Winter Hokkaido Tourist Information　Preparation　[Walking on Ice]
　The first thing you should be careful of after arriving in Hokkaido is how you walk. Even the local people who live in such conditions ever year can still easily slip and fall on the icy roads. People that are not experienced in walking along snowy pavements can easily injure themselves falling. The most dangerous times for walking are during the evenings if snow has fallen during the previous night and then partially melted in the daytime sunlight, only to freeze again at dusk when the temperature falls rapidly back below zero. Such conditions cause the skating rink pavements. If you were to try walking on these type of roads in regular shoes, you shouldn’t be surprised if you only get 3 or 4 paces before falling flat on your behind.
　But the dangers don’t stop there; often fresh snow falls on the already icy roads! If you are unaware that the surface beneath your feet is actually ice, you have a greater chance of slipping. If you visit during the harsh cold of February for events such as the Sapporo Snow Festival, the snow on the pavements in these places is trampled and compacted by the many thousands of visitors, making it very slippery indeed. If you let your attention focus completely on the snow sculptures, then before you know it whoops! You’re on the ground! So, to prevent this from happening to you, lets find out a little more about Hokkaido road conditions so you can enjoy Hokkaido safely!
　The first problem is what type of shoes to wear. We are pretty sure you’re not considering walking around in the snow in high heels, but obviously the safest type of footwear is boots or winter shoes. If you want to get the best from your Hokkaido holiday, low-heeled shoes are easier to walk in and prevent your feet from getting tired.
　However, the most important part is the soles. We don’t recommend walking in the snow wearing the type of regular shoes that you can buy in places like Tokyo. But if that’s all you have, we recommend getting anti-slip devices for your shoes. Recently, many places such as the station kiosks, shoe shops and shoe-repair shops have started selling rubber anti-slip mats for shoes, you should be able to find some easily if you ask around a little. However, as these mats are attached to the soles of your shoes, to prevent them from falling off without you noticing, make sure that your shoes are dry when you put them on. If there is a chance you will be walking on icy pavements, we recommend the detachable “shoe spikes”. As they can be attached and detached very easily, you can put them on and take them off as needed. And of course, buying a sturdy pair of winter shoes when you arrive in Hokkaido is also a great way to keep yourself safe! There are many types of cold preventing winter shoes and boots available in Hokkaido shoe shops, why not drop into a few and take a look around!
　Let’s move on to the correct way to walk. The most important point is to place your weight on your toes rather than your heels. Even so, do be careful not to put too much of your weight on your toes as you can fall on your front too. If too much weight is placed on your heels, you might suddenly fall over backwards. Walk in small steps, placing your foot on the ground toes first, then gently placing your heel on the ground too. Some people who are not used to the roads here tend to drag their feet on the ground. This will cause you to lose your balance and increase the chances of falling onto the ground. If you focus all your attention on your feet and not look ahead, you might bump into people. Please make sure that you are looking ahead, and do not hurry. Do not forget to arm yourself with your gloves too.
　If you are really about to fall, do not try in vain to regain your balance but simply fall on your backside. It is also important to ensure that you do hit your head. Do not try to break your fall with one hand as you might break your bones. Instead, lessen the impact of your fall with two hands instead. Try not to grab the people around you if you are about to fall. You might just make them fall too.
　Even if you grasp the trick of walking on snowy roads, you still need to remember to take your time. Do not be distracted by your mobile phone and lose your concentration. Also, try to keep your hands free. Take care to protect yourself at all times while walking.
　Due to the heavy traffic in Sapporo city center, snow on the roads becomes hard while the surface starts to melt due to the ongoing traffic over it. You need to pay extra attention at traffic crossings. Taxi stands and bus stops are especially slippery and it is important to be careful. In addition, do not forget to shake off the snow and ice on the bottom of your shoes before entering the tiled stairways of undergrounds here as it can cause you to slip and fall too.
*The information in these special articles is correct as of December 2008.
Please note that at the time of reading,
some information may have become inaccurate.