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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 Cover5%
Mid Cloud Cover0%
High Cloud Cover100%
Sun Elevation-29.8° (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 (calm) at Sunrise
Nikko
Fri, Jul 10 · 04:12–05:08 · 1h window
Medium confidence
45%
🌇Golden Hour Potential87.3-87.7%
Low Cloud Cover: 0%
Mid Cloud Cover: 0%
High Cloud Cover: 0%
Sun Elevation: -6.1° (Nautical twilight)

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
2matching 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
Tue, Jul 7
22:0015%0%404m
23:0017%0%4087m
Wed, Jul 8
24:0017%0%3264m
01:0011%0%3282m
02:0016%0%2198m
03:0015%0%10048m
04:0089%27%10082m
05:0062%55%24134m
06:0020%82%24135m
07:0019%88%24135m
08:0017%94%24135m
09:0015%100%24134m
10:0017%100%24134m
11:0017%100%24135m
12:0017%100%14816m
13:0017%100%6634m
14:0017%100%16493m
15:0015%100%22942m
16:0015%66%4467m
17:0015%33%3671m
18:0044%0%3984m
19:0041%0%6418m
20:0014%0%11489m
21:0018%0%13200m
22:0023%0%12834m
23:0021%0%12350m
Thu, Jul 9
24:0024%0%11288m
01:0026%0%10846m
02:0026%0%24135m
03:0026%0%24134m
04:0067%13%24134m
05:0068%26%24134m
06:0024%39%24135m
07:0024%54%24134m
08:0023%69%24134m
09:0021%84%24135m
10:0023%87%24135m
11:0027%91%24135m
12:0029%95%24134m
13:0023%95%23829m
14:0020%96%22856m
15:0018%97%22675m
16:0017%65%22685m
17:0020%32%24134m
18:0062%0%24135m
19:0060%0%24134m
20:0014%0%24135m
21:0015%0%24135m
22:0023%0%24134m
23:0026%0%24135m
Fri, Jul 10
24:0023%0%24135m
01:0021%0%24134m
02:0020%0%24135m
03:0024%0%24135m
04:0087%0%24134m
05:0088%0%24135m
06:0027%0%24135m
07:0029%33%24135m
08:0026%66%24135m
09:0028%99%24135m
10:0028%99%24135m
11:0027%98%24135m
12:0028%98%24134m
13:0028%98%24135m
14:0026%98%21824m
15:0020%98%12907m
16:0018%82%22026m
17:0015%66%23979m
18:0085%50%23973m
19:0085%39%24134m
20:0018%28%21567m
21:0023%17%24134m
22:0023%28%24135m
23:0025%39%24134m
Sat, Jul 11
24:0025%50%24134m
01:0024%50%24135m
02:0024%50%24135m
03:0024%50%24135m
04:0088%54%19823m
05:0065%58%15510m
06:000%62%11198m
07:000%74%13232m
08:000%87%15267m
09:000%99%17301m
10:000%95%17285m
11:000%91%17269m
12:000%87%17253m
13:000%87%17930m
14:000%88%18608m
15:000%88%19285m
16:000%76%18884m
17:000%64%18484m
18:0046%52%18083m
19:0053%55%20100m
20:000%58%22118m
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
%
Solar Elevation
°
Total Cloud Coverage
%
Wind Speed
m/s
Wed, Jul 8 Sunrise 04:29 Sunset 19:03
23:00
- 100% 5% 0% 96% -30° 100% 2m/s
Thu, Jul 9 Sunrise 04:29 Sunset 19:03
24:00
- 100% 6% 0% 95% -31° 100% 1.9m/s
01:00
- 99% 9% 0% 95% -28° 99% 2.1m/s
02:00
- 95% 2% 0% 94% -23° 95% 2.1m/s
03:00
- 99% 0% 0% 92% -15° 99% 1.8m/s
04:00
- 86% 0% 0% 89% -5.9° 86% 1.7m/s
05:00
