JETs who have moved/ are moving from somewhere with almost no snow to somewhere that will have a huge amount of snow in winter in Japan… how did you cope?/how are you preparing?

23 comments

1. Also came from a place which doesn’t get much of any snow and got placed in a snowy area. Some things to help: snow tyres are mandatory by law in Japan, and while chains aren’t necessarily, I do recommend having a set just in case. Road plowing is a thing but it’s generally nowhere near the extent as say the US; you’re still going to generally have a compact sheet of snow/ice on the surface aside from certain roads (mostly national routes), and off of ‘main’ roads you’ll be on your own. Just go slow, stop a bit earlier than usual, and you should be fine.

   Layering is very important for the cold, especially if you’ll be outside for any amount of time. Something relatively waterproof and/or able to retain heat while wet (e.g. wool) can also be helpful. Most houses here use kerosene for heat, and depending on the setup, it’s VERY important to keep a carbon monoxide detector on hand lest you suffocate yourself.

   At least in my area of Tohoku we’ve not had school cancelled, though your area might be different depending on the amounts. You’ll want to shovel your doorway and around your car whenever snow starts to accumulate so you’re not snowed in, and having a store of supplies is just good practise in general.

   EDIT: Highly recommend [Varusteleka](https://www.varusteleka.com/en) for your winterised goodies – it’s not the cheapest, but everything I’ve bought from them is incredibly high quality and some of the best items I own.

2. You’ll have to get snow tires because it’s required by law that you have them (or snow chains) when there are winter conditions on the road. Get a second pair of wheels to mount your snow tires on and that way you can swap wheels pretty easily for the season.

   A good thing about living in a snowy region is that they have a decent system for clearing the snow. In Tokyo it snows once or twice a year and people freak out and don’t know how to remove snow or drive in it (there are videos of people clearing the snow with hoses and then the water freezing…). But up north, the towns have prepared the budget, equipment and manpower to remove snow as needed. This also means that schools don’t close down as often because the snow removal is better. Blizzards are about the only thing that close things down because you can’t see far enough ahead of you to drive or walk.

   The snow removal is done often but they never clear the roads entirely. They remove enough so that a car has enough clearance to drive over it but otherwise leave snow on the ground to melt and refreeze overnight. You’ll be driving mostly on a mixture of hard packed snow and ice for 1/3 of the year.

   The national routes are usually the first cleaned and they use de-icing salts the most which makes them the best to drive on in winter. The prefectural routes and local city roads might not be as well plowed but they will be driveable. Local neighborhood streets can definitely get dicey if they’re private roads and it’s up to the homeowners to plow. But that’s what winter tires and AWD is for.

3. I am an ex-jet now lifer living in Niigata. The amount of snow you will get varies year by year. This past winter it wasn’t so bad but the year before our city had to cancel school for 3 days and call in the self defence force as it couldn’t keep up with clearing the amount of snow that was falling and a lot of older people were getting trapped inside. It also varies depending on where in the prefecture you are placed. Closer to the coast will mean less snow than inland in places like Tokamachi.

   As a prefecture that gets a lot of snow, generally they are pretty good at clearing the roads. A lot of roads also have a pipe system that spits out water to help melt the roads. If you have to drive for your placement you will likely rent a car. All cars need to change to snow tires before the snow starts (generally change tires towards the end of October, mid-November at the latest as sometimes the first snow is as early as the first week of December) the older JETs in your area and RA (residential advisor) or PA (prefectural advisor) can help you with this if you have trouble but the rental agency should do this as part of your car lease.

   I always suggest stocking some food just incase as each year is different so better to be over prepared than not. Also keep blankets, water and a shovel in your car incase you get stuck. Waterproof clothing, thermal under clothes etc are all recommended. When you find our your predecessor they can tell you more specifically about how snow will be in your area and what you need to prepare.

   I was nervous coming from no snow to snow and I would say I am used to it after nearly a decade but each year is a new adventure. Just remember that you will have a huge network of JETs and ex-JETs here to help you and snow isn’t all bad, it opens up more fun experiences like skiing and snowboarding and snow festivals.

4. I’m from west coast America. I had only seen snow twice in my entire life, both when I went skiing. I’ve never seen snow falling until I got here.

