2019.11.11Winter season must item “Hokkairo”

Usually, the cold weather season begins in mid-November and continues till mid-March. December, January and February are the winter months almost all over Japan, especially in the northern part.

So how do you keep yourself warm during this season? Well, apart from wearing multiple layers of clothes and trying to stay out of cold, there’s a disposable heating pad you can find in any drugstores, supermarkets and some convenience stores all throughout Japan. One of the most famous brands is the “Hokkairo”. These pads are small disposable packets which are held in the hand and produce heat on demand to warm cold hands. Hokkairo is around 100 to 150 yen per packet. They provide up to 8 hours of continuous heat and the average temperature is around 50 to 63C. They come in different temperature ranges and because these packets have a hitting peak of up to 70C, you must avoid to stick it on direct skin to avoid getting burned.

Aside from the body heating pads, Hokkairo also has a heating pad which are designed to be placed inside your shoes to keep your toes warm. The price and the temperature are quite the same as to the regular heating pads.

By Monica Tamayao/ Staff Writer