Otaki Experience is here to help you discover and plan your trip to this magical, rarely visited part of Japan.
The 7 years I lived in Otaki, from 2016 to 2023, were among the most consequential of my life. It’s where I got back into travel-related work, launched my freelance business, and got married. It’s where I wrote my first novel, and where our daughter spent her first year. Otaki is where I learned what living in a tiny village at the base of a sacred mountain with more monkeys than people entails.
My relationship with the Otaki and Mt. Ontake reaches back to the summer of 2008 when I climbed the pilgrimage trail to the summit for the first time. In the aftermath, I wrote, “I have wandered many mountain realms, but never one so charged with the beliefs of the people below.” That fascination with the intimate mingling of nature, spirit, and culture brought me back time and time again.
I’d already lived in Nagano Prefecture for 12 years when an opportunity to move to the village presented itself. I had recently become a permanent resident, and the draw to live close to Mt. Ontake and experience village life day to day felt like a natural next step.
Inspired by the local guide work I was doing and life immersed in that special environment, I created Otaki Experience in 2017 to introduce the village to an international audience. The site has evolved significantly over the years, especially with the development of Mindful Japan Tours, my current walking tour operation.
I hope you find Otaki Experience useful for planning your trip to this magical corner of Japan! If there’s anything you’d like to see here that could help, feel free to get in touch.
More About Chris Gladden
Originally from Southern New England’s Connecticut River Valley (USA), I’ve lived in central Japan’s Nagano uplands since 2004 and am a permanent resident of Japan.
The cross-cultural perspective of my anthropology studies, extensive travels, and long familiarity with Japanese culture all inform my writing.
In January of 2025, I launched Mindful Japan Tours, the next step in my efforts to help travelers explore Nagano in a more connected way. Check it out for tours in Otaki and beyond.
Walking on Earth is my Substack. Being based in Japan, naturally, it’s often the focus of my articles, especially regarding life in the countryside, including Otaki. That said, it’s more generally about place, encountering the world on foot, and seeking ways forward in our increasingly disembodied times. I hope it will provide inspiration for connecting more deeply to wherever you call home. Give it a look, and sign up for more about Otaki, new tours, and other developments here in the mountainous heart of Japan.
In October 2022 our daughter Hana came into the world. These days, I spend most of my non-work time dadding and learning to dad this amazing, action-packed, bilingual preschool kid. We currently live in Matsumoto, a historic castle town in central Nagano at the foot of the Northern Japanese Alps.
Otaki Experience 