Camping in Japan?

[Jason Pitzer]

Ok sence I'm planing on backpacking though Japan I was wondering how is the camping there? I love camping do it all the time here. also is there a site with like I don't know if they have them in Japan state parks where they would have camp grounds? What are your experiences camping in Japan?

[misa.j]

There are many, many compground in Japan. You might have to pay the fees, though.

Here is a cool link I found.
http://www.outdoorjapan.com/hiking-camping/activities-hiking-introduction.html

[Mikawa Ossan]

Yes, there are many campgrounds in Japan. But the individual lots tend to be on the small side.

[Mars Man]

We have gone camping every year in Hime, Toyama prefecture, by the beach. The area is open, no lots predecided and it's free. There are the normal facilities--toilet and cold water showers--and the beach and ocean are clean enough.

Yes the above posts are correct--and most do cost. Will you actually be on foot? or will you have a bike?

[名無し]

National Parks (http://www.env.go.jp/en/nature/nps/np.html)
more (http://www.env.go.jp/en/np/)

NCAJ (http://www.camping.or.jp/eng/)

[Jason Pitzer]

Marz Man never thought of the bike Idea. Humm I might just have to get a bike with a lil pull Cart thing to hold my stuff. LOL Also do they have like Moped Rental places?

[nice gaijin]

That is an awesome site misa.j! I even found free bouldering around tokyo, I'm stoked! a reason to pack my climbing shoes other than B-Pump :cool:

[Mars Man]

Also do they have like Moped Rental places?

Not that I know of. But I've seen a number of cross-country bikers coming through (usually in pairs, sometimes teams, and seldom solo) with two side bags in the back, a large saddle bag and cross-bar as well as handle bar bags.

It almost makes me want to stop what I'm doing, leave it all behind, and hit the road--sticky sweat, hardships, tiredness, rain, breakdowns and all !!

[strongvoicesforward]

Jason, you have to buy this book: Hiking in Japan: An Adventurer`s Guide to the Mountain Trails (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0870118935/qid=1144569339/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-8875032-2241411?s=books&v=glance&n=283155).

It is really a great book, despite two negative raps on it at the Amazon site (I suspect those came from the Lonely Planet author/editor of the rival book printed by them). The other reviews after those are all 4 and 5 star ratings for the book.

It is very useful. It lists all the trails with a difficulty and scenery rating. I have used it, and one of my most memorable adventures was hiking a very long mountain ridge course that lasted for 3 nights. I went alone and had an encounter with wild boars and about 100 mountain monkeys that appeared out of no where and were all around me crying and shrieking their howels. That course took me up Mt. Omine, a sacred mountain revered by Bhuddist priests (Yamabushi) who go on pilgrimages to its tops and trails around it, stopping to prey at little shrines scattered here and there in the forest. This mountain is very interesting because no women are permitted to climb it.

Check out the book and have a good trip.

SVF

[Ewok85]

I love camping, and was thinking about getting a motorbike. More than happy to rough it (just a sleeping bag and a tarp, 2 poles and some string for rain protection), and would love to do a week tour on the bike with my girl!

[Revenant]

Like Mars Man, we also go camping every year at the beach. We usually go to Sakaiminato in Tottori prefecture, and camp on the beach for free (not the small area that most Japanese campers go to). There is no tiolet, but there is a supermarket nearby that has a tiolet, and a convenience store just across the street that in emergency, one can make use of. Once every two or three days, we go to the local hotspring, shower up, get clean, all that stuff.

[Mars Man]

There you go !! Yeah it sounds so good Revenant, Ewok85...wish I could just cancel the rest of the spring semester and all, and hit the road for the beaches...(only no bikini clad [or almost clad] girls yet....hee, hee......)

[Ewok85]

I'm afraid the best I'm going to get this year is the local pool... which is far too shallow and warm for my tastes :(
Hey! I just noticed your in Nagano Marsman! I was up there for Golden Week, in 飯山, 戸狩温泉 to be exact. Squeezed in a final bit of skiing before all the snow was gone. Have to drop in and say hi next time :wave:

[Chi65]

I have been on some camping places while in Japan.
But I was not the one who had to pay, thus I don't know much about the prices.

The places were all really great, most of them also had wooden huts of different size, where several people could stay together, for example our artist group on the Aone campground, where we had a symposium with outdoor nature artwork and lectures.

Another time I was for example invited to join in a tent of friends to one near Nikko, on the Chuzenji lake, etc.

In all cases the places were great and clean, and we had real good fun!

Worth trying out indeed!