Yenny Yusra Journal

People often ask me why I keep going back to Japan instead of trying other countries. My answer is always simple. Convenience and easy access.

Japan really makes traveling feel… easy. Everything just works. The trains are clear, the streets are clean, the food is everywhere, and you never struggle too much to figure things out. For me as an Indonesian passport holder, that matters a lot. Getting visas to many Asian countries, not to mention Europe or the United States, can be complicated and expensive. But Japan gives us a visa waiver that can last up to three years. That already removes half of the stress.

So with my limited budget, I can plan a trip once a year without overthinking paperwork. It’s kind of a no brainer for me and my sister. We both love traveling, and when it comes to picking a destination, we are honestly big fans of Japan.

Winter in Hokkaido: Our First Snow Storm

At the beginning of January 2026, my sister and I flew back to Japan again. After visiting Okinawa, Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto on previous trips, this time we decided to go all the way north to Hokkaido. The land of snow.

The moment we landed at New Chitose Airport, we felt it. The cold hit us right away. It was around minus two degrees Celsius. For two girls coming from Southeast Asia, that felt extreme. There was a light snow storm when we arrived, but instead of being scared, we were excited. Seeing snow in real life still feels magical for us. We come from a place where it’s sunny and hot almost all year long, so standing in falling snow feels like entering another world.

For six full days, we explored Sapporo, Otaru and other places famous in Hokkaido to visit. We walked through snowy streets, tried local food, and basically ate non stop. Hokkaido is famous for its dairy products, and now I understand why. The cheese tastes richer, the milk feels fresher, and even simple soft serve ice cream tastes special in the cold weather.

Konbini Runs: Our Daily Ritual

One thing I always look forward to in Japan, no matter the city, is visiting convenience stores. Or as they call it, konbini.

In big cities like Tokyo or Osaka, you will see Lawson, FamilyMart, and 7-Eleven on almost every corner. In Hokkaido, we often visited Seicomart, which is more local to the area.

For us, konbini runs became a daily routine. In the morning, we stopped by to grab breakfast. At night, after a long day exploring, we would go again before heading back to the hotel. There’s something comforting about walking into a warm, bright store while it’s snowing outside. Hot drinks, fried chicken, onigiri, instant ramen, sweet snacks. Simple food, but always satisfying.

Honestly, even small things like this make Japan feel very tourist friendly.

Lucky Timing with the Blizzard

After six days, it was time to fly back to Indonesia. January in Hokkaido is known for snow storms, and we were a bit nervous about our flight. Thankfully, we made it home safely.

One day after we left, heavy snow started pouring down, and it turned into a blizzard that lasted until mid February. That’s the reality of traveling to Hokkaido in winter. You never really know when the blizzard will arrive. It’s beautiful, but it can also change your plans quickly.

Looking back, we realized we were quite lucky.

Why Japan Still Wins for Us

At the end of the day, Japan remains our favorite holiday destination for the same reason I mentioned at the beginning. Convenience and easy access.

The public facilities are clean, and almost every public toilet has a bidet, even in small places. As travelers from Southeast Asia, that kind of comfort really matters. The food is varied and still affordable if you plan well. Transportation is reliable. And the visa process is simple for Indonesians.

Of course, we would love to explore more countries. South Korea, China, Taiwan, and many others are on our list. But if other Asian countries offered visa access as easy as Japan does, maybe we would visit them more often too.

For now, though, Japan still feels like home away from home. And I’m pretty sure this won’t be our last winter chasing snow in Hokkaido.