🍼 Surviving a Sapporo Winter with Two Babies

Getting around: baby carrier first, stroller as backup

In midwinter Sapporo, snow, ice, and melting slush are everyday realities. Bottom line: a baby carrier (plus a cold-weather cover) is your main mode, with the stroller as a backup for indoors and clear days.

• Advantages of a carrier: safer than a stroller whose wheels spin out on ice, warm thanks to shared body heat, and free to move through underground malls, observation-deck stairs, and crowds.
• Watch out for ice: if you slip while wearing the carrier, the baby goes down with you. Parents must wear anti-slip shoes or crampons (ice grips) without fail.
• Where the stroller shines: New Chitose Airport, the Sapporo Station underground walkway (Chi-Ka-Ho), department stores, AEON Mall, and other flat indoor spaces. It's also handy as a luggage cart.
• Stroller for snowy roads: if you bring one, we recommend a lightweight model with large wheels that folds easily, plus a footmuff.

Baby B (16 months) is just learning to walk, so it's almost always the carrier; Baby A (33 months) is active, so the realistic approach is a hybrid where you switch off, letting the child walk and putting them in the stroller when they tire out. You can borrow a stroller for free at the General Information Desk at New Chitose Airport (limited quantity), which makes the departure and arrival routes easier.

Sourcing locally: diapers, formula, baby food

In Hokkaido, baby supplies are easy to find. The right move is to buy heavy, bulky consumables on the ground.

• Diapers: available at drugstores, Don Quijote, and AEON Mall anywhere. A pack (about 60-74 sheets) runs roughly ¥1,400-1,800 (about 13,000-17,000 KRW, roughly ¥20-26 per diaper, with fewer sheets per pack as the size increases). Popular brands are Merries, Moony, Goo.N, Pampers, and Mamy Poko. Sizes are labeled S/M/L/Big (by weight, e.g., L = 9-14 kg). For active toddlers, pull-up type (パンツタイプ) is easier.
• Formula & liquid formula: drugstores such as Welcia and Tsuruha are well stocked with formula. Liquid formula (液体ミルク) (e.g., Meiji Hohoemi Raku-Raku Milk cans, Glico Icreo paper cartons) is available at drugstores and baby-goods stores nationwide; it can be fed straight away without warming, making it useful for outings and on the plane.
• Baby food: drugstores, Akachan Honpo, and AEON Mall carry a wide range of pouch and jar baby foods.
• Specialty store: at Akachan Honpo Ario Sapporo (2F) you can handle diapers, formula, baby food, wipes, and baby clothes all in one stop.

That said, if your baby is used to Korean formula, bring enough of their usual formula for the length of the trip. Switching formula abruptly can lead to upset stomachs or refusal. For wipes, spare clothes, and the like, carry just enough for the plane plus the first day and source the rest locally to lighten your load.

Nursing rooms, diaper-changing stations, and restaurants

The Sapporo area is well equipped with baby facilities, so all you need to do is plan your outings in advance.

• New Chitose Airport (CTS): nursing rooms and diaper-changing stations are free and spread across each floor. There's hot water for formula and washing facilities. The General Information Desk (in both the domestic and international terminals) offers free stroller rentals (limited quantity; not usable once you pass through security).
• Daimaru Sapporo (directly connected to the station): there's a baby lounge (including a nursing room) at the infant/children's clothing section on the 4th floor. The Pokemon Center on the 8th floor is great as a reward for the older child. Hours are 10:00-20:00 (confirm officially).
• Department stores, AEON Mall, and major stations: nursing rooms and diaper-changing stations are standard. Look for the '授乳室 (junyu-shitsu)' sign.
• Restaurants: the dining floors of department stores and shopping malls often have high chairs (子供椅子) and floor seating, which is convenient. By contrast, cramped, smoke-filled old-school ramen shops and Genghis Khan (jingisukan) joints are tough with babies. Prioritize a warm indoor route.

When two families move together, bathroom and feeding intervals easily fall out of sync. When you stop at a large facility, make it a habit to do all the diaper changes and feeding at once, everyone together, so you don't get stuck scrambling on the road.

