Japan is one of the most desired travel destinations all of the planet Earth, because it’s exotic, it’s unique, it has a very interesting and old culture… I can give you thousands of reasons behind Japan’s charms and they would still not be enough to explain everything.
The tourism in Japan usually reaches its peak in April and May, which is when the sakura (cherry blossom) blossom. Even though sakura are one of the main attractions of Japan, it would be unfair to say that the country loses its charms in the remaining seasons of the year. There are things unique to only Japan during each season. As I already said, in spring it’s the sakura, in summer it’s the matsuri (festivals) and the hanabi (fireworks) and in autumn it’s the momiji (red leaves). All of these sound pretty exciting, no? Well, that’s because they really are. I have had the opportunity to experience all of the above mentioned more than twice, and I must say, you can never get enough of it.
But these leaves the question: What can I do in Japan in winter? And in this article I am going to give you the answer for this question.
It should be noted that Japan is very cold during winter, especially in the Northern parts of the country. But believe me the cold is not a good reason to say no to all of the exciting things that one can do in Japan during a winter trip.
In this article I’m mostly going to concentrate on the Northern regions of Japan, since you get plenty of snow here, hence you have the chance to enjoy Japanese winter at its best.
- As you might already know, one of the best things about a trip to Japan is getting your body warmed up in an onsen (hot springs). In winter you can do this while it’s snowing all around you and you are basically surrounded by snow. The experience is out of this world and it brings out the best qualities of a rotenburo (outdoor open air onsen).
- Japan also offers a great amount of possibilities of going skiing or skateboarding in winter. You can find many ski resorts all over Tohoku and Hokkaido regions.
- Japanese cuisine is very famous all over the world. Unfortunately, to many people the idea of Japanese cuisine is limited to only sushi and ramen. While this is not the case and a whole separate article would not suffice to convey the amazing qualities of Japanese cuisine, it is worth noting, that there are some amazing dishes which are supposed to be enjoyed during winter. Good examples would be sukiyaki and nabe. While you can take pleasure in eating shabu-shabu during any other season of the year as well, the hot dish will seem even more delicious during winter.
- While the Northern regions of Japan may seem like the best place for a winter trip, the rest of the country also offers some amazing sights. Kyoto, the city of many temples and shrines, the old capital of Japan, shines in its beauty even during the cold winter days. One of the most famous temples, Ginkaku-ji, is extremely beautiful while covered in snow. The contrast of gold and white is astonishing.
- Valentines day! On this day girls buy or make chocolate/chocolate cakes to give them to their loved ones, friends and dear people in general. A lot of love confessions take place on this exact day and many couples start out on Valentine’s. Since the holiday is centered on giving chocolate away, Japanese stores start selling some amazing assortment of chocolate all over the country.
- There are many more things to do in Japan during February, but at the top of it all is the yuki matsuri in Sapporo. The name translates to ‘snow festival’, and as you might have guessed it involves a lot of snow! The city is being decorated by snow and ice figures, sculptures and structures. Some of those are really amazing and impressive, for example, castles and dragons! And the best part about it is that you can enjoy all of these while eating some traditional Japanese food, which you can buy from the yatai (food stalls).
As you can see, winter in Japan is by all means a very entertaining season! The country has so many many things to offer to both its inhabitants and tourists. I promise you, you will not be bored in Japan during winter season. In addition to this, by being surrounded with all of these exciting activities you won’t even feel or notice the cold. I do hope you enjoy your holidays in Japan this February!
