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Rule Golden Hour

Nikko - Golden Hour - Japan

Nikkō, Tochigi, Japan

That magical warm light just after sunrise or before sunset

Currently

Real-time conditions
Low Cloud Cover40%
Mid Cloud Cover0%
High Cloud Cover1%
Sun Elevation-28.9° (Astronomical night)

Upcoming Opportunities

When all conditions match, PhotoWeather marks an opportunity window.

Times shown in Asia/Tokyo
golden-hour weather icon
Next opportunity
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunrise
Nikko
Today · 06:04–06:55 · 1h window
High confidence
79%
🌇Golden Hour Potential98.1%
Low Cloud Cover: 46%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 1%
Sun Elevation: -4.9° (Civil twilight)
golden-hour weather icon
Exceptional Golden Hour at Sunset
Nikko
Today · 16:55–17:46
🌇Golden Hour Potential:96.5-100%
Medium

What this forecast looks for

Plain-language explanation from the rule

This forecast tracks the atmospheric conditions that create Japan's most iconic photography—from Mount Fuji's morning light to Kyoto's misty bamboo groves. We combine fog probability, visibility, and weather data to predict optimal conditions.

Japan offers a unique blend of natural beauty and cultural heritage, where ancient temples, bamboo forests, and the perfect symmetry of Mount Fuji create compositions steeped in meaning. The country's changing seasons each bring distinct photography opportunities.

What makes Japan special for photography:

  • Mount Fuji - Japan's iconic peak is best photographed at dawn with clear skies and lake reflections
  • Temple landscapes - Kyoto's gardens and pagodas offer contemplative compositions
  • Seasonal drama - Cherry blossoms (March-April) and autumn colors (November) transform the landscape
  • Atmospheric depth - Fog and mist add mystery to bamboo groves and mountain scenes

Mount Fuji clarity is best in autumn and winter when air is clearest. Spring brings cherry blossoms but also more clouds. Lake Kawaguchiko offers classic reflections, while Chureito Pagoda provides the iconic framed view. Arrive well before dawn for the best light—popular spots fill quickly.

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72-hour requirements breakdown

What passed or failed, hour by hour
6matching hours in the next 95 hoursJump to next match
AND logic: all conditions required
Meets requirement
Misses requirement
Time
Asia/Tokyo
Golden Hour
Any
Golden Hour Potential
≥ 80.0%
Precipitation Chance
≤ 5.0%
Visibility
≥ 1000.0m
Sun, Feb 22
04:0016%0%24135m
05:0016%0%24134m
06:0095%0%24135m
07:0053%0%24135m
08:0017%0%24135m
09:0017%0%24135m
10:0017%0%24135m
11:0017%0%24134m
12:0017%0%24135m
13:0016%0%24134m
14:0017%0%24135m
15:0017%0%24134m
16:00100%0%24134m
17:0098%0%24134m
18:0087%0%24135m
19:0016%0%24135m
20:0016%0%24135m
21:0016%0%24134m
22:0016%8%24135m
23:0016%16%24135m
Mon, Feb 23
24:0016%24%24135m
01:0016%29%24135m
02:0016%34%24135m
03:0015%39%24135m
04:0017%26%24134m
05:0011%14%24134m
06:0098%0.91%24135m
07:0034%0.61%21333m
08:0017%0.3%19520m
09:0018%0%21348m
10:0017%0%24135m
11:0016%0%24135m
12:0016%0%24135m
13:0017%0%24134m
14:0017%0%24135m
15:0017%0%24134m
16:00100%0%24135m
17:0097%0%24134m
18:0089%0%24135m
19:0016%0%24134m
20:0017%0%24134m
21:0010%0%24135m
22:007.8%0%24134m
23:009.2%0%24135m
Tue, Feb 24
24:0016%0%24135m
01:0017%0%21504m
02:0016%0%17382m
03:0016%0%11448m
04:0016%0%15245m
05:0013%0%24135m
06:0059%0%24135m
07:0034%0%24135m
08:0011%0%24134m
09:0011%0%24135m
10:0011%0%24134m
11:0012%0%24134m
12:0010%0%24135m
13:009.1%0%24135m
14:009%0%24135m
15:009.4%0%24135m
16:0054%7.4%24134m
17:0057%15%24134m
18:0048%22%24135m
19:008.8%25%24135m
20:007.2%28%6297m
21:005%31%2794m
22:006.2%44%6979m
23:006.6%58%9102m
Wed, Feb 25
24:006.6%71%8266m
01:003.6%78%394m
02:003.6%85%571m
03:005.4%91%3500m
04:008.2%92%20346m
05:008.2%92%22286m
06:0049%92%22292m
07:0027%95%22289m
08:008.2%97%22743m
09:006.8%99%5329m
10:005.8%92%3594m
11:005.2%86%1859m
12:004%80%125m
13:004%80%104m
14:004%81%84m
15:004%82%64m
16:0022%66%57m
17:0022%50%50m
18:0020%34%44m
19:003.6%33%222m
20:004.6%32%400m
21:004.6%31%579m
22:009.2%38%5618m
23:0012%44%10657m
Thu, Feb 26
24:0016%50%15695m
01:0017%67%18509m
02:0017%83%21322m
How to read: colored cells show whether each predicate requirement is met; highlighted rows mean the full rule matched (an opportunity).

What does Golden Hour Potential mean?

Inputs that drive the score

This derived score summarizes multiple raw weather signals. The table below shows the supporting inputs hour by hour, so you can see what's pushing the score up or down.