   It gets cold and snows here but’s not like snowstorm levels so I won’t comment on driving, but heres what I can recommend in regards to clothes.

   I would wait til you get here to buy winter clothes. For one, it’ll be hot af when you arrive and you’re better off using the luggage space on other things. When October/November comes around, you’re gonna drop about 10,000yen at Uniqlo and pick up something called Heattech clothing. Undershirts, leggings (yeah even dudes), undies, socks, etc. You wanna be covered from head to toe in these in winter. You’ll get good bang for your buck as well as you can wear these probably from Oct/Noc to March.

   Now that you got your basics, you’re gonna layer on top. If you don’t care about money and convenience sake, you can just buy Uniqlo down jackets and what not since you’re already there. Otherwise you can look around but every store is selling winter stuff.

   Make sure to pick up accessories like gloves and a hat. They also sell hotpacks or handwarmers that you can slide in your pockets or even stick onto your clothes. In winter at school esp if they don’t have central heating, you’re gonna wanna have a handwarmer always.

   PS I love crocs but having shoes with literally holes all over them doesn’t make the best for winter. Still, crocs are love crocs are life so I just make sure I got a good pair of socks on when at school.

5. I’ll let you know after winter 🥶

   But really, get the appropriate clothing. Make friends and ask as many people as you can about how to prepare. Find activities to keep you busy throughout winter (advice I’ve been told and take seriously). Above all, don’t be afraid to reach out if you need help. For driving I can’t really help (no car) other than saying that you’ll definitely need your winter tires and to allow extra time to clear your car of ice and snow come wintertime. Drive slow and stay safe.

6. Lots of Vitamin D helps. Seasonal Affliction Disorder (SAD) WILL hit you hard.

7. Living in Hokkaido atm. In my almost 2 years here, schools have only been closed a couple of times due to weather. Some of those times, the teachers are all expected to keep working though, so you’d be deskwarming during that time

   Most things have already been mentioned, but I’ll say this. Get ready to shovel snow. If you’re unfit, and looking to get in shape, this is one way to do it. It can be tough

   Stocking up has been mentioned, along the same lines, I think its a good idea to always have some extra kero around. Saves you from having to walk through snow or a snowstorm to get more.

   Lastly, on clothing, I recommend getting a pair of snow cleats. Real ass saver for when the snow is thawing. Much ice, very slip

8. I’m from Texas and now live in Hokkaido! I went to college in the Midwest, which is colder than Hokkaido but with little snow, so I was prepared for the cold, but the snow was an adjustment. I also didn’t drive in school but drive every day now.

   Assuming you fit within Japanese “normal” sizes (not plus-sized and with smaller feet), you should be fine to wait and buy winter gear here. I recommend getting snow boots that go up to at least mid-calf, have good traction, and are easy to take on and off. With how much you change shoes in Japan, lace up boots quickly become a hassle, so I recommend something zippered. Snowpants are useful for shoveling snow, but not a necessary for daily use.

   Roads don’t get cleared completely here. They actually leave a layer of snow and road, so you can’t see the blacktop at all. In the fall you’ll need to change your cars tires and windshield wipers to snow tires/wipers. Any Mechanic can do this. Your car should come with snow tires when you buy it.

   The key to driving in snow is just to drive slow. It’s a good practice to start breaking earlier than normal and pump your breaks. Be cautious of black ice when making sharp turns. If you loose traction the key is to not panic and go with the spin until you regain traction. If you get caught in a white out (0 visablity due to heavy snow), put on your headlights and your hazard lights and drive slow, but don’t stop. If you stop, someone could accidentally run into from behind.

   Schools do close sometimes for snow. Usually if it’s blizzarding and visibility is too low for the kids to safely get to school. It’s happened two or three times in the last 4 years, so not often. They won’t cancel just because of heavy snowfall. Even if school’s canceled though you still have to go into work.

   I have actually gotten snowed in multiple times lol. It’s only because my front door is poorly designed and my house is in a wind tunnel lol. People from work have come to dig me out every time lol and it wasn’t a big deal. No need to stock up on food.

