Tips to enjoy the Snow Festival
- Things to Carry
- Tissue paper
Keeping small packs of tissue paper handy is quite useful. You may have a runny nose because of the coldness outside. In addition, no toilet paper is provided at many public restrooms.
Tissue paper packs are often handed out on the streets for free.
- Hand warmer (kairo)
This disposable pack, called kairo, generates heat by chemical reaction. Take the pack out of the outer plastic bag, then rub or shake it. It soon starts generating heat that is slightly higher than human body temperature, and it stays warm for over 12 hours.
Kairo packs are available for about 100 yen each at many places such as kiosks in train and subway stations, convenience stores and drug stores. Kairo is safe and non-toxic, but be careful not to attach it to your bare skin or wear it for long hours near your skin.
- Souvenirs
- When you visit Sapporo, you would probably buy a lot of famous products from Sapporo as souvenirs. But if you are visiting the city during the Snow Festival, don’t forget to buy some official goods, too.
Lapel pins, tin badges and postcards are most popular every year. There are also many other goods that you can see only during the Snow Festival.