Winter in Yamagata

Before moving to Yamagata most of us already know that insulation doesn't exist in Japanese houses. Still, come November, you'll be very surprised at how cold it can get in your apartment! Ever had condensed water freeze on the inside of your bathroom window? No? Well, that's something to look for, isn't it!  Winter in Yamagata will hit most of us hard - also on the financial side. So here are some tips about how to be ready and survive it. For more financials and driving in Yamagata, see related pages.

It can get expensive!
 Let's be honest - after you arrived in Yamagata and started your new job (that pays really well) you might get used to eating out quite a lot, checking out that bar across the street, travelling with your new friends and go bouldering or join a Yoga class.

But once the cold hits, your gas and electricity bills will probably be much higher than you've been used to in the first months of your new life as a Yamagata JET. You'll want to wash your hands and face with warm water, run that bath a couple of times in the week to fight the cold, and install a space heater or kotatsu (a low table with a heat source underneath and a blanket which covers your legs and keeps the space under the table nice and warm). And that's something you should be doing to keep warm. But there are a few things that will help you to save money! Here’s what you can do:


 * Think ahead! Save money in the summer months to pay for the kerosene and the higher gas and electricity bills in the winter.
 * Wash your clothes more often (thanks to the top loader in Japan you can adjust the water quantity), but in smaller batches. That way you can let them dry even in a small apartment on a clothes line inside your living room or bedroom. The heater is already on, right?
 * Use the dry winter air and a sunny day to dry your clothes on the balcony. Yes, it works!
 * Joined the gym in the summer? Great! You won’t find a bathroom that is warmer than the one in your gym during the cold months (they’re even equipped with free shampoo and shower lotion, and even a sauna, AND you can dry your hair there and brush your teeth without freezing.). On the plus side: going to the gym for a shower will help you working out on a regular basis.
 * Get out of the house. Go to the library or to the mall to read or study Japanese and give your space heater a break. Or go out on a walk!
 * Invest in (simple) insulation. You can find extra plastic “winter curtains” for 1.000-2.000 Yen. Add a polystyrene board and keep the draft air out of your room that way. You can’t really do more than that as long as the walls and windows aren’t insulated.
 * And of course: wear layers.

Advice from current and former JETs
  This table contains advice from your JET sempais about how to get through winter.