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Best Time for The Japan Alps: Matsumoto to Kanazawa
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Sweet spot: April, May, June. Computed from NASA POWER climate normals across the route's overnight towns, balancing temperature, rainfall and daylight.
💡 Good to know
- Kamikōchi's valley is open (closed by snow mid-Nov–mid-April); October sets the larches on fire.
- Shirakawa-go under two metres of snow is the classic postcard — the valley road stays open, Kamikōchi does not.
| Month | Low | High | Rain | Daylight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | −6.6°C | −0.2°C | 137 mm | 9.8 h | ❄ |
| February | −6.5°C | 1.1°C | 98 mm | 10.6 h | ❄ |
| March | −3.2°C | 5.4°C | 117 mm | 11.7 h | ❄ |
| April | 1.9°C | 12.4°C | 115 mm | 12.9 h | ❄ |
| May | 7.9°C | 18.4°C | 117 mm | 13.9 h | |
| June | 13.0°C | 22.0°C | 152 mm | 14.5 h | |
| July | 17.5°C | 25.3°C | 228 mm | 14.2 h | |
| August | 18.3°C | 26.2°C | 163 mm | 13.4 h | |
| September | 14.2°C | 22.3°C | 189 mm | 12.2 h | |
| October | 7.7°C | 16.2°C | 160 mm | 11.1 h | |
| November | 1.8°C | 9.7°C | 127 mm | 10.0 h | ❄ |
| December | −3.4°C | 3.0°C | 161 mm | 9.5 h | ❄ |