Japan is such a unique country. We have our culture mixing Asian and American tastes. The Japanese language: Nihongo, hase 3 different script components: hiragana, katakana, and kanji, therefore it makes it hard to read. On the other hand, speaking is very simple and most foreigners can pronounce things very easily (then accents become the … Read more
I’m pretty sure (or hope) that most of you guys have already watched the movie “Princess Mononoke” from Studio Ghibli. Did you know that Miyazaki and the team based the setting of the movie from a real place in Japan? They did, and the place is called Yakushima, which is located in Kyushu, the southernmost … Read more
From mid-April to mid-November, going to the Kamikochi valley is a unique way to enjoy Japan’s landscapes while escaping the unbearable moist heat of its summer. Part of the Northern Japan Alps, and conveniently accessible from the major hubs of central Japan, Kamikochi receives around two million visitors every year. The best way to find … Read more
If you come to Japan, most of you will arrive in either Narita International Airport or Haneda International Airport. These Japanese international airports are in the outer of Tokyo metropolitan region and chances are you will be confused which transportation method you should use. Here, the most complicated part even for native Japanese is how … Read more
When it comes to traveling to Japan, or anywhere else, really, nearly a third of your costs will be for accommodation. When it comes to travel in Japan, this percentage can get even higher. In fact, for the last couple years, the average price for a hotel in Tokyo has been three times higher and … Read more
Looking for best ski resort for spring? Then Kagura ski resort (かぐらスキー場), a.k.a Kagura snow resort, could be the answer. Kagura ski resort is well known as one of the ski resorts which opens until the very last days of the ski season, around the end of May. The great advantage isn’t only the long skiing … Read more
In this day and age, we are highly dependent on the internet. This is truer when we travel to another country. It enables us to guide ourselves through GPS, to translate things into our own language, find out what events are going on, and much more. Japan has always been notorious for its lack of … Read more
Eating the best possible sushi probably sits high on the list of foods for most travelers coming to Japan. The Tsukiji fish market (=築地市場) was one of the most popular places to achieve that goal. In October 2018, the world famous Tsukiji fish market moved to an area called Toyosu (=豊洲), which is just next to Odaiba (=お台場). We’ve visited the … Read more
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
Search
Can’t find what you’re looking for?
Welcome!
