Myself and a few friends are planning a trip to Tokyo (hopefully) in 2022. I’ve been before, so planning for that hasn’t been an issue. We were also thinking about taking a few days at the end of the trip to go camping. Having never camped in Japan before, I had a few questions.
We have been looking at camping in Nagano prefecture, what time of year would have the best weather for camping?
Are there any special procedures/permits that are different from camping in north america that we need to know about?
We have our own gear that we would like to bring. Obviously, things like gas stoves aren’t something we can bring, but are there other items that shouldn’t be brought in?
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Kamikochi would be an amazing place to camp in Nagano as you’d stay overnight in a National park and wake up to jaw dropping views of the Japanese Alps. There is a camping spot there where you can reserve a tent and rent all the other gear you may need. Or, you could stay at a lodge like Nishi-to-ya that is a hotel feel but a bit less expensive than some other options in the park as there are only shared bathrooms and large/bath – no private bathrooms in the room. We just got back from an overnight stay at Nishi-to-ya and it was amazingly gorgeous with a sky full of stars at night. Can’t recommend staying in Kamikochi more highly.
Kamikochi is closed from mid-Nov to mid-April. July and August can be quite rainy there someone told me. We stayed in mid-October and had perfect weather. Fall is usually peak camping season in Japan as less chance of rain and beautiful fall leaves but that means camp sites/lodges do book up quickly. The official Kamikochi website has all the info you’d need on getting there and hiking options in the park. If you go, stay 2 nights so you can really relax and enjoy.
– [Kamikochi Official Website ](https://www.kamikochi.org)
– [Konashidaira Camping Retreat ](https://goo.gl/maps/gJwDwiQcfqkLGECA7)
– [Kondashidaora Camping: English Guide ](http://www.nihonalpskankou.com/common/pdf/EnglishGuide2020.pdf)
– [Kamikochi Nishi-Ito-ya Mountain Lodge ](https://goo.gl/maps/HpFV9T1N3NZAnFLXA)
Nagano is freezing and snowy in winter, and unbearably humid in summer. So spring or autumn.
You don’t need any permits, but you generally can’t just find a place in the forest to camp, you should camp at a private campsite.
Camping in Japan is the same as camping anywhere, you don’t need any special tools.
Sometimes you can camp outside an official campsite in Japan, in a natural area away from a populated area, but you cannot make a fire or anything. If you drop a tent in a forest, out of site, you won’t be arrews Paid campsites are usually for motorists, so they are usually quite crowded, but they often provide free firewood or other amenities.
I checked a site that lists free campsites in Japan. There is one listing for Nagano Prefecture, open from April to October.
Free campsites are usually free because they are more basic than drive-in campsites.
https://www.nap-camp.com/nagano/12238
In Nagano there are municipal and private campsites. The campsites provide rental gear.
What you should look, and plan, for is public transport. I won’t be surprised if none of you would be confident in driving in Japan (right hand drive, really strict driving laws, really narrow roads), nor would have an appropriate license. A lot of the nice places are (no surprise) in remote places where train stations are far and buses are infrequent. It will really help if you can find and read the bus time tables, and if you can call up the companies that manage the sites beforehand.
That said – camping is Japan can be… different compared to what you know in the US. At some places it’s closer to glamping, and most places have a working toilet and running water. And there are also companies who rent out camper vehicles – anything from a Jimny to a FJ Cruiser to a Land Rover to a VW Kombi. The country really opens up if you can drive here (and have money for gas and toll).