~ Winter @ Hokkaido ~

[xiaojing11]

~ Winter 2015 in Hokkaido ~

After Kansai autumn trip and Tokyo spring trip, next aim is hokkaido liao.

I am interested in hokkaido winter (and summer).

If i can't make it this winter, will postpone to next year.

Jus wan to ask.. Anyone traveling there this winter (dec')? Or wan to share their experience as a solo traveler?

Am interested in Otaru, Snow Resort, Asahikawa Zoo, Noboribetsu and Sapporo.

 

[angcsbenny]

winter for hokkaido is rather long. from dec to early may.. the best season for ski should be jan/feb.. i went march this year and it was awesome for ski as well. otaru is very beautiful during winter. if you are planning to go to niseko are u planning to do some winter sports?

 

[xiaojing11]

winter for hokkaido is rather long. from dec to early may.. the best season for ski should be jan/feb.. i went march this year and it was awesome for ski as well. otaru is very beautiful during winter. if you are planning to go to niseko are u planning to do some winter sports?

Thanks for the reply.

Ya, i know their winter is long. Y i choose dec is becos nov still quite early for winter, jan & feb will b tooooo cold for me, from wat i check the weather forecast. Mar & apr like nothing much interesting to do or c.

Actually dec also veryyy cold for me, but i wish to experience snow once in my life mah. And, dec got xmas feel, can go xmas market also.

Becos both of my japan trips i was freezing cold until i shivered, although it was autumn and spring. Canot imagine winter. And, i heard hokkaido winter is no joke one. *faint*

Thinking of ski also. No try before.

U solo travel?

 

[fuzzybear]

U got go check out my winter report ?


http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/japan-271/2014-sapporo-winter-fest-%5E_%5E-yuki-tokyo-report-4781000.html




Anway I feel if u want real winter and snow
Dec is not a confrm month one it's random as snow is not 100% unless u go into the jan to early march period cod holkkiado

and I feel that if u got proper equipment the cold is fine

LiSt down your equipment and I can help u too

Plus I'm a skinny guy I can endure while can't others
As I got friend who is fat but cry cold even in tokyo so I bet his clothing is bad equipped

 

[angcsbenny]

Thanks for the reply.

Ya, i know their winter is long. Y i choose dec is becos nov still quite early for winter, jan & feb will b tooooo cold for me, from wat i check the weather forecast. Mar & apr like nothing much interesting to do or c.

Actually dec also veryyy cold for me, but i wish to experience snow once in my life mah. And, dec got xmas feel, can go xmas market also.

Becos both of my japan trips i was freezing cold until i shivered, although it was autumn and spring. Canot imagine winter. And, i heard hokkaido winter is no joke one. *faint*

Thinking of ski also. No try before.

U solo travel?

ya i solo. if so afraid of cold go mar oso about same as dec.. i went in mar 4 days on niseko and 1 day at sapporo. it snowed almost non stop since i landed thr. temperature oso about 0 in sapporo and up to -6 in niseko.. ski is dam fun once u can ski without falling

 

[xiaojing11]

U got go check out my winter report ?

http://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/j...inter-fest-^_^-yuki-tokyo-report-4781000.html

Anway I feel if u want real winter and snow
Dec is not a confrm month one it's random as snow is not 100% unless u go into the jan to early march period cod holkkiado

and I feel that if u got proper equipment the cold is fine

LiSt down your equipment and I can help u too

Plus I'm a skinny guy I can endure while can't others
As I got friend who is fat but cry cold even in tokyo so I bet his clothing is bad equipped

Ya, i did c some of the trip reports from jp thread abt hokkaido. There's a thread "Quick tips for Japan in Winter" also got c.

I wore gloves, autumn hat like this http://image.dhgate.com/albu_270415790_00-1.0x0/autumn-winter-acrylic-knit-hats-women-s-crochet.jpg still cold. Or mayb like wat u say, not well-equipped, dun know. But my cold tolerance is very very low. Even sg air-con places (include public transports air-con) i also canot tahan. Tht's y pple ask me how i go winter countries. Lol.

 

[xiaojing11]

ya i solo. if so afraid of cold go mar oso about same as dec.. i went in mar 4 days on niseko and 1 day at sapporo. it snowed almost non stop since i landed thr. temperature oso about 0 in sapporo and up to -6 in niseko.. ski is dam fun once u can ski without falling

Ya, i check the weather forecast, dec and mar abt the same temp. But like i said, mar and apr nothing much to do. Dec more stuffs mah, like white snow xmas deco and xmas market.

Did u share your trip report here? Mayb i c b4, but forgot, hehe.

I know ski is fun, so wan try, although my balancing is not gd. Lol.

Hmm, mayb i will postpone to next year le. Becos not confidence to solo travel to hokkaido + winter. Still thinking...

