What to Pack for Japan in December to February

The short answer: for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, pack layers, a warm coat and comfortable shoes. For Hokkaido and the mountains, add waterproof boots with grip, gloves, a hat and thermal layers.

Winter in Japan is two climates. The Japan Meteorological Agency’s January normals put Tokyo at a 9.8°C high and a 1.2°C low, and Sapporo at minus 0.4°C and minus 6.4°C. Pack for where you will actually be.

For the cities

• A warm coat you can open, because trains, shops and museums are heated.
• Layers: a thin thermal top, a knit or fleece, and a scarf.
• Comfortable closed shoes for long days of walking, and ones that slip off easily for temples, ryokan and some restaurants.
• Lip balm and hand cream: the winter air on the Pacific side is dry.

What to layer under your coat

Wear three thin layers instead of one thick one. You will go in and out of heated trains and shops all day.

• Base layer: a thin thermal or merino top close to the skin. For snow country, add thermal leggings.
• Middle layer: a knit, a fleece or a light down vest. This is the one you take off on the train.
• The coat: for Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka, a warm coat you can open. For Hokkaido and the mountains, an insulated, waterproof one.

In snow country, skip a cotton hoodie as the middle layer. Cotton stays damp once you sweat, and then it chills you.

For snow country

• Waterproof boots with a grippy sole. Icy pavements are the real hazard in Sapporo.
• Gloves, a hat and warm socks, plus a spare pair of socks in the day bag.
• Thermal leggings under your trousers for evenings outdoors, like the Snow Festival or the Shirakawa-go light-up.
• A waterproof outer layer for wet snow.

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Small things that help

• Stick-on heat packs (kairo), sold at convenience stores and drugstores.
• A small bag for your layers, so the coat is not on your lap all day.
• A power bank: cold drains phone batteries faster.
• A little cash for the New Year days, when some small places close.

You can buy most of this in Japan if you forget it: big clothing chains sell thermal layers and light down, and convenience stores sell gloves and heat packs. The October and November list is the autumn version.

Plan Sakura puts the weather on each day of your trip, so you can see which day needs the boots.