Driving through Japan is always a wonderful journey. It allows you to see and stop at so much of the country that you otherwise may gloss over. While we started the camping journey of Japan in Hokkaido, at Snow Peak Campfield Tokachi Poroshiri the first true camping experience took place a little further south at Snow Peak Campfield Rikuzentakata in Fukushima Prefecture. To get here was a journey in and of itself. We flew, drove rental cars, and took trains of multiple types from fast to painstakingly slow.
While we'd visited other Campfield locations in the past, the full experience of camping at one was unique. If you're thinking about adding a camping stop to your trip, you should know that it does require a bit of planning - and reservations on a Saturday night are strongly encouraged. It also required buying camping gear in Japan as we talked about in our guide.
Getting to Campfield Rikuzentakata
Snow Peak Campfield Rikuzentakata is located on the Eastern coast of Japan about halfway between the bustling hub of Tokyo and the northern city of Sapporo. Because of this, it's one of the hardest Snow Peak Campfield locations to get to without spending a day of travel time. While it can be reached with mass transit, using a Shinkansen and JR line, it is a 7 hour journey and will cost a little over $100 per person at the time of writing.
While driving the same route will not save much time at 6 hours, it does offer much more flexibility, freedom, and easier storage of your bags and tents - and is our recommendation if you are visiting Rikuzentakata specifically. Renting a car in Japan is not a daunting task, and if you're not married to driving in luxury you can rent a spacious and efficient car for around $60 per day.
Checking In
My check-in was at 14:00 (2:00pm as Japan uses 24hr clocks), and I pulled up the hill a little early. It was mid October, and the sun sets very early this time of year, with the golden hour beginning around 4:00 in the afternoon. I wanted to ensure there was enough time to explore the grounds, check out the store, and enjoy the sunset over the cliffs of Rikuzentakata.
Pulling in you're greeted with the large main building and ample parking across the street for day use. Leaving the car I walked inside to check-in and say hello, only to be astonished by the enormity of the space. Offering the full breadth of gear, apparel, point gifts, and food, the space was incredibly inviting. I picked up a few final pieces of gear that I needed to stay the night. While I didn't opt for it, if you want to stay light on gear Rikuzentakata (like most locations) will rent you a wide assortment of equipment such as the Single Action Table and Folding Chairs. If you're not interested in grocery shopping, you can also rent a BBQ kit, which includes meats, veggies, and Grill Burner - though it requires 14 days of notice and was not something I was able to take advantage of.
However, I did opt to rent a Takibi fireplace. It was the one piece of gear I didn't want to buy in Japan. Not only did I have one waiting for me at home, but the size, weight, and messiness of it was not ideal for undertaking travel. At $30 per night, it was on the pricier side and did not come with firewood. I purchased two bundles, one hardwood and one softwood (how most firewood is sold in Japan) which would get me through the evening and allow a little leftover for the morning.
Upon check-in, you may be able to move your reservation depending on what occupancy levels may be. While I had initially just rented a free-site, the staff offered a map of the grounds and allowed me to drive around and get a sense of the different offerings. I'm incredibly glad I did, as there's quite a difference in the sites available with little difference to price.
Different Sites and Different Stays
Depending on what type of experience you're looking for, Snow Peak Campfield Rikuzentakata is without a most diverse site I've been fortunate enough to visit with 6 different accommodations.
- Free Site
- Private Site
- Powered Site
- Dog Run
- Jyubako Cabin
- Cabin
All types of sites do have access to the same facilities (more on that later), so when choosing your stay it's wise to think only about the type of experience you're looking for.
Free Site (Field A & C)
The most basic place to set up your tent is the standard free site. Like most free sites, it is a large field with no pre-defined spaces. You have a high likelihood of being close to your neighbors, and your car will be a further walk. At Rikuzentakata, there are two free site fields available to pick from.
Field A is the larger of the two, and is near the entry and store. It is more secluded as a field, sitting at the base of a small valley and surrounded by steep hills on all sides. Field C is further removed, but flat and with a nice treeline fencing it in.
Private Site (Loop B)
This is where I ultimately opted to stay, and it's easy to see why. Many of the sites sit at the edge of the cliffside, overlooking the bay and even Sanriku Fukko National Park. Sites are clearly defined, with plants and shrubbery making for natural fences, and cars can be easily backed in for a fast load and unload. This Loop is also home to the highest elevation of tent sites.
However, it's also the furthest away from the entrance and store, which caused me to do more driving within the Campfield than I had anticipated.
Powered Site (Loop B)
Nested within the same loop are the powered sites. Identical to Private Sites in every way including barriers and views, the difference being each has an outlet allowing for powered devices, batteries, or RV usage. While those of us who are tourists in the country likely won't need the use of it, these sites can be a good option if the normal private sites are all reserved, as the cost is only a little more per night.
Dog Run (Loop E)
A unique aspect of some campgrounds in Japan is the Dog Run site. While it's possible these may exist in America, I've never come across one. At it core, the Dog Run is simply a campsite that is fully fenced in. Visitors can park their car inside the fence, setup, all while the pup is free to run and roam without a leash. It's a wonderful concept that I wish we could see more of here.
