How Not to Slip on Ice in Sapporo: Shoes, Grips, and Simple Walking Habits

In short: the “Walk Smart” website, run by the Winter Life Promotion Council, gives four walking tips for icy roads: take short steps, keep your whole sole on the ground, take your time, and be careful when you start walking or change your pace. It also says that footwear is the key to avoiding a fall, and that visitors can use non-slip shoes or non-slip attachments. Slippery spots include crosswalks, the edges of heated pavement, exits of subway stations and underground malls, sidewalks that cars cross, bus stops and taxi stands, and tiled floors indoors. The City of Sapporo puts sand boxes at intersections in the city center and around subway stations for anyone to use. Where I add my own ideas, I mark them “my suggestion”.

Snow is soft and white, and it is easy to think the dangerous part is the cold. The Walk Smart website points to ice as the real hazard on Sapporo roads, and notes that ice is not always easy to see: for example, white lines on crosswalks can have a thin film of ice even when they look free of snow. This post collects the official advice in plain English.

Please read this first: this post is general information, not expert advice. I am a private resident of Sapporo and I am not connected to any hotel, shop, or rental service, so I do not name or recommend any shops or brands. Rules and conditions change, and no shoe or grip works on every surface. Please check the official pages listed at the end. Anything marked “my suggestion” is not from an official page. For worries about your health or body, please ask a doctor.

Why is ice the real hazard?

The “Walk Smart” website says that in snowy regions in winter, a smooth “tsurutsuru” (slippery) surface that feels like a skating rink can form. The City of Sapporo says that it spreads anti-slip material on busy sidewalks and crosswalks, but that it cannot check every road.

The Sapporo tourism page adds that even a surface that looks covered in snow may have ice underneath. In its December advice, it describes snow that melts during the day and freezes over the road surface at night. If you come from a country where roads are never icy, my suggestion is to treat every shiny or flat-looking patch of snow in winter as possibly slippery.

The four official walking tips

These tips come from the “Walk Smart” website of the Winter Life Promotion Council. The Council was established in 2007, and its members include private businesses, non-profit organizations, administrations, and researchers.

Tip	What the site says
1. Take short steps	On icy-looking roads, keep your stride short and your steps slow. Long strides make you walk on your toes and heels instead of your whole sole
2. Keep your whole sole on the ground	At slippery intersections and crosswalks, shuffle along with short steps, with your feet as flat against the road as possible
3. Take your time	Do not rush, and allow extra time for winter delays. The site calls avoiding rushing the most basic precaution, and says going slowly lets you notice the surface
4. Watch your step when you start or change pace	Be extra careful when you start walking again after stopping at a crosswalk, or when you suddenly speed up or slow down

The Japanese version of the site adds a few details: keep your weight slightly forward, and if you shuffle, still lift your feet a little, because dragging them completely along the ground can make you trip. It also says that on roads with snow on top, shuffling may be hard, and in that case you should put your feet flat and walk slowly with small steps. It suggests keeping your feet apart by about 20 cm when you walk.

Where is it slippery? Six places to watch

Place	Why it is slippery, according to the site
Crosswalks	Heat from vehicles melts snow, which refreezes and is polished by passing cars. Slope changes and level differences at the edges of crosswalks make it worse. White lines can have a thin film of ice even when they look clear
Edges of heated pavement	Where a snow-free heated section meets a snow-covered section, there is often a height difference and a sudden change of surface
Exits of subway stations and underground malls	Many people pass here, and the surface can change quickly from comfortable to slippery. Hurrying makes it worse
Sidewalks that cars cross	Parking lot and gas station entrances become icy because tires compact and polish the snow, and the sidewalk often slopes toward the road
Bus stops and taxi stands	Snow is packed down by passengers getting on and off
Tiled floors indoors	Snow and ice stuck in your shoe treads make smooth tile floors slippery

The Japanese version of the site also suggests avoiding walking on the white lines of crosswalks where you can.

In the city center, some of these spots can be avoided by walking underground between Sapporo Station, Odori, and Susukino. That route is explained in this snowy-day indoor route on A Local’s Guide to Sapporo, a sister site written by the same Sapporo resident.

Shoes: what the official pages say

The “Walk Smart” website says that the shoe you choose is the key to avoiding a fall, and that the residents of snowy regions wear non-slip shoes in winter. Its Japanese page on shoe choice adds that sneakers and leather-soled shoes are not suitable for snowy roads and that high heels are dangerous.

The same page describes a “winter shoe” as one that is non-slip, waterproof, and warm, and lists four sole types.

Sole type	What it does	Caution from the page
Pins or metal studs	Pointed metal bites into hard ice	Can catch on carpet, and slippery on tile floors in underground malls and buildings
Deep grooves	Deep zigzag grooves grip the road	Snow packed into the grooves makes them slippery. A hard sole with deep grooves, like a trekking shoe, can still slip on smooth ice, so softness matters too
Soft rubber	Soft rubber sticks well to the road	None listed
Rubber with anti-slip material	The material scratches the road surface	None listed

The page also says that no shoe handles every surface, that soles wear out with use, and that it is good to check them. For visitors staying only a few days, the English “Walk Smart” page says non-slip attachments that easily mount on your shoes are an option, sold at department stores, supermarkets, and shoe stores in downtown Sapporo, and at souvenir shops, newsstands, and convenience stores at New Chitose Airport.

