this month in japan
February 如月
February at a glance
- Snow in the north, plum blossom in the south, and beans thrown at demons.
Weather
- Tokyo: 11°C / 2°C. Among the driest months of the year.
- Kyoto: averages 5.4°C.
- Sapporo: 0.4°C / −6.2°C. Peak snow season.
- Okinawa (Naha): 20°C / 15°C.
- Pack: the same winter kit as January. Go for layers you can peel off indoors.
What's happening
- Setsubun (3 February in 2027). Temples and shrines across Tokyo, Nara and Kamakura hold bean-throwing rites to drive out bad luck.
- 11 February, National Foundation Day. 23 February, the Emperor's Birthday.
- First week: Sapporo Snow Festival. Ice and snow sculptures fill Odori Park, Susukino and Tsudome.
- Plum festivals open. Mito, Atami and Odawara all hold ume matsuri that run into March.
What's in season
- Kan-saba, winter mackerel from Misaki on the Miura Peninsula.
- Daikon, at its sweetest in oden.
- Buri and hakusai, still in their winter prime.
- Zenzai, hot red-bean soup with mochi.
The 72 seasons
| 候 | Romaji | Meaning | From c. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 東風解凍 | harukaze kōri o toku | East wind melts the ice | 4 Feb |
| 黄鶯睍睆 | uguisu naku | Bush warblers sing | 9 Feb |
| 魚上氷 | uo kōri o izuru | Fish rise from the ice | 14 Feb |
| 土脉潤起 | tsuchi no shō uruoi okoru | Rain moistens the soil | 19 Feb |
| 霞始靆 | kasumi hajimete tanabiku | Mist begins to linger | 24 Feb |
| 草木萌動 | sōmoku mebae izuru | Grass and trees bud | 1 Mar |
Crowds
Sapporo is the exception. Snow Festival week pulls in upwards of two million people, so book rooms early. Elsewhere, February is low season.
psst,
Skip the famous temples at Setsubun and find a neighbourhood shrine. It's the same ritual with room to breathe.