Marcel 
We at Otashift try to have locals with us when we travel. As such we were guided through Osaka with two local Osakans during two days. Thanks to this, we were able to do things in Osaka, and eat in places which Japan travel guides may not have, and are able to relay the information to you. … Read more
In recent years, the isekai (=異世界) genre has become a real phenomenon, with each new anime season boasting at least a couple of them. Although Sword Art Online did not start the genre, it most definitely is the poster child for it, and by far the most popular. In fact, SAO is probably one of the most … Read more
Hundred yen stores are, as you can probably guess, stores where everything costs 100 yen. Daiso (=ザ・ダイソー) is one such store. Although Daiso is a Japanese brand, there are various locations worldwide, including in Malaysia, Korea, Singapore and other Asian countries, as well as 29 stores in the USA, and others in every continent except … Read more
Studying abroad in Japan at a university or college is something I’ve noticed a lot are interested in. There is a misconception, however that it is a really complicated thing to achieve. In truth, studying abroad in Japan is quite easy. It all depends on the type of study abroad. I myself have completed my … Read more
Traveling to Japan sits high atop the travel wishes of many worldwide. As evidence for this, Japan welcomed 28.7 million visitors, an increase of 18 million from the previous year. This will only increase with the Tokyo Olympics soon to begin. Japan has managed to make itself a more desirable destination in the past few years … Read more
Ask most people to represent Japan in one picture, and more often than not it will be a shinkansen going past Mt. Fuji, with a cherry blossoms scattered in the background. While Mt. Fuji and Shinkasen are omnipresent throughout the year, however, cherry blossoms are not. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, they are only ephemeral. When … Read more
Moving to a new country can be a really daunting task. This is especially true when moving a country such as Japan which is relatively far from everything and seems to operate in a way different from the rest of the world. To add to that, Japan is outreagously bad at offering services in languages … Read more
About 27% of Japan is covered by plains and basins. The remaining 73% are covered in mountains. While this is bad news for agriculture, and life in general, for skiing, it means Japan is akin to paradise. Japan is a major destination for skiing and snowboarding, and the quality of its slope can be demonstrated … Read more
Japan has always had its “cool factor”, and that goes from the otaku culture, its technology, but also applies heavily in arts and fashion. The Japanese have not only adapted foreign fashion and molded it as their own, they have themselves influenced fashion brands and trends in the world. The country has produced a number … Read more
While probably everyone in the world knows what karaoke (カラオケ) is, it’s a little known fact that the world famous drunken activity was invented in Japan. In fact, karaoke is a combination of the Japanese word 空 (kara, empty), and orchestra (oke). Karaoke is a major part of Japanese culture and a favorite destination for everyone from teenager on … Read more
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