I Looked Into Chichibu Sai no Kuni Camp Village

In Komorin's Armchair Travels, I've been looking into a series of campgrounds and day-trip hot springs lately. This time, continuing that trend, I decided to look into yet another facility.

What caught my eye this time was "Chichibu Sai no Kuni Camp Village." Just from the name, it sounds like it could be a tourist spot, but when I looked into it, it turned out to be a place surrounded by quite a lot of nature along a valley, and I even found information mentioning there's a goemon-buro (a traditional cast-iron bathtub) on the grounds. I wanted to get this sorted out once, so I put together what I found.

The Short Version

This looked like a campground right next to a valley where you can try the rare experience of a goemon-buro.
That said, the official tool gave the Rakuten Mobile signal a rating of C, so anyone who relies heavily on connectivity might want to keep that in mind.

I've put together the details below.

What Is Chichibu Sai no Kuni Camp Village, Nestled Along a Valley?

Chichibu Sai no Kuni Camp Village is apparently a campground located in the Urayama area of Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture. It seems to sit roughly 10km further upstream from the Urayama Dam (Chichibu Sakura Lake), and based on the access information on the official site, it appears to be a facility located quite deep in the mountains along a valley. Access is mainly by car, with directions given via the Hanazono IC on the Kan-etsu Expressway, following National Route 140, then turning onto a prefectural road at the traffic light near the Urayama Dam entrance. For those using train and bus, you'd apparently take the Chichibu Railway bus bound for "Urayama Dainichido" and then walk about 40 minutes from the terminal stop, which gives the impression that this is a place you need to prepare a bit for in terms of access.

Check-in is apparently from 1:00 PM to 6:00 PM, and check-out is by 11:00 AM. The pricing listed on the official site, revised as of November 2023, shows an entry management fee of 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for elementary school children, and 100 yen for young children, while the facility usage fee is 5,000 yen per site for auto camping (6,000 yen with an AC power outlet), and 2,500 yen for motorcycle camping. Payment is cash only, so if you're used to going cashless, it might be worth preparing ahead of time. Reservations aren't accepted by email, only by phone. It seems reservations open at 8:00 AM on the first day of the month, two months before your intended stay.

Komorin

Cash-only payment with phone-only reservations feels a bit unusual for a campground these days. Having a note prepared in advance seems like a good idea.

Two Baths That Caught My Attention: The Goemon-buro and the Rock Bath

Personally, what caught my attention the most was the "rock bath" on the second floor of the management building and the "goemon-buro" on the grounds. The rock bath is a paid, time-limited facility, priced at 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for elementary school children, and 100 yen for young children. The goemon-buro, on the other hand, is free and apparently the type where you heat it yourself by burning firewood, which sounds like a hands-on, experience-based bath — the kind of extra effort that feels distinctly suited to camping. As for showers, there's apparently a 24-hour coin-operated hot water shower available, which sounds like something you could use with a feeling similar to a typical campground.

Regarding the shop, the official site mentioned that while grill net rentals used to be offered, they're apparently switching to selling them instead going forward. I couldn't confirm the details of what's actually in stock, so it seems safer to bring your own gear just in case. As for rental items, they seem to offer a full lineup including blankets, mattresses, griddles, pots, rice cookers, kettles, and Dutch ovens, giving the impression that you could visit fairly light without bringing your own equipment.

Checking the Facilities and Prices That Matter to an Indoor Type Like Me

As for power, it seems the auto camping sites offer a plan with an AC power outlet included. The official site doesn't specify the exact number of such sites, so if you'd like a powered site, it might be a good idea to confirm at the time of booking. I didn't find any mention of Wi-Fi, so that's something to consider together with the Rakuten Mobile signal conditions covered later in this post. There wasn't any specific information about the restroom facilities on the official site either, so I couldn't determine things like actual cleanliness through this research.

Log bungalows are also available: a small one (about 6 tatami mats) for 10,000 yen, a large one (about 12 tatami mats) for 20,000 yen, and a special room with a toilet, kitchen, and irori hearth for 25,000 yen. For those without a tent, or for indoor types who'd rather stay in an actual building, these bungalows might be a welcome option.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "my Area Connectivity Simulator," the overall rating came out as "C." Given that this facility is located in a mountainous area along a valley, I felt it was worth checking the signal conditions ahead of time.

Based on this rating, it seems worth confirming just how easy it would be to make calls or search for things during your stay. If you mainly use Rakuten Mobile, it might be reassuring to think ahead about alternative ways to communicate, or about spots where the signal is more likely to reach.

Komorin

Hearing a C rating makes me brace myself a little, but for a facility that goes deep into a valley like this, it makes sense that the result would turn out this way. Personally, I'd want to bring a mobile battery and an offline map just in case.

If this is something you're curious about, you can check it yourself using the official Rakuten Mobile tool, so it might be worth taking a look before you visit.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Wrapping Up

Looking back over everything, Chichibu Sai no Kuni Camp Village gave me the impression of being a campground in a quiet setting along a valley, offering the rare experience of a goemon-buro. I was also struck by how well-equipped it is, with powered sites, log bungalows, and even a paid rock bath, making it seem approachable even if you don't bring your own gear. On the other hand, points like phone-only reservations, cash-only payment, and the C rating for Rakuten Mobile signal are things I felt were worth knowing ahead of time. I'd like to keep organizing information like this as I look into the next place that catches my interest.

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