between Vins as well as I, we’ve been to Japan 20 times so far, spanning over a lots cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Kanazawa, Hiroshima, Nagoya, Takayama, Ibaraki, Biei, as well as Sapporo. seven of these trips occurred in winter.
Our obsession fascination with wintertime most likely stems from the truth that we spent 30 years of our lives in tropical islands. like lots of youngsters who had never seen genuine snow, we grew up dreaming of white Christmas as well as wintertime wonderland! lots of of us whose roots are planted near the equator when pictured ourselves in that snow globe we shook dreamily. as well as that was method before Frozen hit the theaters. picture youngsters these days. (Cue: Do you wanna develop a snowman..?) For us, snow is a reward, something that we might only see if we work difficult sufficient to pay for it, after we had been burdened by life’s lots of responsibilities. While I’m conscious that as well much of it has a dark side, for the young, naive me, snow is not ice powder however fairy dust, the stuff that wonderful locations are made of.
And of all these wintertime wonderlands, Japan is most likely the most accessible.
If you want to make your icy dreams come true in Japan, you have to prepare for it. wintertime may be dreamy, however it is frequently extreme as well as can be unforgiving. right here are some tips!
1. Thermal Underwear
It can be difficult to walk around in several layers of clothing. the very best method to lessen this is by being wise with the pieces you wear. For this reason, purchase thermal underwear.
Thermal underclothing traps the body warm to insulate the wearer against the chilly air outside. It covers your entire body: not just the torso however likewise the arms as well as the legs.
In Manila, you can discover it at UNIQLO or marks as well as Spencer branches. At UNIQLO, tights or leggings are somewhere between P790 as well as P990, long sleeved tops are likewise within the exact same range. however if they’re as well expensive for you, some stalls at St. Francis Square offer them too.
The thing is, it’s much more affordable to get them in Japan than in the Philippines. For example, the bottom tights or leggings that expense P790 at UNIQLO in Manila, they expense only 790 YEN in Japan. ¥790 is equal to only P350. That’s less than half of the Manila price.
My recommendations is to get just one pair before your trip as well as then get the rest when you’re already in Japan. UNIQLO as well as GU stalls have them.
2. Layering
I normally just wear four layers when I’m sightseeing.
The Base: Thermal underwear.
The Mid-layer: sweatshirt (fleece, wool) as well as pants (denim).
The Outerwear: normally a trench coat, pea coat, or a padded hoodie, depending upon my activity for the day. may be wool, fleece, polyester.
The Accessories: gloves, scarves, beanie, .
Choose an outerwear (jacket, blazer, overcoat) that you can quickly take off. In winter, buses, trains, as well as establishments are well-heated, so no matter exactly how chilly it is outside, it can still be quite warm inside. It can be inconvenient as well as irritating to take your jacket off as well as to put it back on over as well as over again, so select a piece that you can quickly get out of.
For inexpensive finds, go to your suking ukay-ukay. however if you don’t like hand-me-downs, go to SM Surplus Shop, St. Francis Square or Greenhills for off-season garments.
Again, it’s more affordable to just purchase outerwear in Japan.
By the way, if you want to blend in with the locals, pick clothes that are black, white, gray or neutral. This is particularly true in Tokyo. outside the capital, colors get a lot more common.
3. Shoes, Socks, as well as Accessories
UNIQLO Products
Even wintertime shoes as well as accessories are much, much more affordable in Japan. If you don’t own gloves, scarves, beanies, or even ear muffs yet, I suggest that you get in Japan instead.
Shoes. walking on snow can be hazardous since it can get slippery. Make sure your shoes have a fantastic grip as well as supply great traction. Boots with non-slip neoprene or rubber is ideal, particularly if the soles have grooves. I have tried utilizing only the normal sneakers as well as gosh, my butt satisfied the ground so lots of times. (More about walking over snow below.)
Socks. purchase long socks as well as make sure they look good. In Japan, you’ll have to eliminate your shoes on several events like entering temples, shrines, standard restaurants, as well as ryokan (traditional Japanese inn) among others. Make sure they are presentable as well as have no holes.
Scarves. While Tokyo locals like dark or neutral colors for their clothes, you can be a lot more innovative when it pertains to accessories. a lot of scarves are still quite muted, though.
Gloves. important in chillier months (January/February). issue with the routine gloves is that it makes utilizing your phone harder. If you feel like you’ll be depending upon your smartphone a lot, however those pairs with special ideas that can be detected by phones.
4. Sunglasses
I always get odd looks from my companions — be it family, friends, or other blog writers — when I put on sun glasses in snowy places. just since it’s chilly as well as cloudy doesn’t indicate the ultraviolet rays are not there. We still requirement to secure our eyes particularly from the UV rays that the snow reflects.
Up to 85% of the UV rays from the sun bounce off of snow, as well as this can cause a condition called snow blindness. The medical term is photokeratitis (or inflammation of the cornea). So please, don’t fail to remember sunglasses.
5. Sunscreen, moisturizer as well as Lip Balm
Winter is brutal to the skin too. The chilly can leave your skin dry as well as your lips flaky. assist lock in the wetness by utilizing your trusted moisturizer as well as lip balm.
