Hi everyone!

I am new to this area/community and I'm really looking for somewhere i can camp, not in a giant camp ground w/ RVs and stuff but up in the mountains with maybe some lake and some rivers and (if possible in Japan) not so many people. I know there are a lot of laws about where you can camp but i'm thinking somewhere that is a) an exception to those laws, b) does not enforce those laws, or c) has a hike-in camp ground that is legal to camp in so car campers cant reach it... If you know any of those i'd really appreciate any info you could give me! Hike-in camping up to about 5 miles or a 2-3 night backpacking trip is fine. And i have reasonable experience so mountains etc. are no problem! Even bus-accesible camp grounds would be alright if they were by a lake/river you could swim in and didnt have electricity, showers, RVs, etc.

In the magazine section of any decent sized bookstore, you'll find an outdoor/climbing mag titled ALPS. It will be in the outdoor/nature section. This magazine will outline many of the best hikes in all the major mountains. Of course its in Japanese, but the maps & photos are great. If you want something in English, try the lonely Planet's Hiking in Japan.

There are a plethora of campgrounds. Most cost 500 yen and have access to water, mountain huts with food/beer and peace & quiet (except during peak season or holiday weekends when its hard to find seclusion.)

Good luck,

Nicholas

If you're concerned about getting busted for illegal camping, then all you have to do it set up camp at night and take down really early in the morning. I've done this countless times and have never had a problem, including camping on Shirahama beach in Wakayama where there were tons of "No Camping" signs.

Also, just pick a relatively concealed campsite and you'll be on your way. If you're in the wilderness you can pretty much camp anywhere that's flat and has access to drinking water.

It also helps to have some wilderness camping knowledge (i.e. how to tie up food, dig a pit toilet, etc).

Every time I go hiking I always look for campsites for future reference. Get out there and explore!

If you have questions about certain areas/mountains, then post them in a separate thread and they'll get answered.

Thanks for the tip on ALPS. Going to look that up today. Yeah, I have camped out about a dozen times since April, even on the beach with a bunch of signs. As stated, setup camp as much out of sight as possible (except on real mountain trails), then break down everything right at sunrise, and all should be fine.

About one month ago, I finished a two-day hiking course at an end-point that had only 4 buses a day. I missed the last bus, so just setup camp after dark within eye shot of the bus stop.