Camping is all about freedom, frontiers and seeing all the beautiful sights that comes along with exploring new areas. For some, this leads them all over the United States, to all its nooks and crannies. Others venture to Canada or Mexico or wherever the road will take them in North America. Still, others decide to find a way to camp overseas. Increasingly, we find that more people are camping in the beautiful country of Japan.
Many people think of Japan as a small country with beautiful gardens, Mount Fuji, and huge cities. And, in some ways, this is true. But there is another part of Japan that is wild, beautiful and waiting to be explored in the way we all love - by camping!
Camp In Car is a company based in Japan that rents RVs of various sizes. "Our main market is Japan, but we get more and more foreigners every year," says Toshi, owner of Camp In Car. Toshi started the company in a way that was similar to how many people get serious about camping. The urge to “get away from it all”.
"I started my career as a business man for the second biggest advertising company in Japan," Toshi recalls, "And I had two daughters. I was so busy working, but on weekends we would go for trips outside Tokyo, sleeping in a car and enjoying outdoor recreation like canoeing, biking, skiing, hiking and everything else."
He eventually got fed up being a businessman, so he started a consulting business, but it wasn't what he was looking for, so, 6 years ago, he started Camp In Car and never looked back.
"In Japan, there is no space for people to park RVs, so renting them is the best way for many people to use them," Toshi says.
Camp In Car utilizes online reservation technology to allow travelers to book an RV for their trip. They have an English website and have a support staff that speaks English. As the website caters to foreigners, it has a lot of support in terms of getting the RV to the recipient, as well as pick up from airports such as Narita in Tokyo. They even let you pick up from one airport or city and then drop it off at another. Before going to Japan for camping, however, it is good to know some of the basics about traveling there.
Visiting Japan: The Basics
On a visit to Japan, it is surprising how many people do not speak English, especially when getting off the beaten path. That being said, almost every sign on roads is in both English and Japanese. Expect some miscommunication; however, Japanese people, in general, are very polite and helpful.
The Japanese drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side of the vehicle. This takes some getting used to, but, because the driver’s wheel is on the other side, it becomes easy pretty quickly. Before being able to drive, one must get an International Drivers Permit from an Automobile Association, like AAA. It is a really simple process. It must be obtained before entering Japan as it is not possible to get one once you are in the country. The roads are a lot smaller than American roads, though the cars are smaller, too. The expressways are very expensive as compared to American toll ways. For example, to drive from Tokyo to Kyoto on the expressway is about 6 hours and costs about $100 in tolls. It is possible, and sometimes preferable, to take smaller roads that tend to be more scenic, yet they do take about twice as long if you have a destination in mind.
Camping with Camp In Car
The RVs that Camp In Car rent come in all shapes and sizes. Generally, they are smaller versions than American Class C and Class B counterparts. They drive easily on the roads and Camp In Car separates them into two different options - luxury and standard. Both have dining, beds, kitchen, a refrigerator and a stove, while the luxury option adds AC and heating. Their rates include insurance and everything except for the tax. They have discounts for using the vehicle more than 4 days (10% discount) and 7 days (20% discount). Additionally, their customer support will help you get to some pretty awesome spots with tips for campsites. "Campsites generally cost between $30-60," Toshi tells The Buzz.
Where To Go
Japan has over 20 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Beyond that, you’ll find shrines, mountains, lakes and beautiful landscapes. Some of the best spots to go to are Japanese Onsens, or Hot Springs. To get a taste of a Japanese Onsen in the USA, consider a visit to Ten Thousand Waves in Santa Fe. A lot of onsens have traditional Japanese food and are surrounded by nature.
The most famous and an easily accessible spot in Japan is Mount Fuji, where most foreigners go camping, according to Toshi. Matt De Sousa is an Australian who lives in Japan and decided to take some of his friends camping using Camp In Car. "Until then I had never considered Japan to be a camping-friendly destination, but after having successfully camped in this beautiful country, I would absolutely recommend if you are considering doing so," De Sousa writes. When visiting Mount Fuji, they stayed at Odakyu Forest Cottage, which is on the shores of Lake Yamanaka and provides a beautiful view of the famous mountain.
Japan is a gorgeous country. It is safe, clean and filled with natural wonders. Why not see everything in the way we all love - from the familiar wheel of an RV!
Business, Camping, Industry Edge, International, Rentals, RV Lifestyle