Spending 5 years in one of Japan’s most bustling cities can drain a lot of energy. That’s why a lot of Japanese people love camping so much. It’s a fun, quick and low-cost way to get away from all the noise that fills up our ears.
As I get older, I want to spend more precious time making memories with my close friends. Rather than going out for dinner or partying, I’d prefer to pack up some tents and find a peaceful camping ground.
In this blog, I want to introduce you guys to a recent spot that I went to recently and absolutely fell in love with.
That place is Kasagi Camping Ground. Address: Tsukuda Kasagi, Soraku District, Kyoto 619-1303
A quick search on Google and you will find that it is actually quite popular amongst Japanese. However, I found this place by pure coincidence while driving back from a trip to Kanagawa.
Entrance to the camping ground is ￥500 per person for the day or ￥1,000 if you want to stay overnight.
Personal Experience
Like mentioned previously, I stumbled upon this place by pure coincidence whilst on a my way back from Kanagawa. I decided to celebrate my birthday there with some friends as it was easily accessible and it allowed pets without extra fees (which is a huge plus in my books).
We went on a long week-end holiday in the middle of September, therefore, there was a lot of people there but we still managed to get a nice central spot near the river despite getting there a round 10am. The field is so big, there’s no doubt you’ll be able to find a good place. Season wise, I was surprised that it was still so hot out in September but we were lucky to be able to swim still.
Upon arriving, we were greeted with the staff at the entrance and paid the ￥500 per person fee and went on our way. As for the rest of the day, it was pretty much staff-less and we were free to spend it how we wanted to. To be honest, the river was “off-limits” but everyone was still swimming in it. You just have to remember to be careful because the rocks can get a little slippery.
Since the staff wasn’t roaming around to check on everyone and micro-managing it, it is your responsibility to keep the area clean as a sign of respect. Cleaning up was also easy because it had sinks and a shared washing area. The rules are generally pretty self-explanatory so I’m sure you’ll be fine! 🙂
Moreover, I read that it is beautiful there during cherry blossom season so I’m already excited to go back!
Here are some photos from my last trip to give you a general idea of what it looks like:
Accessibility
Car ride from Umeda, Osaka will take about 1 hour and a half without the need of getting on the high way (15 minute difference, not really worth getting on the highway).
Luckily, the camping ground is build right next to Kasagi train station, making it extremely accessible.
Here are some access point:
- From JR Osaka-Umeda Station : 1h29 – ￥1,170 one way
- From JR Namba Station: 1h23 – ￥1,180 one way
- From JR Kyoto Station: 1h14 – ￥860 one way
- From Hankyu Kawaramachi Station: 1h36 – ￥1,030 one way
- From JR Nara Station: 31minutes – ￥300
Ironically, the camping ground is closer to Nara although being part of Kyoto prefecture. It is because the camping ground is right at the southern border of Kyoto, nearing Nara. Nonetheless, it is easily accessible from different starting point with a travel time of under 2 hours.
Below, I will explain what the camping grounds have and what you will need to prepare.
What is included/offered:
- A place to park
- Sinks for washing
- Changing area
- Garbage area
- Charcoal disposal area
- Vending Machines (drinks)
- Wood (for campfire)
- Coin Showers (￥300/10 minutes)
What you will need to prepare:
- Camping gear (Tent, sleeping bag, mats, etc)
- BBQ gear (Bbq grill, charcoal, tongs, etc)
- Cooking Tools
- Food
- Drinks
- Change of clothes
In a gist, any essentials that you may want to bring for a camping trip. However, it is worth to note that they do daily rentals for items like BBQ tongs, kettle, tables chairs and so forth.
For more information, you can visit their official website:
Have fun camping and until next time,
Todaloo!
La Vy In Japan 
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