What was the temperature on the hottest and coldest days in Japan?
The hottest temperature in Japan was 41.1 degrees Celsius, recorded twice on August 17, 2020 and July 23, 2018. It is so hot that it is higher than body temperature, almost like taking a hot bath.
Where do you think the hottest temperature in Japan was recorded? When one thinks of the hottest place in Japan, the first thing that comes to mind is Okinawa. Indeed, Okinawa belongs to a subtropical climate, so there is no doubt that it is a warm region. However, the highest temperature was recorded in a completely different place.
The highest temperatures were recorded in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, and Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture. And most of the top 10 were recorded after the 2010s, most likely due to global warming.
Highest Temperature Ranking by Observation Sites in Japan
Source: JMA, "Historical National Rankings," as of August 6, 2024.
The other coldest temperature in Japan was recorded in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, at minus 41 degrees Celsius. This was recorded on January 25, 1902. Minus 41 degrees Celsius is much lower than a freezer, and as cold as Antarctica.
Of the top 10, all but the fourth-place record, Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture, were recorded in Hokkaido, and unlike the hot temperatures, the results are just as you would expect.
Ranking of Japan's lowest temperatures by observation location
Source: JMA, "Historical National Rankings," as of August 6, 2024.
Article updated: August 7, 2024
reference
Japan Meteorological Agency "Historical Weather Data Search Historical National Ranking"
