Winter in Japan: December or February?

Hi, everyone. I currently live in Japan and my girlfriend is planning to come and visit me and have a holiday. She wants to experience winter (we don't have it in our home country) and I've been planning the itinerary for her. But I'm a bit confused on which months are "best" to get the winter experience in Japan. I thought that winter was around Christmas (late December to early January), but I see some events are held in February like the Sapporo Snow Festival.

Which is better to experience winter in Japan?

Thanks in advance!

I recommend you visit Hokkaido in Feb for the Sapporo Snow Festival FEB 4-11 2023: https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e5311.html

i second the february suggestion. sapporo snow festival is nice and there are onsen towns near sapporo you can visit. onsen while snowing can be magical.

I would go for February if snow is the goal.

Ah, okay, I thought snow starts falling in December. So the snow starts falling instead in like January or February?

Feb has more snow and more daylight hours....

Thanks, everybody!

I recommend visiting in February. In early February, in Hokkaido, you've got the Sapporo Snow Festival, Otaru Snow Light Path festival and the Asahikawa Snow Festival.

Around the Kanto/Chubu region, there is the snow monkeys at Jigokudani in Nagano and for winter illuminations you've got the 'Shonan no Hoseki' illuminations at Enoshima (which runs till late February).

I've also visited Yamadera, in Yamagata, during late January. And the passages to the top, with the snow, can be difficult. But the winter views from the observation deck are incredibly beautiful.