Climate snapshot for alpacas
65/100Alpaca climate comfort score
32°CAverage high, Aug
-5°CAverage low, Jan
~30Days above 90°F (32°C) per year
~93Frost nights per year
1486 mmAnnual precipitation
7Barber pole worm months
13Hay bales / alpaca / year
Main challenges
- Summer heat — heat-stress precautions needed in Jun–Sep
- Barber pole worm — long warm-wet parasite season (Apr–Oct)
- Wet ground — 58 in of rain a year — mud, foot problems and fluke habitat
Advantages
- Winters are cold but rarely severe
- A long grazing season (8 months of grass growth)
- Low meningeal worm risk
Overall rating: 65/100 — Good on our alpaca climate comfort score. Climate type: Humid subtropical (Köppen Cfa). GBIF holds 20 alpaca occurrence records for Japan.
Month-by-month climate
Average highAverage lowPrecipitation
| Month | High | Low | Precip. | Heat-stress index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 6°C | -5°C | 77 mm | 117 · ok | frost |
| Feb | 8°C | -3°C | 83 mm | 120 · ok | frost |
| Mar | 12°C | 0°C | 156 mm | 126 · ok | — |
| Apr | 19°C | 6°C | 110 mm | 136 · ok | worms, grass |
| May | 22°C | 10°C | 190 mm | 144 · ok | worms, grass |
| Jun | 26°C | 16°C | 190 mm | 157 · high | worms, grass |
| Jul | 30°C | 21°C | 161 mm | 168 · high | worms, grass |
| Aug | 32°C | 22°C | 85 mm | 168 · high | worms, grass |
| Sep | 30°C | 20°C | 89 mm | 166 · high | worms, grass |
| Oct | 21°C | 10°C | 120 mm | 150 · ok | worms, grass |
| Nov | 15°C | 4°C | 138 mm | 138 · ok | grass |
| Dec | 8°C | -2°C | 84 mm | 125 · ok | frost |
Heat-stress index = average high (°F) + mean humidity (%). “Worms” marks months that suit barber pole worm transmission; “grass” marks the grazing season; “frost” marks months with average lows below freezing. Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 reanalysis (2023-2024) at 36.6°, 138.2°, elevation 349 m.
Alpaca care calendar for Japan
January 6° / -5°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
February 8° / -3°C
- Book your shearer now — spring calendars fill up fast.
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
March 12° / 0°C
- Run pre-season fecal egg counts so you know each animal's baseline.
- CDT boosters for females due next month; prepare a clean birthing paddock and birthing kit.
- Toenail check and trim.
April 19° / 6°C
- Shearing month: shear the whole herd, and trim toenails, check teeth and body condition while animals are restrained.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Spring grass: switch from hay to pasture gradually over 1–2 weeks and monitor body condition.
May 22° / 10°C
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Cria season: check due dates daily, ensure crias nurse within 4 hours, dip navels and weigh crias daily for two weeks.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
- Toenail check and trim.
June 26° / 16°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Breeding window for next year's crias (rebreed females 2–4 weeks after birthing).
July 30° / 21°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Toenail check and trim.
August 32° / 22°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
September 30° / 20°C
- Heat precautions: shade, airflow, cool fresh water and no handling in the heat of the day.
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
- Toenail check and trim.
October 21° / 10°C
- Barber pole worm season: fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks, check eyelid color, pick up dung piles twice a week.
November 15° / 4°C
- Secure winter hay: about 13 small square bales per alpaca per year here — test a sample before buying.
- Winter prep: install water heaters, repair shelters and windbreaks, stock bedding.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
- Toenail check and trim.
December 8° / -2°C
- Freezing nights: keep water open and feed extra hay during cold snaps.
- Vitamin D for crias and juveniles (ask your vet about product and dose).
Key recommendations
- Shearing: April.
- Best months for crias to be born: Apr–May (breed in May–Jun).
- Heat precautions: Jun–Sep.
- Barber pole worm season: Apr–Oct — run fecal egg counts every 4–6 weeks in these months.
- Freezing nights: Dec–Feb — keep water from freezing.
- Vitamin D for crias: Nov–Feb.
- Grazing season: Apr–Nov (about 8 months); feed hay the rest of the year.
- Meningeal worm: Meningeal worm (P. tenuis) is a North American parasite and is not present here.
- Selenium: Check regional soil selenium with your vet or agricultural advisor — many temperate regions are low.
Tools: heat-stress calculator · winter hay calculator · due-date calculator · parasite control guide.
Alpaca farms & shops nearby
No alpaca farms near Japan are mapped on OpenStreetMap yet. If you keep alpacas here, consider adding your farm to OpenStreetMap — it will appear on this page after the next update.
Frequently asked questions
Can you raise alpacas in Japan?
Yes. Alpacas are kept successfully in most climates with good management. Japan scores 65/100 (good) on our alpaca climate comfort scale; the key issues are summer heat, barber pole worm and wet ground.
When should alpacas be shorn in Japan?
Plan shearing for April, once nights stay above about 38°F (3°C) but before summer heat builds.
What is the best time for crias to be born in Japan?
Mild months suit newborn crias best — here that is Apr–May. For births then, breed females in May–Jun (gestation is about 335 days).
How much hay does an alpaca need per year in Japan?
With roughly 4 months of little or no grazing, plan on about 632 lb (287 kg) — around 13 small square bales — per adult alpaca per year, plus waste.
How hot does it get for alpacas in Japan?
Heat-stress precautions are needed in Jun–Sep. We estimate about 30 days a year above 90°F (32°C).
Coordinates 36.600, 138.200. Long-term averages, not forecasts. See methodology and data sources. Back to World.