Tips to surviving winter visits in Hokkaido

1:47 AM



Living in a tropical country, visiting Hokkaido in the peak of winter was a little scary and was quite an adjustment. During winter festivals in Hokkaido, temperatures can drop into the -10deg celsius but feels like -16 degrees. 


Here are some tips on how to maximize and survived a week: 

 The temperature when we arrived was -11degrees. I would suggest taking a cab from the train station to your hotel or apartment. Even a short walk feels further when your walking and dragging with your luggage on the sidewalks with snow. We had difficulty dragging our luggage from the curb to the lobby with the thick snow on the road. 


WALKING ON SLIPPERY SNOW AND SIDEWALKS:

 Snow or ice covered sidewalks and street can be especially slippery. My companions slipped so many times I lost count. Fortunately, I didn't slip on my week adventure. 

 I noticed that the intersections or when crossing the road is the most slippery. Since the ice is quite packed and is hard, it is slippery and you may forget to be careful as you cross the road. 

 If you can, use Snow or Ski Shoes or get shoes with good traction. You can also use ice cleats on your existing shoes if you don't want to purchase boots for the trip. They are rubber cleats you can attach your shoes to give you better traction.  You can purchase them in train stations and convenience stores. They are called “suberidome” (Y1000-2000/pair) . There are different kinds. these are the ones for shoes with heels.   
  • When the road is really slippery, shuffle your feet like penguins do.this helps you have traction.  
  • Take shorter strides
  • You can find bags of sand or seashells in cities like Sapporo or Otaru. Feel free to take a bag and you can sprinkle sand on the ground in front of you to add traction to the road. 

DRESSING FOR THE COLD:

The temperature was double digit below zero so it was truly cold. Having the right layers will help you keep warm and healthy. 

  • Wear at least 3 layers: a good base layer (thermal underwear); sweater; and a good overcoat or jacket. Best to dress in layers as you while likely remove a layer when you go inside which are well heated. Uniqlo has good and effective thermals. I would suggest using their thickest for winter and if you feel cold easily. It's lightweight but effective in your battle against the cold. For temperatures like Hokkaido winter, I would suggest going for the Ultra Warm Heattech of Uniqlo. It's a little more expensive than their Extra Warm but truly worth it. Their regular heat tech is good for spring or early fall. I would suggest Extra warm for fall and Ultra for the winter.  

  • Use a scarf, bonnet, earmuffs and gloves. When your cold, it's best to cover your head, ears, and neck. You can sometimes find bonnets that covers your ears too. Bring extra gloves as one tends to lose them. If you plan to play in the snow, having waterproof gloves is key. 
Got these gloves from Columbia. I love the little pocket you can put heat packs or change in. 


  • A good pair of boots makes a difference. I had tried wearing just rain boots on one day and could really feel the cold. You can put disposable heat packs inside your shoes or boots if you need additional heat. If you'll be visiting for some time, I would suggest buying snow shoes. They're lighter than rain or regular boots and provide better warmth and traction. If you're planning too to play in the snow, having waterproof shoes that go up to the ankle or higher would be best.   
Rain Boots


Snow Boots
  • To add more warmth, use disposable heat packs called Kairo. This little packet can last you a few hours and are great to add some additional heat.  You can buy them for about Y100 in kiosks and in train stations. There are different sizes you can purchase from small ones for your shoes to bigger ones for your pocket. There are different varieties that vary the length of time of its effectiveness. To use, just open the packet  and shake until it begins to emit heat. Place it in your outer garment pocket or attach them to clothing (make sure not to stick it directly on your skin). When it's out in the elements you may not feel it's heat but once you put it inside the pocket you can feel it radiating heat. 




BRING TISSUE (the chilly temp may give you a runny nose)  & AN EXTRA BAG (for your layers)

 GADGETS:  The cold temperature can drain your battery quickly. You can have lots of battery then in just a short time it's out in the elements it may suddenly die on you. 

 It's best to keep phone and gadgets in your pocket or bag when not in use. 
If you need to warm up your phone if it drains, an effective method is to keep it under your armpits for a few minutes. 
    After being outside, let your camera and other gadgets slowly warm up by keeping it in your bag for an hour before bringing it out. This helps you avoid moisture to build up inside your camera and lens. You can also put your gadgets inside plastic bags. 

    Bring lens rag to clean your camera when you go around.   
    Bring rain cover or a plastic bag to protect your camera and other gadgets when using when it's snowing. 

    Luckily,  I was able to take some Instax photos despite the cold temperature. The trick was to bring it out and quickly take the photos and keep it the bag immediately.
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