Okinawa · Month comparison
December vs October
October ranks #1 overall vs December at #7. Sweet spot — typhoons fading, 28°C and warm water, Naha Great Tug-of-War spectacle.
December
#7 of 12 months
Strong option
Mainland Japan freezes, Okinawa stays 21°C — Japanese domestic escape, but never cold-tourist warm.
- ↑Mildest place in Japan by far (mainland 3°C, Naha 16°C)
- ↑New Year fireworks at Cape Zanpa
October
#1 of 12 months
Best match
Sweet spot — typhoons fading, 28°C and warm water, Naha Great Tug-of-War spectacle.
- ↑Sea still 27°C, dive visibility 25-30m
- ↑Naha Matsuri (Great Tug-of-War) early October
| Factor | December | October |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 6 | 8 |
| Value score | 7 | 7 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 7 |
| Events score | 5 | 7 |
| Atmosphere | 7 | 9 |
| Avg high temp | 21°C | 28°C |
| Monthly rain | 103mm | 153mm |
| Daily sunshine | 4.7hrs | 6hrs |
December trade-offs
- ↓Sea down to 22°C — diving needs 5mm wetsuit
- ↓New Year week (28 Dec–3 Jan) prices spike for domestic travel
October trade-offs
- ↓Last weeks can still see late-season typhoons (rare but devastating)
- ↓Some outer-island ferries reduce schedule mid-month
Scores compare months within Okinawa. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →