"Too popular to revisit" — top-ranked roadside stations praised for great food, ideal for car camping, and everything conveniently close

In Oita Prefecture, Yufu City, the hand-built campsite CAMP×WOODS spans about 60,000 tsubo (approx. 20 hectares) of oak forest along Yamanami Highway, 15 minutes by car from Yufuin hot spring town. The site offers auto, solo, and dog-friendly pitches. Rates: weekdays 2,000 yen per adult; weekends and holidays 3,000 yen; under 18s and pets free. Gravel ground ensures good drainage in rain. Facilities include clean toilets, cooking areas, and firewood sold at 700 yen per bucket.

Two travelers who converted a US school bus into a camper shared their 500-day living experience. They addressed women's top concerns: bathing (public baths and hot springs), toilets (highway rest areas, portable toilet rarely used), and safety (choosing spots with activity and moderate lighting). The key takeaway is that a sense of security matters more than equipment.

On April 25, the Oonuma Camp Field opens on the summit of Mount Akagi (Gunma Prefecture), rebuilt on the site of a former lakeside campground. Area: approx. 68,000 m²; total cost: ¥1.8 billion. It features 109 plots, some with trailer houses (travel trailers) with hotel-like interiors and dog runs. Rental equipment is available. Reservations are handled via Snow Peak’s website; Golden Week slots are already fully booked. Separately, on April 24, the 'Hobo no Eki AKAGI' facility started full operations, offering food and goods using local ingredients.

On March 19, the Misuzuko Mori no Kuni Auto Campground in Matsumoto held its Sakura Festival open to the general public for the first time. Previously, the event was restricted to campground users. Activities included woodworking workshops, making 'God's Eye' crafts, and food sales. The campground manager stated they plan to continue the open event.

DTAC, the designated operator, reopened the renovated Inoda Campground on Ishigaki Island's east coast on April 25, 2026. In partnership with NPO Nature Service, the site adopted hotel-level cleanliness standards and digital booking systems, leveraging know-how from the operator's Ishigaki Hills hotel. A beach cleanup with local high school students was also carried out.

Minako Tanaka, actress and ambassador of Japan RV Association, shared her family's five-year journey in a Nuts Clair camper. They visited 46 prefectures, saving on accommodation: RV parking costs about 4,000 yen per night versus 60,000–70,000 yen for a hotel for four