Winter
Dec → Feb19 to 21°
nights 16 to 18°
- 11 rainy days · 113 mm
- sea 23°
When is the best time to visit Okinawa?
- Jan19°not recommended
- Feb20°fair
- Mar21°recommended
- Apr23°recommended
- May26°fair
- Jun28°not recommended
- Jul30°not recommended
- Aug30°not recommended
- Sep29°fair
- Oct27°recommended
- Nov25°recommended
- Dec21°fair
RecommendedFairNot recommended· afternoon temperature
The weather in Okinawa, month by month
The table of records, month by month
| Month | High | Low | Rainfall | Rainy days | Sea | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 19° | 16° | 101 mm | 10 d | 22° | |
| February | 20° | 16° | 96 mm | 11 d | 22° | |
| March | 21° | 17° | 125 mm | 14 d | 22° | ✓ |
| April | 23° | 20° | 147 mm | 15 d | 23° | ✓ |
| May | 26° | 23° | 265 mm | 17 d | 25° | |
| June | 28° | 25° | 298 mm | 21 d | 27° | |
| July | 30° | 27° | 188 mm | 21 d | 29° | |
| August | 30° | 27° | 224 mm | 22 d | 30° | |
| September | 29° | 26° | 206 mm | 23 d | 30° | |
| October | 27° | 24° | 151 mm | 14 d | 28° | ✓ |
| November | 25° | 21° | 111 mm | 11 d | 27° | ✓ |
| December | 21° | 18° | 143 mm | 12 d | 24° |
The four seasons in Okinawa, in figures
What the 2015-2024 records (Naha) show, season by season, to compare at a glance instead of reading twelve rows of a table.
Spring
Mar → May21 to 26°
nights 17 to 23°
- 15 rainy days · 179 mm
- sea 23°
Summer
Jun → Aug28 to 30°
nights 25 to 27°
- 21 rainy days · 237 mm
- sea 29°
Autumn
Sep → Nov25 to 29°
nights 21 to 26°
- 16 rainy days · 156 mm
- sea 28°
Book early for March to April and October to November
The timing is right, so it is right for everyone: in these months the best places to stay and the small-group tours go first. Here is where to start.
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Daylight in Okinawa, month by month
The time between sunrise and sunset, from shortest to longest. Not to be confused with the sunshine hours in the table above, which count clear skies. In June there are 13h46 of daylight, in December 10h30, a difference of 3h16.
10h40Jan
11h14Feb
11h56Mar
12h45Apr
13h25May
13h46Jun
13h38Jul
13h03Aug
12h16Sep
11h29Oct
10h49Nov
10h30Dec
Calculated for the latitude of the reference point "Naha" (26.21°). Values on the 15th of each month, local solar time.
What to do in Okinawa, month by month
| Activity | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beach & swimming | ||||||||||||
| Sightseeing & walks | ||||||||||||
| Diving & snorkelling | ||||||||||||
| Events | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
EventsCherry blossom seasonJanuary to FebruaryNaha Hārī (dragon boat races)MayEisaAugust to SeptemberNaha Great Tug-of-WarOctoberDetails ↓
favourablewith compromisesunfavourable
- Beach & swimming: April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November
- Sightseeing & walks: January, February, November, December
- Diving & snorkelling: May, June, July, August, September, October, November
Grid derived from the records (temperature, rainfall, sea), not from an opinion.
What's on in Okinawa, month by month?
What comes back every year, and when. One of these events fills the hotels and pushes prices up: something to aim for or to avoid, depending on what you want.
- January to FebruaryCherry blossom season
Okinawa's cherry trees bloom before anywhere else in Japan, in the north of the island, around Nakijin Castle.
- MayNaha Hārī (dragon boat races)
Fishing boats race each other in Naha harbour in early May, with drums and prayers for the sea.
- August to SeptemberEisa
After Obon, drum troupes parade from one neighbourhood to the next, before a big gathering that brings the whole island together.
- OctoberNaha Great Tug-of-War big crowds
Thousands of people pull a rope weighing several tonnes on Kokusai Street, on the second Sunday of October.
