I Looked Into Nakatsugawa-mura Campsite

On this blog, I keep researching campsites and day-trip hot springs, and lately I've been looking into several candidates in the Saitama area, focusing mainly on facilities I could reach without a car.

This time I looked into Nakatsugawa-mura Campsite. I came across information suggesting there's a free hot spring facility on the grounds, and that caught my interest, so I decided to look into it right away.

What Kind of Place Is Nakatsugawa-mura Campsite?

Apparently, this is a campsite located in the Nakatsugawa area of Chichibu City, Saitama Prefecture. The operating season runs from late April to around late November, and it seems to close for many winters.
Check-in starts at 1:00 PM, and checkout is 11:00 AM for tent sites and 10:00 AM for bungalows (log cabins).

As for pricing, tent sites (free-layout sites) are set at 2,000 yen for solo campers, 4,000 yen for standard size (for 2 or more people), and 6,000 yen for large or two-room setups, and this price apparently includes admission to the on-site hot spring. There are also around 30 bungalows available, with sizes ranging from about 4.5 to 15 tatami mats, starting at roughly 7,000 to 8,000 yen per unit, though the detailed price list isn't published, so it seems you need to confirm by phone when booking.

Reservations don't seem to be accepted through an online form, and it appears bookings are handled by phone only. Payment is also cash-only, apparently, so it's probably a good idea to keep that in mind before visiting.

Komorin

Having the hot spring fee included in the site fee is a quietly nice touch, I thought. If it were a separate charge, I'd probably end up agonizing over whether to actually go in or not, so having it included from the start feels a lot more relaxing.

Checking the Facilities That Caught My Eye as an Indoor Type

As for the main attraction, Nakatsugawa Onsen, it seems the men's bath is a rock bath and open-air bath, while the women's bath is a cypress (hinoki) bath, and it's apparently available for use after sunset. There are also separate showers set up on the grounds.

Here's what I was able to confirm about the other facilities:

• Restrooms: There are flush toilets. It seems there are also multi-purpose restrooms, child seats, and a diaper-changing area, though there doesn't appear to be a bidet toilet
• Power sites: None
• Wi-Fi: None
• Shop/Rentals: The management building apparently sells firewood, charcoal, and has vending machines, and rentals are available for things like bedding, barbecue equipment, and cooking utensils
• Cooking facilities: There's a cooking area, cooking stoves, and apparently even a pizza oven
• Access: It seems you cross a suspension bridge from the parking lot to enter the grounds, and cars aren't allowed inside. Handcarts and wheelbarrows are apparently available to help carry luggage, so that's probably worth remembering
• Open fires: Apparently allowed

With no power or Wi-Fi, I got the impression that this is a place built around spending time immersed in nature. It doesn't seem like the kind of campsite suited to staying while working.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

I checked the location of this facility using the official "my area Coverage Simulation" tool, and the overall rating came back as "C."

Compared to other facilities I've looked into so far, this result suggests it's probably best to be a bit cautious about connectivity here. The valley location, entered by crossing a suspension bridge, might also be a factor. If you're planning to rely on connectivity during your stay, it seems wise to prepare with this result in mind.

Komorin

Honestly, the "C" rating was a bit of a concerning result. That said, since this is a place with no power or Wi-Fi to begin with, if you think of it as a chance to boldly disconnect, that could be one way to enjoy the stay.

Nearby Sightseeing Spots That Caught My Interest

While researching, I also found out that nearby there are spots like Nakatsu Gorge, known as a famous spot for autumn leaves, an adjacent stream fishing area, the Sai no Kuni Fureai no Mori and Saitama Prefectural Forest Science Museum, Takizawa Dam, and Mount Ryokami.

If you go a little further, there's also the Otaki Onsen "Yuyukan" rest stop, where you can apparently enjoy a hot spring with a different atmosphere from the one on the campsite grounds. There are also rest stops like Chichibu and Arakawa nearby, so I felt these could be good candidates to stop by during a stay.

Wrapping Up

Summing things up, my impression of Nakatsugawa-mura Campsite is that it's a campsite characterized by having admission to the on-site Nakatsugawa Onsen included in the site fee.

With no power or Wi-Fi, it seems like a place with a strong sense of stepping away from everyday life, but being able to properly rest and relax in the hot spring feels like a major plus in return. It's probably worth knowing in advance that reservations are by phone only, not online, and that payment is cash-only.

As for Rakuten Mobile signal, the result came back as a "C" rating, so if you're planning a stay that relies on connectivity, and this is a concern for you, it might be a good idea to check with the official Rakuten Mobile tool beforehand.

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