I left Tokyo early yesterday morning to embark on what became a 12-hour journey to Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido.

Just as I was getting used to the cool climes of the Kanto region, I braced myself for even colder weather. While the southern half of Japan is already welcoming Spring, northern region seems to be still stuck on Winter.

Halfway through the 3-hour shinkansen ride to Aomori, the snow-capped mountains were replaced by snow-covered plains. The snow was blindingly white, and it thrilled me to see such a stunning view — it is the first time I’ve seen snow.

Snow, of course, mean cold weather. Very cold. I was wearing a tank top, a thermal long sleeved shirt, a hoodie and a thick coat and I was still shivering in my boots.

Luckily, I had the foresight to book a room at the Toyoko Inn that’s just down the road from the JR Sapporo train station. It’s a lot more expensive than the hostel I was eyeing, but the location proved invaluable as it can be really tough to walk outside when it’s snowing.

Then again, after reading my friend’s complaints about the sweltering heat of Manila, I suppose I shouldn’t be whining about the cold.