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A Japanese couple converted a Suzuki Every kei van into a camper and spent 1.5 years traveling around Japan. They chose a 2012 high-roof model for under 500,000 yen, painted it green, and furnished the interior in beige, keeping costs low. Despite the small space, they found it comfortable for two people.
Japanese builder Direct Cars has unveiled the soup, a light camper based on the Toyota TownAce Van GL. Prices start at 4.48 million yen for the 2WD version and 4.78 million yen for the 4WD. The camper features split second-row seats that can be folded to carry long items, full interior trim, a portable battery, LED spotlights, and an external shower. It seats four and is classified under Japan's 8-number plate category.
The Japan RV Association continues to expand its network of paid overnight parking facilities for car campers. The new RV Park Osasa is located at a pasture at an altitude of 1,300 meters in Nikko, Tochigi Prefecture. The park operates from mid-April to late October, accommodates 12 vehicles, and costs from 3,900 yen per night. Amenities include 24-hour toilets, electricity, and water, but trash must be taken away. Dairy products made from Brown Swiss cow milk are sold on site.
Japanese tuning company DAMD has built a compact sleeper camper based on the Daihatsu Atrai chassis. Despite its small size, the vehicle is fully equipped for camping, offering an alternative for those who cannot afford a full-size motorhome.
Royal Japan, a manufacturer and seller of trailers and containers, plans to open an unmanned trailer hotel with 18 rooms near JR Otaru Chikko Station on National Route 5 in September. This will be the company's second hotel, following the success of its unmanned hotel in Inaho, and aims to accommodate increasing tourists and construction workers.
Japanese company RV Trust has unveiled an updated version of the TR550L.Bolero-V.max camper based on the Toyota Hiace Wagon GL. The model features a modernized air conditioning system, a 400 Ah lithium-ion battery, and a 160 W solar panel. Inside, there are two fixed beds, a kitchen with a 65-liter refrigerator, and a separate toilet and shower room. Dimensions are 5480×2150×2850 mm, with prices in Japan starting at 14.9 million yen.
In March, Snow Peak Grounds Yoshinogari opened within the Yoshinogari Historical Park in Saga Prefecture. The campsite covers about 60,000 square meters, making it one of the largest in Kyushu. In addition to standard tent sites, it offers air-conditioned cottages and cabins, including a watchtower-themed cottage with a sauna and observation deck. The park saw a record 780,000 visitors last fiscal year, and the new camping facilities are expected to attract even more.
Ten days after the Kumamoto earthquake on July 28, 6,651 people remain in shelters, but many others are sleeping in vehicles. The group minori is conducting nighttime patrols to find and assist these individuals, providing supplies and health advice. Officials acknowledge that official figures do not capture the full scope of displacement.
Kyukamura Shikotsu will hold the 'Shikotsu Nature Positive Action' event on August 19 at Morappu Campground, commemorating the 100th anniversary of Chitose airport's opening. The event is free to attend, and participants receive a discount on campground fees. The initiative aims to promote biodiversity restoration through nature-positive actions.
The Japan RV Association has recommended three RV parks in Nagano Prefecture, located at altitudes between 1,000 and 1,500 meters, as a solution to summer heat during overnight stays in vehicles. The highest park, Tateshina La Planete at 1,500 m, accommodates only one vehicle per day, costing 4,400 yen per night, with a summer surcharge of 1,100 yen. Yatsugatake Harumura at 1,200 m offers sites from 2,200 to 5,000 yen, while Yutoron Suijin no Yu at 1,000 m charges 2,750 to 4,400 yen, plus 550 yen each for electricity and waste disposal. Experts note that temperature drops about 0.6°C per 100 m of altitude and advise bringing warm clothing and taking precautions against bears.
A journalist from DRIMO spent six months living in a standard kei car, a Daihatsu Move 2016, without any modifications. He slept in the car parked at a campsite, used a laundromat weekly, and cooked with a portable electric rice cooker. Despite the limited space (interior length 2080 mm, height 1280 mm, width 1320 mm), he says it is manageable, but notes that super height wagons like the Daihatsu Tanto or Honda N-BOX are more suitable for long-term living.
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An author with 15 years of car camping experience chose the kei truck 'Yadokari' as a mobile home. It features a removable living module, about 180 cm interior height, and a portable battery.
The Japan RV Association has certified a new RV park, 'RV Park Unnan Michi-no-Eki Sakura no Sato Kisuki Green Park', in Unnan, Shimane Prefecture. Located near the roadside station 'Sakura no Sato Kisuki' and the Hii River embankment, a famous cherry blossom spot, the park offers 4 parking spaces at 3,500 yen per night. Facilities include 24-hour toilets, free electricity, water, and trash disposal. It serves as a convenient base for visiting Izumo Taisha shrine and Matsue city.
Toyota and tuning partner Modellista have unveiled the 2026 Sienta Juno, based on the hybrid Sienta Z. The model features modular camping packages that convert the seven-seat MPV into a compact camper. Prices start at 3,713,600 yen for the front-wheel-drive version and 3,928,100 yen for the E-Four all-wheel-drive version. The four accessory packages are sold separately, ranging from 165,000 to 330,000 yen.
Governor Motohiro Ono of Saitama visited Japan Special Body's plant in Koshigaya on August 6, 2026, to inspect Phase-Free certified campers and discuss their use for disaster prevention and regional development.
The Japanese government and local authorities do not recommend long-term car camping for evacuation due to risks of economy-class syndrome and other health issues, but consider it a temporary solution when necessary. In summer, temperatures inside vehicles rise quickly, increasing the risk of heatstroke. The article provides tips on preventing blood clots, managing heat (choosing higher-altitude locations, ventilation, sunshades, cooling mats), and lists prices for equipment in yen.
In Oarai, Ibaraki Prefecture, the unmanned trailer hotel CUBE6, operated by the day-use hot spring facility Shiosai-no-Yu, has opened. Each of the six rooms features Simmons mattresses, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, and amenities. Guests receive free entry to the hot spring and sauna, which overlook the Pacific Ocean. Rates are 8,000 yen per person and 13,000 yen for two per night.
Japanese company Annex has launched series production of the compact Liberty 52 REi camper on a Toyota Camroad chassis. At 5.23 meters in length, the motorhome accommodates up to eight passengers and five berths, including a U-shaped lounge and a pull-out bed above the cab. It features a kitchen with an 85-liter refrigerator, solar panels up to 590 W, and battery options up to 9.6 kWh. Prices in Japan start at 16 million yen.
On the morning of Thursday, August 6, a motorhome overturned on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, after possibly suffering a tire blowout. The vehicle, carrying four people, hit the central median and flipped over. An 85-year-old woman was injured and taken to the hospital; her condition is not life-threatening. Police are investigating the exact cause, including the possibility that the left rear tire burst during the journey.
On the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, a camper van suffered a left rear tire blowout, collided with the central median and overturned. A woman in her 80s was injured and taken to hospital. The circumstances of the accident are under investigation.
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