Time
Asia/Tokyo
Golden Hour
High Clouds
%
Low Clouds
%
Mid-Level Clouds
%
Relative Humidity
%
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Speed
m/s
Mon, Feb 23 Sunrise 06:21 Sunset 17:28
04:00
- 1% 40% 0% 87% 40% 3m/s
05:00
- 0% 92% 0% 85% 92% 2.6m/s
06:00
- 1% 46% 0% 85% 46% 2m/s
07:00
- 1% 90% 0% 88% 90% 1.9m/s
08:00
- 0% 15% 0% 81% 15% 0.9m/s
09:00
- 0% 7% 0% 70% 7% 1.6m/s
10:00
- 0% 3% 0% 62% 3% 2.6m/s
11:00
- 0% 2% 0% 56% 2% 3.1m/s
12:00
- 0% 3% 0% 53% 3% 3m/s
13:00
- 0% 2% 0% 50% 2% 2.8m/s
14:00
- 0% 0% 3% 47% 3% 2.6m/s
15:00
- 0% 0% 0% 48% 0% 2.6m/s
16:00
- 0% 0% 0% 55% 0% 2.2m/s
17:00
- 0% 0% 0% 75% 0% 1.8m/s
18:00
- 5% 1% 0% 89% 6% 1.3m/s
19:00
- 5% 4% 4% 92% 6% 0.9m/s
20:00
- 35% 0% 5% 93% 35% 0.85m/s
21:00
- 100% 0% 5% 91% 100% 1.3m/s
22:00
- 100% 0% 100% 91% 100% 1.8m/s
23:00
- 100% 1% 47% 91% 100% 1.3m/s
Tue, Feb 24 Sunrise 06:19 Sunset 17:29
24:00
- 5% 18% 5% 95% 18% 1.4m/s
01:00
- 0% 24% 5% 96% 25% 1.3m/s
02:00
- 5% 37% 0% 96% 38% 1.7m/s
03:00
- 5% 33% 0% 95% 33% 1.5m/s
04:00
- 5% 32% 0% 95% 32% 1.4m/s
05:00
- 57% 16% 2% 93% 57% 1.4m/s
06:00
- 94% 13% 0% 92% 94% 1.6m/s
07:00
- 100% 1% 5% 87% 100% 1.7m/s
08:00
- 100% 3% 0% 76% 100% 1.8m/s
09:00
- 100% 2% 12% 68% 100% 2.1m/s
10:00
- 100% 7% 53% 64% 100% 2.2m/s
11:00
- 89% 5% 21% 64% 89% 2.7m/s
12:00
- 100% 11% 32% 63% 100% 3m/s
13:00
- 100% 9% 100% 65% 100% 3.1m/s
14:00
- 100% 7% 100% 68% 100% 2.9m/s
15:00
- 100% 4% 100% 70% 100% 2.7m/s
16:00
- 100% 6% 92% 77% 100% 2.6m/s
17:00
- 100% 1% 68% 85% 100% 2m/s
18:00
- 100% 30% 22% 92% 100% 1.8m/s
19:00
- 100% 52% 2% 92% 100% 1.6m/s
20:00
- 100% 72% 6% 93% 100% 1.5m/s
21:00
- 100% 76% 100% 97% 100% 1.8m/s
22:00
- 100% 71% 100% 96% 100% 2m/s
23:00
- 100% 92% 100% 95% 100% 1.9m/s
Wed, Feb 25 Sunrise 06:18 Sunset 17:30
24:00
- 100% 100% 100% 96% 100% 2m/s
01:00
- 100% 100% 100% 97% 100% 2m/s
02:00
- 100% 83% 100% 98% 100% 1.7m/s
03:00
- 100% 100% 100% 99% 100% 1.7m/s
04:00
- 100% 100% 66% 97% 100% 1m/s
05:00
- 100% 100% 66% 96% 100% 0.78m/s
06:00
- 100% 62% 47% 96% 100% 0.41m/s
07:00
- 100% 50% 42% 96% 100% 0.31m/s
08:00
- 100% 45% 100% 91% 100% 0.54m/s
09:00
- 100% 75% 100% 87% 100% 1.4m/s
10:00
- 100% 83% 100% 91% 100% 1.3m/s
11:00
- 100% 92% 100% 96% 100% 1.2m/s
12:00
- 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 1.1m/s
13:00
- 100% 100% 81% 100% 100% 1.2m/s
14:00
- 100% 100% 62% 100% 100% 1.2m/s
15:00
- 100% 100% 43% 100% 100% 1.3m/s
16:00
- 100% 100% 29% 99% 100% 1.5m/s
17:00
- 100% 100% 15% 99% 100% 1.7m/s
18:00
- 100% 100% 1% 99% 100% 1.9m/s
19:00
- 87% 99% 1% 98% 99% 1.8m/s
20:00
- 74% 98% 0% 98% 98% 1.7m/s
21:00
- 61% 97% 0% 97% 97% 1.6m/s
22:00
- 41% 78% 0% 97% 78% 1.8m/s
23:00
- 20% 59% 0% 96% 59% 2m/s
Thu, Feb 26 Sunrise 06:17 Sunset 17:31
24:00
- 0% 40% 0% 95% 40% 2.2m/s
01:00
- 0% 27% 0% 90% 27% 2.2m/s
02:00
- 0% 14% 0% 85% 14% 2.1m/s
03:00
- 0% 2% 0% 80% 2% 2m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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