Weather on late November to early December

Hi!
I'm planning to go to Osaka, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Shirakawa-go, Tokyo and Yamanashi from 27 Dec until 9 Dec.

From what I know, the autumn forecast map shows that the momoji leaves will peak at Tokyo around December 1st, Osaka around December 4th, Kyoto around December 12th. I assume for Kanazawa and other areas will be earlier than that.

But I'm wondering what the weather will be like around those areas which I mention above. Since this is my first time visiting Japan, how cold will it be at daytime and nighttime? Is layering clothes and coat enough to cover the cold?

thanks!

Hi. This is an unusual year. Usually it is quite cold by end November around Kyoto, especially once the wind comes along. But apparently it is going to be warm well into November (unfortunately, as we are over from the 13th) which will delay momoji by maybe 3 weeks or so. It is also making it hard to know what to pack.

Usually by early December, you will want a heavy-ish jacket - something you could wear if the temps were single digit. But in my view layering in Japan is a nightmare because everything inside buildings or in transport is like 25 celsius plus, so you have to peel off multiple layers.

So what we do is have one really good jacket - like something you can wear in the snow - and wear it over tee shirts. If it is cool, leave it unzipped, if it is cold, zip it up. I went in Feb this year doing that and took a jumper as well but it didnt get worn at all.

I'm not sure what the other poster meant as if they know definitively that it's going to be "warmer" in November, considering it's already getting quite cool as of now.

It depends on where you're staying in Japan, as northern Japan will be much colder compared to that in the south. If you're going to be in central Japan around Osaka and other prefectures around there, then it will be slightly warmer, but still a bit cold, especially in November.

There are already people wearing winter jackets and even as someone who loves cooler weather, in the morning/evening it's quite cool. During the day time can still quite warm, but I'd just dress as if you're getting ready for winter with layers. Worst case scenario, just peel off the layers you don't need.

Always better to prepare just in case you do get some nasty, very cold days. Even in Japan, it can get quite cold, especially in the north. Have a fun time!

Hi Tom, that is really good to hear. What I am seeing from the weather and colours forecasts is that it will be quite warm around Kansai going well into November but I'm hoping that it gets cooler quickly, so to that extent if my post was horribly wrong I would be very happy about it.

Well , I donft know where @Tom is based but Ifd say in Tokyo itfs still pretty warm. Definitely still totally okay with T-shirtfs in the day time.
And weather forecast for Tokyo as well as Osaka is at up to 24 C until 5/Nov. pretty stable around the 22-24 C mark for the next 14 days.
But yes, it did get colder. Compared to the lingering heat we had until wefll into September.

What one feels cold or warm depends on where the person is coming from, in other words, what part of the world you're comparing it with. But in general, I find that autumn foliage and its weather is pretty much the same around the world.

Remember, however, that if you want to enjoy autumn foliage, you're going to walk on those leaves that have fallen on the ground. That means it's best to cover your feet with footwear like sneakers or boots rather than sandals or pumps. And to me, keeping my feet warm helps a lot in colder weather.

Since you're traveling through cities, it would be possible for you to buy layers and socks as you travel, but comfortable shoes are the one thing you should prepare in advance.