High off-road capability makes Delica D5 the best minivan for car camping and family camping

Assist You Co., Ltd. has deployed AI cameras at the Katarau-Stand campsite in Gokase, Miyazaki Prefecture. This marks the first full-scale installation of AI cameras at a campsite in the prefecture. The 'AI KIDs' system detects people and vehicles, monitors crossings of virtual lines and intrusions into designated areas, and sends alerts. The cameras operate 24/7, including nighttime via infrared, and footage can be accessed remotely via smartphone or PC.

Glamping operator Solana Resort launches Solana Private Villa and Solana Beach Villa. First units open summer 2025 in Yamanashi and Chiba prefectures.

On April 28, the Outdoor Village Yakage complex opened in Yakage, Okayama Prefecture. The 46,000 sq m site includes an auto campground, a water plaza, and the Montbell Yakage store — the largest in the Chugoku-Shikoku region. The two-story visitor center (1,400 sq m floor area) houses the Montbell store with about 25,000 products, an Italian cafe, and a viewing deck on the second floor. This is Montbell's 133rd store in Japan and fourth in the prefecture.

Outdoor119, an e-commerce site specializing in motorhome gear and disaster preparedness supplies, announced on April 28, 2026, that it has become an authorized dealer of the 'Kokkun Nomero Zou' series of emergency water filters manufactured by Miyasaka Kogyo. The filters operate via a manual pump, requiring no electricity, and can purify water from bathtubs, storage tanks, and even rivers. Models vary in capacity and filter type, with all units certified by public testing agencies for compliance with drinking water standards.

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.