Conquering Winter in Japan

Japanese summers are super humid and hot but winters here are dry and cold. Don't let the chilly winters take you by surprise and be unprepared. 

Temperatures are usually in the single digits to low teens, depending on what part of Japan. Down south in Okinawa, that's where you go to escape winter. Sorta like the Florida of Japan but without the crazy people. While up north in Hokkaido the frigid winter snowfall would even intimidate Western New Yorkers. It's cold there.

Homes in Japan are known to have some terrible insulation and no central heating system. During winter I find myself opening up my windows because it's actually warmer outside. 

So staying warm in Japan during winter can be a challenge so here are some ways to conquer winter here. 

 

Soak in an onsen/sento

Enjoy and take advantage of these glorious hot springs and public baths. They are great at all times of the year but during winter they are especially nice. 

You can't go wrong by going to onsen or sento in the morning to warm up your body for the day, after a workout to relax sore muscles, or at the end of the day to get warm before bed. 

 

Go workout

Is there a better way to get warm and mukimuki at the same time? Go workout in your home or go to the gym. Stay at your gym longer than usual if you are cold. Sports clubs usually have several other activities you can do there. If you have been wanting to try something new other then just doing the same old thing at your sports club then that's a great chance to do it. Climbing gyms are also an awesome way to spend a few hours to stay warm. 

Some gyms even have hot baths so you can kill a few hours and stay warm.

 

Drink some tea

When it's cold my day is started by making a big pot of hot tea. I pour it into the biggest mug I have and start working on my computer. When my fingers get cold I wrap my hands around my mug to warm up. Check out our Mukimuki mugs here!

Layer up

I don't heat my house at all in the winter. Everyone who comes over to my house hates it. I hate it too but I push through with the use of layers. The use of five pairs of sweatpants with varying sizes, so they can be worn over each other, is a trade secret to staying warm. If you are cold then just add layers. You don't need heat. Check out our Mukimuki sweatshirts and beanies. 

Hibernate under kotatsu 

If you have a big room that you don't want to have to heat up the whole area then a kotatsu is a way to just heat up a space you are in. It's a low table with a heater underneath and a blanket in-between two tabletops that traps the heat underneath. I spent long days and nights eating, watching movies, napping, working on the computer, reading books, and laughing with friends in these warm havens. 

 

Eat nabe hot pot

One of the easiest and hassle-free hot dishes to make is nabe. Nabe ingredients can be fish, meats, vegetables, and mushrooms so the balance of nutrition is good. You can stew several ingredients together in stock for a quick delicious hot meal. You can make your own base or buy stocks with different flavors that also tell you what ingredients to add. All you have to do it put the cut-up ingredients in a pot, put the lid on it, and wait! That's it. That simple.

A popular way to make nabe is on a portable gas stove so you can cook nabe anywhere, even in your kotatsu and stay warm without having to move. This makes nabe not only delicious but a fun way to relax as you can sit and enjoy making it with your friends. 

 

HAVE A GREAT WINTER AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM MUKIMUKI CLOTHING!