Year’s Eve 2025 notice (Japanese unless marked)
- Trains, 2025–26: JR East, overnight trains on New Year’s Eve (JRE Media); Impress Watch, overnight operation by operator, 29 December 2025 (Japanese)
- Museums: Tokyo National Museum, visitor information; National Museum of Western Art, visit; Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, guide (Japanese)
- Data: Tokyo Shoko Research, year-end parties survey, 5 November 2026; JNTO, visitor arrivals, December 2025 estimate (PDF); Fuji City, Mt Fuji observation record, 1991–2025 (PDF) (Japanese)
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