Grips for your shoes

The Welcome to Sapporo winter goods page describes cleats that can be strapped on over your shoes, and non-slip grips that can be attached to the soles. Its Japanese version gives a price of about 1,000 yen, and says they are sold at shoe stores, convenience stores, and drug stores.

A separate Welcome to Sapporo clothing page says that non-slip soles that can be hooked or stuck onto your shoes are sold at convenience stores and shoe stores in central Sapporo for about 1,000 to 2,000 yen. It adds that some shoe repair shops can attach non-slip soles for about 2,000 to 3,000 yen, taking around 40 minutes. Prices are from the pages as I read them and may change.

My suggestion: whichever you choose, put the grips on at your hotel and test them on a short, safe walk before you rely on them.

When you go indoors, the “Walk Smart” website gives two tips: remove snow and ice from your shoe treads, and detach metal grips, because their metal parts slip on tile floors.

Can I use the sand boxes?

The City of Sapporo puts sand boxes at intersections in the city center and around subway stations. Inside are bags of anti-slip material. The City says the boxes are there so that residents can spread sand when the road becomes slippery, and it asks people to use the bags for the sake of those who walk after them. The steps on the City page are:

1. Take a bag out of the box.
2. Open the bag at its cut mark.
3. Scatter the sand. Spreading it widely is the tip.
4. Put the empty bag in the empty-bag container, where there is one.

The Sapporo tourism winter goods page also says the sand is available for use by all pedestrians.

Habits that raise the risk of a fall

The “Walk Smart” website lists habits to avoid, and its clothing page adds hands in pockets.

Habit	What the site says
Hurrying	You pay less attention to your step, and a fall hurts more
Drinking alcohol	Being drunk lowers your agility and alertness
Not watching your step	Phone calls, looking at a map, or looking at the scenery raise your risk
Both hands full	It is hard to react if you slip; hands free helps you recover your balance
Hands in pockets	You cannot react to sudden movement

My suggestion: stop walking before you take photos or check a map. Stand to the side, where you are not blocking others, then walk on. For hats, gloves, and the rest of your clothing, see What to Wear in Sapporo in Winter: A Layering Guide for Travelers from Hot Countries. For a take-home list of what to bring, see Sapporo Winter Packing List for Travelers from the Tropics: Bring or Buy.

The English page of the “Walk Smart” website says that a questionnaire survey showed one out of five overseas tourists who visited Hokkaido in winter experienced falling. The page does not say when the survey was done, so I do not know how current the number is. I mention it only to say that falls on snowy roads are common enough to plan for.

FAQ

What is the most important tip for walking on ice in Sapporo?

The “Walk Smart” website gives four tips: short steps, whole sole on the ground, taking your time, and extra care when you start or change pace. It calls avoiding rushing the most basic precaution.

Do I need special shoes?

The “Walk Smart” website says footwear is the key to avoiding a fall. It recommends non-slip shoes, and for a short stay, non-slip attachments. Its Japanese page says sneakers and leather-soled shoes are not suitable for snowy roads.

Are shoe grips enough on their own?

I did not find an official statement that grips are enough for every situation. The Japanese shoe-choice page says no non-slip shoe handles every surface, and that Japanese page and the English pages say that metal grips and pins can slip on tile floors indoors, so please take metal grips off when you enter a tiled building.

Which places should I be most careful about?

The site lists crosswalks (including the white lines), the edges of heated pavement, exits of subway stations and underground malls, sidewalks that cars cross, bus stops and taxi stands, and tiled floors indoors.

Can I use the sand boxes?

Yes. The City of Sapporo and the Sapporo tourism page both say the sand boxes are for public use. The City asks users to put the empty bag in the empty-bag container.

Is walking with my hands in my pockets okay?

The “Walk Smart” website says it is not recommended, because you cannot react to a sudden movement. Gloves are suggested instead.

What if I fall?

I cannot give medical advice. If you are hurt or worried about an injury, please ask a doctor or get help from a medical professional.

Sources checked: Winter Life Promotion Council, Walk Smart: Safe Walking in Winter, Winter Life Promotion Council, Walk Smart: Slippery Locations, Winter Life Promotion Council, Walk Smart: Walking Behavior Most Likely to Result in a Fall, Winter Life Promotion Council, Walk Smart: Suggested Winter Clothing, Winter Life Promotion Council, Walk Smart: Website Operator, Winter Life Promotion Council, Walk Smart - Sapporo - (English top page), Winter Life Promotion Council, 転びにくい冬みちの歩き方 (How to walk on winter roads) (Japanese), Winter Life Promotion Council, 冬みち歩きの靴選び (Choosing shoes for winter roads) (Japanese), Winter Life Promotion Council, 滑りやすい場所を知る (Know the slippery places) (Japanese), Winter Life Promotion Council, 転びやすい人はこんな人 (Who is likely to fall) (Japanese), City of Sapporo, Q:道路がつるつるで危ないけど、どうにかならないの？ (Q: The roads are slippery and dangerous. Can’t anything be done?) (Japanese), Welcome to Sapporo (Sapporo Tourist Association), What to wear in Sapporo in winter. Recommended outfits for December, January and February, Welcome to Sapporo (Sapporo Tourist Association), Helpful Hints for Enjoying Sapporo in Winter -Goods-, Welcome to Sapporo, 冬の札幌のお役立ち情報 ～グッズ編～ (Japanese version of the winter goods page; source of the 1,000-yen figure) (Japanese). Checked on October 9, 2026. This post is general information, not medical advice; prices, shops, and conditions change, so please check the official pages.