Travelling off-peak
Month by month, in detail
January
Not recommended19°16° at night
- 101 mm · 10 d
- sea 22°
Low season, lower prices
February
Fair20°16° at night
- 96 mm · 11 d
- sea 22°
Low season, lower prices
March
Recommended21°17° at night
- 125 mm · 14 d
- sea 22°
Busy, without the crush
April
Recommended23°20° at night
- 147 mm · 15 d
- sea 23°
Busy, without the crush
May
Fair26°23° at night
- 265 mm · 17 d
- sea 25°
Low season, lower prices
June
Not recommended28°25° at night
- 298 mm · 21 d
- sea 27°
Low season, lower prices
July
Not recommended30°27° at night
- 188 mm · 21 d
- sea 29°
Low season, lower prices
August
Not recommended30°27° at night
- 224 mm · 22 d
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
September
Fair29°26° at night
- 206 mm · 23 d
- sea 30°
Low season, lower prices
October
Recommended27°24° at night
- 151 mm · 14 d
- sea 28°
High season, book early
November
Recommended25°21° at night
- 111 mm · 11 d
- sea 27°
Busy, without the crush
December
Fair21°18° at night
- 143 mm · 12 d
- sea 24°
Quiet, then the holidays
Read the twelve months in detail
January. Mild, 19 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C early in the morning. Expect 10 days of rain in the month (101 mm). The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
February. Mild, 20 °C in the afternoon and 16 °C early in the morning. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (96 mm). The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
March. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 17 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 125 mm over 14 days. The sea is at 22 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
April. Mild, 23 °C in the afternoon and 20 °C early in the morning. Frequent rain: 147 mm over 15 days. The sea is at 23 °C: pleasant swimming. Busy season, without the crush.
May. 26 °C in the afternoon and 23 °C at night. Frequent rain: 265 mm over 17 days. The sea is at 25 °C: pleasant swimming. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
June. 28 °C in the afternoon and 25 °C at night. A very wet month, 298 mm of rain over 21 days. The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
July. 30 °C in the afternoon and 27 °C at night. A very wet month, 188 mm of rain over 21 days. The sea is at 29 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
August. 30 °C in the afternoon and 27 °C at night. A very wet month, 224 mm of rain over 22 days. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
September. 29 °C in the afternoon and 26 °C at night. Frequent rain: 206 mm over 23 days. The sea is at 30 °C, a proper swim. Low season: fewer people, lower prices.
October. 27 °C in the afternoon and 24 °C at night. Frequent rain: 151 mm over 14 days. The sea is at 28 °C, a proper swim. High season: book early.
November. 25 °C in the afternoon and 21 °C at night. Expect 11 days of rain in the month (111 mm). The sea is at 27 °C, a proper swim. Busy season, without the crush.
December. Mild, 21 °C in the afternoon and 18 °C early in the morning. Expect 12 days of rain in the month (143 mm). The sea is at 24 °C: pleasant swimming. Quiet at the start of the month, then busier as the holidays approach.
Same season, other ideas
Their best time overlaps with this one: worth comparing before you book.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Okinawa?
March to April and October to November: over these months, recorded highs range from 21 to 27 °C, with 14 days of rain a month on average (2015-2024 records, Naha).
Which month should you avoid in Okinawa?
June: it is the wettest of the months to avoid, with 298 mm over 21 days of rain on average, according to 2015-2024 records at the reference point (Naha).
What is the hottest month in Okinawa?
July, with 30 °C on average in the afternoon and 27 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Naha).
What is the coldest month in Okinawa?
January, with 19 °C at best during the day and 16 °C at night. 2015-2024 records (Naha).
What is the driest month in Okinawa?
February: 96 mm over 11 days of rain, against 298 mm in June, the wettest month.
When can you swim in Okinawa?
The water never drops below 22 °C: from 22 to 30 °C depending on the month (warmest in August), measured in 2023-2024 on the nearest coast (Naha).
When to go diving or snorkelling in Okinawa?
May, June, July, August, September, October, November: the sea is above 25 °C, warm enough to stay in a long time without a thick wetsuit. 2023-2024 records on the nearest coast (Naha).
Plan this trip
📒 The free printable Okinawa guide: itinerary, map, where to sleep→
🧭 When to visit Japan: the country overview→
🗓️ Best time to visit: all our destinations→
Compare with other destinations
Photos: Quang Nguyen Vinh / Pexels · Sagar Mali / Pexels · Huu Huynh / Pexels · 663highland / CC BY 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons) · William Warby / Pexels · Khan ishaan / Pexels