Kyohei Nakahama, a staff member at the Alpen Outdoors flagship store in Kashiwa with 16 years of car camping experience, recommends autumn as the season for a first overnight stay in a vehicle. The five essential items are an inflatable mat at least 5 cm thick (10 cm for comfort), a rectangular synthetic sleeping bag with a comfort rating of 5°C or lower, window shades, a small LED lantern with 200–400 lumens, and sandals. He also lists six optional accessories: hanging storage, a pillow, a mini cooler box, a trash can, a hanging chain, and a small table.