 

[fuzzybear]

The one u Link me the headgear looks not properly equipped

If u got a low or damm low tolerance to cold u need to invest in better clothing and others

So tryro list down uh details
As from the looks u wanna go winter more often so it's good to invest better and pays off too like I invest in

North face down if not northface then look for more stuffing of duck down it's better than man made down

Unqlio down is not able to endure winter hokkiDo one
My sapporo gf kept on cry cold then I atil stay warm
And she ask me where I got my winter equipment I say in SG haaha


.and I solo Tokyo and Sapporo too before
Even my nihogo sucks haha
And I reline strongly on my tech toys like mobile data when I'm overseas
It's s blessing to have if U r a alien to anotheer country





Real non itchy Wool socks
Goretex or waterproof shoe
Polartec glove and headgear
Wool or cash mere longjohn
Chemical warmer if u want but I don't use it for foot or hand
Scarf too get thick one or wool or cashmere

Don't put down by wool or cashmere as ifs a expansive materials there is cheap brand which comes in this 2 material too like my cashmere scarf is from
Uniqlo too


I also go for discounted branded equipment
Like my north faces I paid for a mere $100+++ oml while is actually is nearly $400 price tag
Same for my shoe I wait until sale came then I go hoot it
And don't wait until your trip date come then buy as it will be too late I'd u want good deals

For me I adapted well to Sapporo subzero temp after few trip
Now a days I omly use. Light weight wool sock
And I don't. Use a headgear too even snow fall on me heavy

Ans remember food is impt too besides eeuipmemet
Food kept u warm and u no need to eat expensive to keep warm too


Don't let the cold stop u from enjoy what U want



If u sure want the Xmas season and mood by all means go for it
For Hokkaido wise I find the Xmas or sapporo winter fest is 2 best season
But for tokyo is Xmas

 

[Wood4]

Sapporo is best at Feb Snowfes.

 

[akc850]

Went to Hokkaido on Feb 2013 period and the night temperature is killing ~ negative 14 degrees @ Asahikawa while watching the night event.

Can try to go in Feb period since that's when the Yuki Matsuri (Snow festival) starts at most of the area you mentioned (Otaru, Asahikawa, Sapporo and etc)

fuzzybear bro points out a lot of key equipment to survive in winter. Just make sure to get wind / water-proof clothing to cover your main parts of your body (take care of your ears too)

 

[xiaojing11]

The one u Link me the headgear looks not properly equipped

If u got a low or damm low tolerance to cold u need to invest in better clothing and others

Nope, tht is only for autumn and spring. Of cos for winter will get better one.

Agree, should not let the cold weather stop me from going. I also no say i not going there, jus a matter of time only. Jus wan to hear from more pple abt their winter experiences, becos trip reports mostly photos.

Thanks for sharing so much. Appreciate it.

Btw, everyone cold tolerance is diff, some can adapt and tahan, but some can't, later fall sick or spoil health worse. I know i need to 'cover and protect' more than normal pple.

 

[arhjaye]

If stopping over in tokyo for few days before going to hokkaido, can consider head to london sports in kanda to hoot super cheap gear!
Got my ski pants there for only 3000 yen and they work really well blocking the wind/snow when skiing. Jackets saw around 5000~7000 yen but didnt get since I have already.

Just to emphasize on what fuzzybear said, get waterproof / gore-tex shoes, wet socks and feet will really suck big time in winter Not easy to dry the inside if gotten wet as well!

 

[xiaojing11]

Thanks thanks! Will ask u all for the winter wear when i am really going.

Continue to share more if hv any.

 

[kenpachi82]

I wore 2 pairs of thick socks in Feb this year for the ice festival, and my feet still froze.
depending on your cold tolerance, need to really get enough winter clothing!
I didn't even want to take out my gloves to take pictures!

 

[hgkiaboon]

It was about -5 degrees in Sapporo and -2 in Otaru last Dec during the Christmas period. Sapporo isnt really cold imo, I found Otaru cold due to the windchill. Layer your clothes -

For your head get a beanie insulated with polar fleece, wool sucks because it gets wet and you'll have to deal with a freezing cold ice-cap around your head.
Uniqlo has plenty of cheap down-filled jackets and heat-tech. For shoes you can drop by ABC mart over there and pick up their winter shoes around 3-5k yen? I would recommend getting proper insulated gloves that are windproof, might cost upwards of $60 but it will be worth it. Get a pair of crampons from any combini in Hokkaido as well, avoid the ones with plastic 'spikes', they suck. Get the metal ones.

For snow you'd be better off visiting in Jan/Feb. I was in Hokkaido in the week leading up to Xmas and it didn't snow once in the daytime, only at night.

 

[samtcy]

Back in 2010 early dec, I went to Hokkaido for about 1 week, and I didn't see any snowfall...only residue snow on the ground.
I went to Sapporo, Otaru, Lake Toya and Noboribetsu back then.

According to my Hokkaido friend, it snowed on the morning of the day of my arrival (before I actually arrived at Hokkaido), and it also started to snow after I departed from Hokkaido. Sigh.

So, even if you go in dec, don't assume that you will definitely see falling snow.
It depends on your luck. You will increase your chance to see snowfall if you push your travel dates to 3rd or 4th week Dec, rather than 1st week of Dec.

Asahikawa and Niseko will be colder than Sapporo and Noboribetsu.
Expect Otaru to be windy due to close proximity to the sea.

 

[Wood4]

Do u all get special winter shoes here or at Sapporo ?
Going solo in Feb .

 

[gambitgoh]

Hi going Hokkaido in early October any idea what kind of equipment do I need to wear

 

[fuzzybear]

Do u all get special winter shoes here or at Sapporo ?
Going solo in Feb .

Sapporo wil sell if mot gebs ice cleat for your shoe

For me I don't use ice cleat any more
As I adapt to the ice and snow walk

But best get a waterproof shoe or bootss

Locally u can look at timberland got sales too

My 2014 trip is in February too go to my photo thread in there take a review too

 

[fuzzybear]

Hi going Hokkaido in early October any idea what kind of equipment do I need to wear

Oct is so so westher no need special shoe
Maybe a tgood jacket can withstand temp from below 20 to 10 deg lor
These UNIQLO light down is ok too same for tit famous 4way coat


I use thv4 wag uniqlo coat in snow tokyo too
It's works good as it waterproof and look salary man and a hood too