Essential Winter Packing List
Winter in Hokkaido is severe. We are not going to tell you about all the obvious things, but rather the essentials and what NOT to bring on your next winter visit.
T-shirts!! What is that you say? Yes, it is up to -20 degrees here but inside venues, particularly restaurants and bars it often feels about +30 degrees. Thus you need to layer!! Wear a t-shirt, a jumper, a down layer and then a waterproof jacket. It is quite an event getting in and out of a restaurant but it is worth it not to be sweltering because you wore your warmest thermals out for dinner.
Old jumper and jacket. If you plan to go out to bars or even a party, then you need to bring a very old jumper and jacket that you do not care about. Japan is an extremely honest country but drinks are free poured and strong. People get drunk quickly and it is a regular occurrence for the wrong jacket to be picked up off the rack when leaving. Don’t let it be your brand new ¥100,000 Mammut jacket.. better that it is a ¥500 retro jacket from the op shop. The good news is that retro is back in style so you will be a fashionista.
Moisturiser. The air is DRY in Hokkaido in winter, you skin is going to hate it. Pack loads of moisturiser. You may also want to bring extra good hair products to keep your hair moist and bouncy (when not skiing – expect it to freeze then).
Shoes Spikes. Generally you would think snow is soft. Yes. But if you have a sunny day and the snow melts, and then freezes again once it gets cold in the evening, the place becomes an ice rink. Don’t be caught by the ‘Hokkaido Sniper’ where you go down without any warning. Wear spikes on your shoes! Just PLEASE remember to take them off when you go back inside. Spikes and timber floors are not friends.
Insulated Gumboots. Unless you are planning dinner somewhere fancy do not waste space with dress shoes or sneakers in your suitcase. Chances are even if the venue is indoors you will need to walk outdoors to get back to your car or accommodation.
Firstly you will freeze and secondly, these types of footwear are incredibly slippery in the snow. Bring waterproof shoes i.e. proper hiking boots, very waterproof sneakers, snow/apres boots, or even gumboots. You may be better off buying gumboots when you get here as they will be thermally lined whereas your average ones from your local farm store probably won’t be.
Hot tip: do not bring shoes with laces or that are generally difficult to get in and out of. In Japan, you have to take your shoes off inside. You would be surprised how often you go in and out of buildings - so lace up shoes become a hassle quickly.