Sunscreen is likewise important even on cloudy days! My sunscreen of option is BIORE UV AQUA rich with SPF 50. It’s water-based so it doesn’t leave a sticky feeling. It protects the skin from harmful UV rays. It ended up being offered in the Philippines in 2016, however if you can’t discover one, you will absolutely see it at comfort stores, cosmetic shops, or supermarkets in Japan. It’s a bit ubiquitous in Japan.
6. Meds as well as surgical deal with Mask
The body becomes a lot more prone in winter. The typical chilly is, well, common.
In Japan, people do not wear mask since they’re terrified to catch a cold. They do it since they do not want whatever health problem they have to spread to other people. If you have a chilly or cough — as well as it’s simple to catch it in wintertime — the polite thing to do there is to keep your nose as well as mouth covered. Masks are offered at comfort stores, too.
And oh, bring your own meds for common, non-serious illnesses so you don’t have to concern about the language barrier in situation you get sick.
7. warm Pack
You understand what else is offered at comfort stores in Japan? Kairo.
Kai-what? For foreigners, kairo is a lot more frequently referred to as a warm pack or pocket warmer. It’s a little bundle that contains heat-generating powder or liquid that you can connect to your clothing. (Stick it to your clothing, NOT your skin. prevent skin contact.)
It’s best for those with low cold-tolerance since it will supply the needed warmth for around 12 hours.
8. Humidifier in your hotel Room
Many hotel spaces in Japan are equipped with humidifiers in winter. Humidifiers add wetness to the air, which will stop skin dryness as well as irritation. It can likewise alleviate dryness of the throat as well as lips. This can make your stay much a lot more comfortable.
Some hotels supply humidifiers for free. Some lease it out. however to be absolutely sure, get in touch with your hotel before your trip or request for one at the reception upon arrival.
9. hot drinks from Vendo
Another method to battle the chilly is having a hot drink. In Japan, you don’t requirement to walk into a cafe or restaurant to have a cup of hot chocolate, coffee, or tea. hot drinks are commonly offered at lots of vending machines throughout the country. lots of first-time travelers in Japan don’t notice them since they’re normally in the exact same maker as the chilly beverages.
Hot drinks are frequently marked RED, while chilly drinks like sodas are marked BLUE. (Often. Not always.)
10. walking on Snow
Like I stated earlier, walking on snow can be hazardous so take additional care. If it’s your very first snow experience, you may feel lured to step on snow immediately, however you requirement to figure out which parts are slippery as well as which parts are safe. Some pointers.
If there is a designated walking path, stay on that path. It’s difficult to tell what’s beneath the snow sometimes. You may walk directly into a hole. poveste adevarata. LAUGH OUT LOUD. Seriously though, I when walked ideal into a hole in the ground since the entire location was covered in snow. This was in Sapporo.
If the snow looks dark, wet, compact or icy, it’s most likely slippery. prevent stepping on that.
Maintain balance by stretching your arms out to the sides. Don’t put them in your pocket. having your arms out likewise provides you much better reflex must you slip or fall.
11. Tattoo as well as Onsen
Nothing is a lot more kicking back than taking a hot bath in winter, which is why onsen as well as sento are extremely prominent throughout Japan. Onsen is hot spring, while sento is public bath that utilizes routine water. Onsen is normally fancier as well as a lot more sought after.
However, tattoos are banned in a lot of onsen as well as sento. Although the younger generations are ending up being a lot more available to it, tattoos are still normally frowned upon in Japan as a whole. The aversion most likely stems from its long history of association with criminality, whether as a punishment or as a sign for the Japanese mafia.
Some onsen locations accept guests with tattoo. There are web sites that keep a listing of these establishments. however in a lot of onsen, you may be asked to leave. Some guests with little tattoos get away with it by utilizing concealers or getting creative, though.
If you truly want to experience an onsen as well as you have tattoos, a great alternate is the so-called kashikiri-buro, which is a personal bath. You can likewise stay at a ryokan that uses spaces with personal onsen, however these are extremely elegant (ergo: expensive).
12. Timing is everything.
Sapporo Snow Festival, February
Winter may not be as lively as the other seasons, however it doesn’t indicate it’s boring. before booking your flight, inspect the routine of festivities in your destination. right here are some widely known events.
December 23: Emperor’s birthday appearance at Imperial Palace, Tokyo
January 1: Hatsumōde (first Shinto shrine visit), nationwide
January Week 1: new Year SALE, Tokyo as well as Yokohama
January 2: Emperor’s new Year greeting at Imperial Palace, Tokyo
February: Sapporo Snow celebration (dates vary, early February)
Also, wintertime illuminations are worth inspecting out. many installations are scattered around the country. routine is frequently between mid-November to February, some up until March.
Japan isn’t huge on Christmas. Although you can hear Christmas tunes as well as see decors at industrial spaces, it’s a routine working day. new Year’s Day is a holiday, however don’t expect to see grand fireworks displays. Locals gather at Shinto shrines on new Year’s Eve for hatsumōde, the very first shrine or temple visit. If you choose to experience this, understand that it will be incredibly congested as well as the lines can prolong for blocks.
In winter, days are shorter, which indicates you have fewer hours to explore. Establishments likewise close earlier than usual, so make sure you double inspect their wintertime schedule.
If you’re into photography, don’t expect to see the sunset at 6pm. The golden hour occurs at 4-ish in the afternoon.
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