   Also I recommend picking up a winter hobby like skiing or snowshoeing! The best way to overcome the snow is to learn to love it! Japan has some of the best skiing in Asia, so now’s perfect time! I’ve gotten super into skiing since being here

9. Invest in a good pair of winter boots.
   I brought some Timberlands from home because my feet don’t really fit in the sizes avaliable in Japan.

   I brought some Thermals with me and Invested in heat tech from Uniqlo when I got here.

10. I’m also from the UK and came to Niigata prefecture in November! Snow is surprisingly manageable. Snow tires work well and the roads were cleared efficiently in my small town. We have some of the highest snowfall in the world. I think I was more worried because when it snows in the UK we are so unprepared. Driving in even a little bit of snow is terrifying back home.

    Good snow boots, layers (I brought some ski wear and heat tech), get a kotatsu/electric blanket/hot water bottle setup. I insulated my windows with bubble wrap and plugged gaps around the front door with foam tape.

    Leave plenty of time to get anywhere and I think it’ll be fine. I tried cross country skiing for the first time and fell in love with it, so I was actually sad when the season ended.

11. Unless you’re arriving in the winter I wouldn’t worry about buying/packing winter clothes and shoes so much. Save the space for other essentials.
    Warm clothing is very accessible here in northern japan (I’m in Aomori) and its pretty cheap too – Uniqulo has heat-tech clothing that I’d highly recommend.

    If you’re driving you’ll have to have your snow tires put on around November and then switched back to regular tires around April. You’ll likely coordinate this with wherever you purchase your car from. (Also don’t forget about winter wipers as well)

12. I’ll be headed to Niigata too, friend. We have a discord set up, would you want to join us, if you haven’t already?

13. Outside of boots if you have large size feet and maybe a favourite jacket, I wouldn’t worry about bringing much in the way of winter gear. Save the space for other stuff. You can get cheap, good quality winter gear easily here.

14. I traveled to hokkaido over the winter. I was in blue jeans and a down jacket with hand gloves. I was fine, and I’m from Southern California (always dry weather).

15. Live in rural Aomori, never had school canceled because of snow, and I have had to drive in white-out weather. Roads are not kept clear to the standard that I was used to in the US.

    If driving in the winter, please dear god, just take the toll roads or only take main roads.

    And like everyone else here is saying, you will be able to buy pretty much all the winter goods here you need, unless you happen to be much larger that the average Japanese person.

16. I moved from Australia to Niigata, but coastal Niigata, around Maki. This makes a big difference, as while we definitely got snow, it was nowhere near as intense as the mountains, and on the shoulder seasons it would melt/clear up in a day or to. For reference, there was no snow on Christmas day and I was looking forward to that.

    I didn’t drive, but had a motorbike, so obviously that didn’t help. I also lived in draughty teacher housing with single pane unsealed windows with a foot of snow outside. I used a gas heater a lot and a bunch of my stuff got mould because of the condensation.

    Other than that, I would be bundled up in snow shoes, leggings, pants, snow pants and a huge down jacket on the walk to work and my female students would be walking along in skirts with no leggings . . .

    Something to be aware of, in my experience, places absolutely BLAST the heating inside in winter, so if you are wearing the above, you are not going to have a good time. You need to plan your day. Are you mostly going to be inside, like shopping centres, restaurants etc, or outside, because carrying around bulky jackets etc that you need to strip as you go from -3^o C outside to 28^o C inside is not fun

17. As many folks have said, don’t bring your winter clothes or boots, you should buy them here or get them shipped to you! Winter clothes can take up a lot of valuable luggage space, plus you may only use them anywhere between 3-5 months in the entire years, depending how long the winters are that year in your region.

    If your area gets snow, don’t worry. That means your area is generally equipped to deal with snow, from staying warm and insulated to keeping your walkways and car maintained. One tip I have is if you have to shovel, make sure you keep up at least daily with it when it snows! It’s very easy to leave it off for a day, and next thing you know you’re breaking your back shoveling 30cm of snow off your walkway.

    In regards to being snowed in, I’m in a high snowfall area and we got hit with an unusually large amount of snow this past winter, at least in my area and I never worried about getting snowed in. Even if you are, you can easily just stock up on some dry foods like ramen or pasta. Spicy ramen is great for those cold nights!

    And you should definitely get snow/winter tyres. You shouldn’t expect to need chains if you have winters on, plus they add more work to take them on and off as you’re not supposed to drive on normal roads with them on.