- 99% 0% 0% 87% 4.7° 99% 1.7m/s
06:00
- 98% 0% 0% 84% 16° 98% 0.68m/s
07:00
- 95% 0% 0% 77% 27° 95% 0.4m/s
08:00
- 100% 0% 0% 71% 39° 100% 1.1m/s
09:00
- 71% 0% 0% 67% 51° 71% 1.7m/s
10:00
- 95% 18% 0% 63% 63° 95% 2.4m/s
11:00
- 100% 37% 0% 64% 72° 100% 2.8m/s
12:00
- 100% 59% 0% 67% 75° 100% 3m/s
13:00
- 100% 83% 0% 71% 69° 100% 2.6m/s
14:00
- 100% 97% 0% 75% 58° 100% 2.5m/s
15:00
- 60% 98% 0% 79% 46° 98% 2m/s
16:00
- 88% 94% 0% 81% 34° 94% 1.5m/s
17:00
- 6% 80% 0% 84% 22° 80% 1.4m/s
18:00
- 5% 92% 0% 86% 11° 92% 1.1m/s
19:00
- 3% 96% 0% 88% 0.22° 96% 1.2m/s
20:00
- 0% 21% 0% 91% -10° 21% 0.97m/s
21:00
- 0% 6% 0% 95% -19° 6% 0.87m/s
22:00
- 0% 0% 0% 95% -26° 0% 1.5m/s
23:00
- 5% 0% 0% 94% -30° 5% 2m/s
Fri, Jul 10 Sunrise 04:30 Sunset 19:02
24:00
- 0% 0% 0% 92% -31° 0% 2m/s
01:00
- 0% 0% 0% 91% -28° 0% 2m/s
02:00
- 0% 0% 0% 91% -23° 0% 2.1m/s
03:00
- 0% 0% 0% 90% -15° 0% 2m/s
04:00
- 0% 0% 0% 89% -6.1° 0% 1.9m/s
05:00
- 5% 0% 0% 87% 4.6° 5% 1.8m/s
06:00
- 5% 0% 0% 82% 16° 5% 0.85m/s
07:00
- 5% 0% 0% 73% 27° 5% 0.49m/s
08:00
- 5% 0% 0% 68% 39° 5% 1.4m/s
09:00
- 5% 0% 0% 62% 51° 5% 1.8m/s
10:00
- 5% 0% 0% 60% 63° 5% 2.4m/s
11:00
- 5% 7% 0% 59% 72° 8% 2.8m/s
12:00
- 5% 27% 0% 60% 75° 27% 3m/s
13:00
- 5% 55% 0% 64% 69° 55% 3.2m/s
14:00
- 12% 57% 0% 71% 58° 57% 2.7m/s
15:00
- 5% 52% 0% 75% 46° 52% 2.1m/s
16:00
- 3% 67% 0% 74% 34° 67% 1.8m/s
17:00
- 0% 71% 0% 81% 22° 71% 1.5m/s
18:00
- 0% 44% 0% 87% 11° 44% 1.5m/s
19:00
- 3% 18% 0% 90% 0.17° 18% 1m/s
20:00
- 5% 10% 0% 90% -10° 11% 1.1m/s
21:00
- 5% 1% 0% 90% -19° 5% 1.5m/s
22:00
- 6% 3% 0% 89% -26° 6% 1.9m/s
23:00
- 5% 0% 0% 89% -30° 5% 1.8m/s
Sat, Jul 11 Sunrise 04:31 Sunset 19:02
24:00
- 8% 0% 0% 89% -31° 8% 1.8m/s
01:00
- 34% 0% 0% 88% -29° 34% 1.6m/s
02:00
- 100% 0% 2% 88% -23° 100% 1.4m/s
03:00
- 29% 0% 1% 86% -16° 29% 1.3m/s
04:00
- 53% 1% 25% 81% -6.2° 53% 1.4m/s
05:00
- 76% 2% 49% 77% 4.5° 76% 1.5m/s
06:00
- 100% 2% 73% 72% 16° 100% 1.5m/s
07:00
- 100% 2% 82% 78% 27° 100% 1.2m/s
08:00
- 100% 2% 91% 85% 39° 100% 0.91m/s
09:00
- 100% 1% 100% 91% 51° 100% 0.6m/s
10:00
- 100% 1% 99% 92% 63° 100% 0.75m/s
11:00
- 100% 0% 98% 93% 72° 100% 0.91m/s
12:00
- 100% 0% 97% 94% 75° 100% 1.1m/s
13:00
- 100% 1% 98% 93% 68° 100% 1.2m/s
14:00
- 100% 2% 99% 93% 58° 100% 1.4m/s
15:00
- 100% 3% 100% 93% 46° 100% 1.5m/s
16:00
- 99% 4% 100% 93% 34° 100% 1.6m/s
17:00
- 99% 4% 100% 93% 22° 100% 1.6m/s
18:00
- 98% 5% 100% 92% 11° 100% 1.7m/s
19:00
- 67% 3% 82% 92% 0.12° 82% 1.7m/s
20:00
- 36% 2% 64% 91% -10° 64% 1.7m/s
21:00
- 5% 0% 47% 91% -19° 47% 1.7m/s
22:00
- 15% 18% 64% 91% -26° 64% 1.6m/s
How to read: these inputs help produce the derived score; they are not requirements by themselves.

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