Evacuee count misses those sleeping in cars after Kumamoto earthquake

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.

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.

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.

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.