Winter Hokkaido Tourist Information　Preparation　[Shoes]

　Hokkaido winter streets are rather special. A lot of snow falls on the pavements, which quickly turns to ice. Without meaning to over-exaggerate, it can be pretty dangerous simply walking down the street! So, you need to make sure you have specially designed “winter shoes” to ensure you can walk safely down the slippery winter streets. “Winter shoes” not only stop you from slipping, they will also help protect you from the cold more than regular shoes, and are an indispensible item for your winter trip to Hokkaido. Depending on how long you will be staying and what you will be doing when you get here, it might be an idea to prepare 2 or 3 pairs of sturdy winter shoes.
　The biggest concern about walking along snow-covered pavements is that you may slip and fall. The most important thing to consider when buying winter shoes is the non-slip sole. Certain types of winter shoes have a metal spike on the sole, which digs in to the hard ice or compacted snow and prevents you from slipping. Other types have a deep jagged sole that gives you excellent traction on snow-covered pavements. There are also very soft-soled shoes, which give your foot a very good fit against the surface of the pavement and help prevent you from slipping.
　However, although these cunning inventions make it easier for you to walk on the frozen icy outdoor streets, they may actually make it more difficult for you to walk on regular asphalt roads or inside shops, so you also need to be careful in these situations. If you are only coming to visit Hokkaido for a business trip or short stay, we recommend purchasing easy-to-attach spike attachments for your shoes. They are easy to put on and take off whenever you need them, and you can avoid the expense of buying completely new shoes for your visit.
　The inviolable rule of cold protection is, no matter how warm your clothing is, if your feet are cold, then everything else is a waste of time! It is of course important that your shoes are made of materials designed to keep your feet warm. But more importantly than that, they need to be fully waterproofed to ensure your feet stay dry in the ice and snow. If your shoes are not waterproof, you will find that as time goes on, your feet will invariably start to get wet, and then cold. The wetter they get, the colder they get, and in some cases if the temperatures drop a little lower than usual, wet shoes may also freeze. Therefore, it is important that you choose shoes that are already made of waterproof materials, and for safety’s sake we also recommend spraying them with waterproofing spray. One more trick to keep your feet warm is to insert a thin inner sole into your shoes, putting one more layer between you and the frozen pavement.
*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.