Medical & emergencies: pediatrics, pharmacies, 119

In midwinter, fevers, runny noses, and stomach bugs are common. Knowing the basics in advance keeps you from panicking.

• Ambulance & fire: 119 (nationwide; don't hesitate in an emergency).
• When you're unsure whether it's an emergency: call the Sapporo Emergency Telephone Consultation Center at #7119 (or 011-272-7119, 24 hours) to speak with a nurse (serving Sapporo City and nearby municipalities).
• Medical support for foreigners: Sapporo City and Hokkaido operate medical and interpretation help desks for foreign tourists. Hours and the range of language support may vary by season, so ask your lodging or a tourist information center for help.
• Pediatric symptom guide: the Japan Pediatric Society's 'こどもの救急 (Children's Emergencies)' site helps you judge, by symptom, 'whether you need to see a doctor now.'
• Pharmacies: at a 'ドラッグストア (drugstore)' you can buy over-the-counter medicines such as fever reducers and digestive remedies. For prescription drugs and accurate pediatric dosing, however, seeing a doctor is the safe choice.

Bring the medicines you normally use. Fever reducers (a syrup matched to body weight), digestive remedies, cold and cough medicine, a thermometer, wound ointment, and moisturizer. Before buying travel insurance, check whether it covers pediatric care and overseas medical costs.

Air travel, car seats, and pacing two babies

The age gap between the two babies determines their airfare (the threshold is 24 months).

• Baby A (33 months): over 2 years old → usually needs a child fare plus a separate seat. If you buy a seat, you can use a certified car seat on board.
• Baby B (16 months): under 2 years old → eligible for the infant fare (lap-held). On Korean Air, the international infant fare is about 10% of the adult full fare, with no separate seat provided. As a rule, one infant may accompany each adult (confirm the terms at the time of ticketing).
• Bringing a stroller and car seat: when traveling with a child under 24 months, you can usually bring a folding stroller plus a car seat (or bassinet) on board (varies by airline and aircraft; confirm in advance).

Car seats (in local vehicles): - Taxis: legally exempt from car seats → you can just ride (for safety, hold the baby firmly in your lap). - Rental cars: car seats are mandatory for children under 6 (no fine for violations, but it adds license demerit points). Rear-facing for infants (0-1 yr), forward-facing for toddlers (1-4 yr). Rental quantities are limited, so be sure to reserve in advance.

Pacing: there's no time difference between Korea and Japan, so the babies' daily rhythm won't be disrupted (a big plus). Even so, protect nap times. A 16-month-old and a 33-month-old differ in stamina and nap patterns, so a realistic plan is for the two families to coordinate along the lines of 'go out together in the morning → nap separately at the lodging or in the carrier → a short outing in the afternoon.'

Winter baby packing checklist

Here's a checklist for 'two babies' tuned to cold snaps and snow (sharing common items between the two families is efficient).

Dressing (layering) - 1. Base layer (merino/functional) + snowsuit/padding + carrier cold-weather cover - 2. Waterproof, anti-slip winter boots, plus spare socks, gloves, and a hat (kept separately in a zip bag) - 3. Indoors is hot → use layers that are easy to take off

Feeding - 4. Formula (trip length + 1-2 days), a thermos, a portable formula container, liquid formula (for outings) - 5. Some familiar snacks and baby food, a straw cup/utensils, a bib

Hygiene & health - 6. Diapers (just the first day's worth), wipes, a changing mat, plastic bags - 7. Medicine kit (fever, digestive, cold), a thermometer, moisturizer and lip balm (it's very dry), hand warmers

Travel & sleep - 8. Baby carrier, (optional) lightweight stroller + footmuff, car seat (if renting a car) - 9. A night light, pacifier, comfort toy, sleeping bag/swaddle

Documents - 10. Passport and tickets, travel insurance certificate, a note of regular medications, emergency contacts

Temperature-check tip: touch the back of the baby's neck and back — sweaty means too warm, cold means too cold. Hands and feet are naturally cold, so they aren't a reliable gauge. Indoor heating is very drying, so keep up with hydration and moisturizing too.

At a Glance

Timeline

Useful Words

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