    Finally, school closure for snow? Bahahahahaha we could only wish. Even in record snowfall, I’ve never seen school cancelled.

    We had a school bus get stuck in the snow with a bunch of students on it and everyone was still expected to be at school, but at worst classes got delayed. We’re told that even if there’s an emergency, teachers are still expected to be at school if possible. On the bright side, your school can be understanding if the road conditions are horrid and you have to be a little late to school, despite your best efforts.

18. As many have said, you’ll have snow tires for winter but this doesn’t mean you will be completely safe from slippage. I’ve done a nice 360 coming down a slope (which I wish I could do off a jump on skis) which scared the crap out of me (figuratively). So if you want to be extra extra safe, get chains and get a 4WD car (Don’t let anyone tell you that FWD is good enough).

    As for clothing, again, as many have said, layering is important. If you are somone like me that heats up easily though, I suggest overlayers and not underlayers (i.e. sweater/jumper) as it will be sweltering indoors in Japan (The only time of the year I’m not sweating at work is like 2 weeks in April and like 2 weeks in October and I’m your average sized man).

19. I’m up north in Murakami!! I plan on exploring the entire prefecture though ^^

20. we exist only in tunnels, alien to the warm rays of the sun, our hands replaced by shovels, our feet by snow tires purchased at Sunday

21. I’m in Niigata, also from the UK! I’ve been here a few years now, and I live between Kameda and Niitsu. My commute to school (in winter) is about two hours one way.

    Ngl, the snow sucks, especially if you drive. In the winter, a kotatsu and an electric blanket will be your best friends. My electric blanket stays on 24/7, ready for me to crawl into bed at any given moment (and no, it doesn’t make my electric bill skyrocket).

    Do you know where in the inaka you’ll be placed? Niigata City is the only place I’d call safe from the snow, but the rest of the prefecture tends to get slammed.

    With regards to the roads being clear, if it’s a main road – usually yes. They sometimes have these sprinklers on that clear the snow/ice up a bit. If it’s like a random lane in the rice fields, there’s a chance you’ll get stuck (my car got stuck on the train tracks in the snow once 🙃).

    I’ve been the only British one around for a while! I’ll be nice to not have to translate myself into American English when talking to people again. 🇬🇧

22. When you drive, you go by pure feeling. Instinct.

    Where is the road? Well, you gotta look for it with your heart, not your eyes.

23. Some of these points are reiterations of what others have said, but I thought I’d share some of my own experiences (disclaimer, not in Niigata, but pretty close by).

    1. Hot water bottles (utampo in japanese) are incredible. I’d keep at least one at home and make hot water once when I get home, and once right before bed. I also bought a mini utampo at Seria (100 yen store) and kept it at my desk at work, to keep my hands warm. More ecofriendly and economical than relying on disposable handwarmers.
    2. I don’t recommend snowboots. Rather, I’d recommend some nice tall rainboots with a little extra space in them, that can sinch around your upper calves. Then wear them with a thick wool insole and thick wool socks ( I actually also sewed a simple felt liner for mine to add insulation for the super cold days). I’m not 100 percent sure about where you will be, but my experience in snowy Japan areas is that there tend to be water sprayers to melt the snow on the roads, which then quickly turn sidewalks into an ankle-deep slushy soup. Snowboots will just wet out and then take forever to dry, whereas rainboots will keep the water out completely. Plus, you can keep using them in the rainy season. You can buy these just about anywhere in Japan, so no need to buy before you arrive.
    3. Heattech can be good, but it gets stinky pretty quickly, since it’s synthetic. I recommend wool if you don’t like synthetic.
    4. Don’t wear cotton!! Okay, it’s not that big of a deal, but especially for things like socks and gloves which have a chance of getting wet through sweat or snow contact, prefer wool or synthetics, which dry faster and stay warmer when wet.
    5. Rain pants and rain jacket rather than ski jacket and snow pants could be an option worth considering. It depends on your preference, but for me, I prefered to wear heattech all day on my legs and the keep my legs dry and wind-proof via rain pants. These are then easy to take off and air out later. Snowpants are bulky and thick when you go inside, and they take a long time to dry.