Safe and Fun! 10 Campgrounds in Japan
When you think of Japan, you think of buildings! People! Cars! If you're the kind of person that has that image of Japan, here is some information for you. 2/3s of Japan is forested, making it 3rd in the world ranking of countries with forestry. Japan is also ranked #6 in length of coastline. Now that you know that, did you know that the numbers of foreign travelers taking advantage of Japan's beautiful campgrounds is increasing? Here are some campgrounds that foreigners can easily enjoy!
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1. Gaze At Mt. Fuji While You Glamp! HOSHINOYA Fuji [Yamanashi]
Hoshinomiya Fuji is Japan's first glamping resort. "Glamping," a portmonteau of "glamorous" and "camping," is a way to enjoy camping without giving up as much of the luxuries of everyday life. Hoshinoya is a company that manages unique resorts all around Japan with the ideal that they want to create memories for their customers. Hoshinoya Fuji is near Kawaguchiko Lake and is completely outfitted with tents, campfires, and a restaurant that you can enjoy while also enjoying the beautiful scenery of the lake and Mt. Fuji. There are also many activities such as horseback riding, canoeing, forest trail hiking, and more!
HP: hoshinoyafuji.com/en/#/home
Address: 1408 Oishi, Fujikawaguchiko-machi, Minami Tsuru-gun, Yamanashi, 401-0305 (Google Map)
2. Enjoy the Lake, The Sand, and the Hot Springs! Sunayu Camp-jo [Hokkaido]
This is a campground on the beach of one of Hokkaido's most secluded areas, Lake Kussharo. If you dig a hole in the beach, the natural spring water will well up and you can make an open-air bath. There's always steam coming up from the beach, making it a rather mysterious scene. In the summer lots of families go, so it becomes lively like a public beach.
HP: www.bes.or.jp/kawayu/camp.html#C2 (Japanese Only)
Address: Sunayu, Kussharo Kohan, Teshikagamachi, Kamikawa-gun, Hokkaido (Google Map)
3. Ashinoko Camp Village [Kanagawa]
Hakone, near Tokyo, is a town rich in beautiful scenery. Among them is Lake Ashi ("Ashinoko"), and its sole campground. There are cabins as well, so you can easily camp here if you don't have a tent. You can use this as a base and spend the day exploring Hakone. In the actual lake itself you can enjoy fishing for brown trout and rainbow trout.
HP: campmura.com/ (Japanese Only)
Address: 164, Moto-Hakone, Hakone-machi, Ashigara-shimo-gun, Kanagawa 250-0522 (Google Map)
4. Make Your Childhood Dreams Come True! Treehouse Village Odagiri Garden [Tochigi]
This campground north of Tokyo in Tochigi's Nasu area is unique in that it has treehouses. Doesn't it remind you of the secret places you used to play in with just your friends as a kid? There's a huge field there as well too so you can run around and play as much as your heart desires.
HP: www13.plala.or.jp/nasu-treehouse/ (Japanese Only)
Address: 4597-12 Takakuhei, Nasu-machi, Nasu-gun, Tochigi-ken 325-0302 (Google Map)
5. Camp in Hiroshima's Famous Sightseeing Spot, Miyajima! Tsutsumigaura Park [Hiroshima]
Itsukushima Shrine was #3 on Tripadvisor's "Foreign Tourists' Favorite Sightseeing Spots in Japan 2015" ranking and Mt. Misen was #20. Both of these sights are on Hiroshima's Miyajima Island. On that same island Tsutsumigaura Park, and in there is a campground. There's even one cabin that you can rent, so people who don't have tents can stay there.
HP: visit-miyajima-japan.com/en/prepare-your-stay/camping-et-location-de-bungalow.html
Address: Miyajima Tsutsumigaura, Hatsukaichi-shi, Hiroshima 739-0588 (Google Map)
6. Explore the Lake Hidden in the Mountains! Tazawako Campground [Akita]
On the sole campground on the shores of Tazawako, Japan's deepest lake, they offer not just tent space but an camp site for trailers as well as complete bungalows. You can also rent tents, so there's no need to bring your own if you don't want to. You can windsurf or canoe on the waters of the lake, climb up waterfalls in an activity called "shower climbing," and trek up nearby Mt. Kisokoma. You can hike there in the winter as well.
HP: www.tazawako.net/tazawako/annai.html (Japanese Only)
Address: Haruyama-152 Tazawako Tazawa, Senboku-shi, Akita 014-1204 (Google Map)
7. Stay Here During Your Trek on the Kumano Kodo Roads! Wataze Midori no Hiroba Campground [Wakayama]
This campground is only 4 km from the UNESCO Cultural Heritage site Kumano Hongu Taisha, the final place on the pilgrimage roads of the Kumano Kodo. At the Carehouse Kumano Honsha building on the grounds you can enjoy the hot springs and a pool. There are package plans where you can stay in a bungalow and have a traditional Japanese dinner in the ryokan at the Kawayu Onsen.
HP: www.kumano-de-kenko.com/kurhaus/camp/ (Japanese Only)
Address: 45-1 Hongucho Wataze, Tanabe-shi, Wakayama-ken 647-1733 (Google Map)
8. Camp Near the Gorgeous Houses of the Shirakawa-Go Historical Village! Shiragawa-go Hirase Onsen Campsite [Gifu]
Shirakawa-go is home to the UNESCO World Heritage site of the Historic Villages of Shirakawa-go, famous for the unique thatched huts in the area. On the riverbanks of the Shou River that runs through it is a wide campground. You can stay there in tents, campers, or the available cabins. The Oushirakawa Onsen Shiramizu no Yu hot spring resort is just a ten minute walk away.
Address: 247-7 Hirase, Shirakawa-mura, Ohno-gun, Gifu-ken 501-5507 (Google Map)
9. The Beauty of the Tropical Seas Unfold Right in Front of You! Ama Beach Campground & Cabins [Okinawa]
From Okinawa's main island you take a boat to the Shirajimi Island in the Kerama Islands, an area known as a diving mecca. In 2014, it was designated as a national park, so the country takes good ecological care of it. This campground is on one of Shirajimi Island's most beautiful beaches, Ama Beach. For people who don't have tents, there is one cottage available for rent. There are marine sports like diving and sea kayaking available, as well as hiking trails on the island, whale watching, and island hopping.
HP: www.vill.zamami.okinawa.jp/enjoy/stay/2.html (Japanese Only)
HP (English): www.vill.zamami.okinawa.jp.e.gz.hp.transer.com/enjoy/stay/2.html (Automatic translation)
HP (English): zamamitouristinfo.wordpress.com/stay/ama-beach-campground/
Address: Zamamison, Shimajiri-gun, Okinawa 901-3403 (Google Map)
10. Experience Camping In the Very Center of Tokyo! Japonica Lodge [Tokyo]
In the forest of buildings in Tokyo there is NOT a campground. But there is Japonica Lodge. It's a guesthouse, but the sleeping areas are inside tents or hut-style beds. Even though it's in the center of Tokyo, the lodging fee is only 2500 yen! The tents are made by Japanese brands, and if you like it you can buy it (they'll even discount the lodging fee!) They're disinfected and deodorized so you can rest easy. There's a shared toilet, shower, free Wifi, lockers, and luggage space. It's in the middle of Asakusa, near Sensoji Temple and Tokyo Skytree, making it really convenient!
HP: www.japonica-lodge.com/tokyo-base-camp/accommodation/
Address: 1-3-3 Hanakawado, Taito-ku, Tokyo 111-0033 (Google Map)
On your next trip to Japan, why not try to do something a little unique and have a short stay at one of these campgrounds?
The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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