Hokkaido Part 2: The Clothing
If you're planning to go to Hokkaido during winter, then make sure you have the suitable clothing for the season. Don't take this lightly because the weather in Japan can be very extreme. I've read a lot of people saying that winter in Japan is way colder than winter in Europe (not sure about other countries though). Like I've mentioned in my previous post, when we arrived there, the temperature was below freezing! So in this post, I'll be sharing the suitable clothing and things that can warm you up well in winter.
This will be your first layer therefore they are super duper important. Without em you're likely to freeze and suffer hahaha! Long johns are like leggings and inner, but the materials used are warm materials such as wool or some other materials that I can't remember. You can buy them from Uniqlo, Winter Time or any other shops that sells winter clothing. They are quite pricey but it's worth the money.
2. Winter jacket for below freezing temperature
These are called parka. I used this kind of jacket when I was there and it worked just fine. But you definitely still need to wear some extra layers inside. Winter coats are super expensive, so I suggest if you could borrow from people or you could get em from a second hand shop or Carousell, please do so! Unless you plan to go to other countries during winter, then it's okay to buy a brand new one. If not, second hands should be fine.
3. Winter Boot
Winter boot is especially important in Japan because the streets are covered with ice and it's super slippery! I witness myself people slipping on ice a lot of times and man, you don't wanna experience that. Most winter boots are anti-slip. If you could get a water resistant winter boot, that would be nice too so that when you walk on ice, you won't get your socks wet. It's not necessary to buy a knee high boot unless you plan to do activities that requires you to walk on thick snow. If not, ankle high boots will do just fine.
4. Wool socks / Heattech socks
Now, wool is a very good material to keep you warm in the winter. It's totally fine if you don't have a wool sock, you can just wear two layers or more layers of socks up to you! The problem with wearing layers of socks is that you might not be able to fit your foot into your boot! When I went to Japan, I wore one layer of uniqlo heattech socks and wool socks for the second layer. Even so, I still had cold feet but it's better than wearing a cotton socks, that would be worse haha!
5. Gloves
You will be needing this for sure! If not, your hands will freeze and not to mention you can damage your skin. Japan is super cold especially in winter so a pair of good gloves is important. Here's a tip for you on how to find a good one. Find a glove that has fur lining. I've tried quite a few different gloves and so far the one that has fur lining was the best! if the outside part of the gloves is made of wool, that would be nice too, but make sure there's a fur lining alright! The downside of it is that usually its not touch screen friendly heheh!
6. Mafla, Beanies, and Ear Muff
These are important if you're a man, or you're not wearing head scarf. These 3 things function is to keep your ears, head and neck warm. Even if you're wearing head scarf/ hijab, you can still get cold ears and neck if your hijab is not thick. If you're wearing a thin/cool material hijab, I suggest you to wear an inner neck to keep you warm.
7. Hand Warmer and Heat Pack
These two things totally is a lifesaver when I was in Japan! They can last up to 16 hours depends on which type you buy. Make sure to read the packaging before buying! The hand warmer may take a few minutes to heat up but it works well. You'll just have to put the hand warmer in your coat/jacket pockets as the pockets will be the best hideout for your hands from the cold weather! As for the heat pack, you'll just have to stick it to your long johns and it will do miracle to your body. It will keep you warm the whole day and you'll be able to travel comfortably in the crazy winter temperature! However, do not stick it directly to your skin as it can be very hot and can irritate your skin.
That's all about winter clothing! Don't forget to continue reading my next posts if you want to know more o((*^▽^*))o
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