Biei

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Quaint scenery of Biei Village🏘️☃️ Nestled in the white snowscape, the small and beautiful shops and the peaceful atmosphere felt as if they were out of a fairy tale❄️☺️ <Stories related to Hokkaido> Half of the year from November to April is winter in Hokkaido, a cold region to the extent that if one were to live in Hokkaido, they might never actually see mosquitoes or cockroaches even in the middle of summer...(I was envious of thisㅋ) And due to the high amount of snowfall, many houses have sharply sloped roofs so that the snow can naturally slide off. Also, it's difficult to keep warm with just electricity or gas, so heating costs for kerosene, used in heaters, are subsidized. Despite the cold, the air is very clean, so colds are rare. However, days are extremely short, and it becomes dark like the middle of the night by 4 PM. This combination of short days and cold, cloudy weather is why it has some of the highest rates of depression and suicide in Japan. I also found it hard to adjust to the sun setting early in the afternoon at first. It made the day feel like it ended too quickly, which might be fine for a short visit but not so great for living. Tips for traveling to Hokkaido in winter☃️ Snow comes so often that an umbrella hardly makes a difference, but preparing hats, gloves, shoes that don't slip on snowy paths, and heat packs is beneficial🧣🧤🥾