Winters in Tokyo and surrounding areas can be cold, but we discovered a little secret to staying warm—charcoal hand warmers.
Unlike disposable heat packs, these traditional warmers, or binchotan kairo, use slow-burning charcoal to radiate heat for hours. We picked up a pack at the local konbini, and once you open up a pack and give it a small shack, it immediately provides a steady warmth without waste.
There’s something old-world and almost meditative about it—lighting the charcoal, tucking it into my pocket, feeling the gentle heat spread through my gloves. Now, as we walk through the snowy streets of Japan, with our fingers wrapped around these tiny furnaces, winter suddenly feels a little softer! Get one at your local shop today, they're very affordable!
Hokkairo
Nearby Recommended Places
food
Japan’s ultimate flavor bomb in a bottle—meet the sauce that makes okonomiyaki magic (and everything else taste better too).
shop / Gotemba
Gotemba Mount Fuji Premium Outlets
Shop luxury deals with Mount Fuji as your backdrop. Retail therapy has never looked this epic.
shop / Chiyoda City
Bring home the ninja cuteness of Rantaro and friends.
Updated Daily
