Why People in Hokkaido Don’t Use Umbrellas When It Snows

Snow in Hokkaido is dry and powdery

Because temperatures and humidity are low in Hokkaido, snowfall is often dry snow—also called powder snow. Since the snow is light and powdery, it rarely soaks through your clothes even if your outerwear isn’t waterproof. In most cases, brushing the snow off by hand before going indoors is enough.

On more humid days, however, wet snow can fall. In that case, not having an umbrella can be inconvenient because your clothes may get wet.

The video below shows wet snow in Sapporo in March. The snow is heavy with moisture and slushy, so it barely accumulates. Even so, few people in Sapporo routinely carry umbrellas, which is why you see only a few in the video.

Carrying an umbrella on icy roads is dangerous

In cities like Sapporo, snow on the roads is compacted by cars and pedestrians and then refreezes overnight, creating very slick surfaces.

Holding an umbrella ties up one hand, so if you slip you may be unable to break your fall safely. That makes it hazardous on icy streets.