This Loop also has a small dog park, another fenced in area that is free of campers where friendly dogs can play together off-leash.
Jyubako Cabin
The Jyubako Cabins at Rikuzentakata are arguably the most scenic in the entire country. Unlike many that are mobile, these are on a permanent structure. Sitting perched at of the highest elevations on the grounds, they offer an unbeatable view that extends for miles.
Unlike the Jyubako Cabins at Tokachi Poroshiri in Hokkaido, these are the more modern versions, each featuring running water, a shower, and bathroom.
Cabin
The big secret of Snow Peak's Rikuzentakata Campfield is that it was not always theirs. Snow Peak purchased the site a few years ago as part of their expension efforts. This meant existing structures were already built and ready to go.
The good news is that this allows you to rent a large home, often two stories or with private dog runs for just around $180 per night. The bad news is that because Snow Peak did not design or build these, they're devoid of the flair that likely brought you to Rikuzentakata to begin with. However, if you have a larger group the value is hard to beat.
Amenities at Rikuzentakata
While every Campfield from Snow Peak is generally well supported with services to make camping more comfortable - something that can be incredibly helpful for tourists. Rikuzentakata is especially so. Available at each loop or field is a wash building that is free to use for all visitors that puts many hotels to shame.
Divided into 6 sections, each wash building contains
- Two 12' long sinks for dishes
- A men's shower room
- A women's shower room
- A men's bathroom (with heated bidet toilets)
- A women's bathroom (with heated bidet toilets)
- A laundry room
Unsurprisingly, the facility is very clean, and as a hub also includes a number of both hot and cold vending machine options. Like most Japanese buildings, taking your shoes off is required and bath slippers are available for both the shower and bathrooms. Though for those with larger feet be warned, they're on the smaller side.
For me, the laundry room was the biggest treat. Having been on the road for a week at this point I was at the end of my clean clothing and was not looking forward to the prospect of waiting around at a coin laundry. This facility offered both washers and dryers (the latter is often missing at these facilities) as well as detergent that was free to use. While instructions were available in Japanese, it was easy enough to figure out the process thanks to a live camera translation app on my phone.
For Those Who Dislike Spiders
If you've spent any time in non-urban spaces of Japan, especially in the fall, you'll be familiar with the Joro spider. While harmless to humans, the size of not just the spiders but their webs which can extend from the ground to powerlines. Rikuzentakata is no exception to these green behemoths. Because of their prevalence, it's not uncommon to see them in the trees, but don't be surprised if they show up in common areas such as the wash buildings.
If you can, ignore them and they'll be more than happy to ignore you. If you can't, use another route - as they're a type of spider that doesn't tend to move much once in their position, you run a little risk of them walking into your path again.
While on the topic of bugs of all kinds, it may be a surprise as the sun sets to hear the pops of bug zappers. For me, it reminds me of childhood in a way that may be nostalgic but often now makes me think of damage to already declining bug populations. However, zappers are incredibly common in the Japanese countryside, and Rikuzentakata is no exception. Large in size, they will continue to zap zap zap late into the night.
What is Camping Actually Like?
Once I had set up, started my load of laundry, and wandered the grounds a bit I was able to settle in and enjoy some time. As mentioned and shown, the scenery and landscape of Rikuzentakata is absolutely breathtaking. Being a Thursday night, it was very quiet - with only one other family in my loop, and 4 other groups I counted camping in total.
My food was pretty simple, I had purchased one of the Snow Peak Eat curry meals, as well as a few pre-packaged items from the local 7-11, which is only a 5 minute drive down the hill from the Campfield entrance.
If you're unfamiliar with the Conbini (a portmanteau of convenience-store), it is a staple of every part of Japan. Even in the smallest of small towns, you can often find a 7-11, Family Mart, Lawson or Daily Yamazaki. Unlike American convenience stores, you'll find scores of fresh foods, pre-packaged foods, even clothing and daily necessities.
For me, who didn't have the ability to craft a meal from scratch on this outing, it was a great way to make a varied and high quality meal with little effort.
Once the sun had set, you got the experience that is typical of any camping journey, the crackle of fires and soft conversations. While I was solo, I was able to enjoy the fires warmth as I opened a beer and contemplated the first week of this trip.
The weather was mild, which meant for a comfortable night of sleeping - and with the bathroom close by those middle of the night trips were easy to handle. Being on the coast and at the bay, Rikuzentakata will always be a bit more comfortable in the spring and fall, warmer in winter, though humid in the summer. Being mid-October, I took full advantage of this with a clear evening and moody foggy morning.
Final Thoughts
The biggest shame of Snow Peak's Rikuzentakata Campfield is how hard to get to it is. Even their Tokachi Poroshiri Campfield in Hokkaido is faster to get to from downtown Tokyo by a few hours without costing any more in travel expenses. I would love to include it on future trips, but the convenience of locations like HQ1 and Kanuma make it hard to justify the journey despite being on of the most scenic options in the Snow Peak Campfield portfolio. But if you find yourself in the northern quarter of Honshu, it is a must visit.
