As winter weather arrives early across Hokkaido with snow and freezing temperatures, mainland Japan prepares for a mostly clear public holiday on November 3, 2026, bringing ideal conditions for outdoor events despite approaching rain systems.
Winter’s arrival is making an uncommonly early appearance across northern Japan. Upper-level cold air matching December norms swept across Hokkaido at the start of November, bringing snow to the Sea of Japan side and leaving up to 20 centimeters of accumulation in the Kamikawa region. Sapporo residents woke to winter landscapes in the southern wards, while daytime temperatures struggled to reach single digits. Meteorological stations in Hokkaido recorded high temperatures of just 8 degrees Celsius in Sapporo and Kutchan, with Iwamizawa topping out at 9 degrees. In other parts of Hokkaido earlier in the week, maximum temperatures reached 19.9 degrees Celsius in Sapporo’s Teine Ward, 19.7 degrees in the town of Koshimizu, and 19.6 degrees in Mashike and Bihoro, sitting significantly higher than typical seasonal averages before the sharp drop.
Regional Weather Contrasts Across Hokkaido and Honshu
While northern communities grapple with early snow and strong winds, the weather story across Honshu and western regions follows a distinctly different script. Eastern and western Japan experienced mild conditions as October closed out, with daytime temperatures hovering around 22 degrees Celsius under calm skies. Regional weather offices reported comfortable daytime warmth that allowed residents to wear light clothing, contrasting sharply with the heavy coats and winter boots required in northern prefectures. Meanwhile, Okinawa saw temperatures reach around 28 degrees Celsius, allowing people to spend the day in short sleeves.
That gentle weather pattern is shifting as new pressure systems approach. Low-pressure areas and fronts moving in from the west brought cloud cover across wide areas by the afternoon of November 1, with rain beginning along the Sea of Japan coast after dark. Forecasters warn that November 2 will bring widespread rain, potential thunder, and localized strong downpours as the system crosses the country, with coastal areas in the Tohoku Sea of Japan and Hokuriku regions needing to watch for sleet.
Culture Day Forecast for Holiday Event Organizers
The approaching rain is expected to clear in time for the national holiday on November 3, known as Culture Day.
Organizers of long-standing traditions on November 3 point to decades of favorable weather. In Kanagawa Prefecture, the annual Hakone Daimyo Procession—a historical pageant that began in 1935 and resumed on November 3 dates in 1954—rarely faces cancellation. Tourism officials note that veteran staff cannot recall a single cancellation due to bad weather in the past two decades, leaving an impression that the date somehow always manages to clear up. Similarly, the Air Self-Defense Force Iruma Base in Saitama Prefecture, located in Sayama, has hosted its annual aviation festival primarily on Culture Day since the event started in 1962 and transitioned to the holiday in 1964.
Mid-Week Rain Risks Following the Holiday
The respite from rain will be short-lived for regions outside the northern mountains. High pressure is forecast to shift eastward by November 4, allowing clouds to return and bringing rain back to the Pacific side of eastern and western Japan.
