I Looked Into Okuchichibu Ryokami Camping Ground

I've been continuing my project of researching campgrounds and day-trip hot springs one by one and writing them up on this blog. Looking back, I've noticed the number has grown quite a bit by now.

This time I looked into "Okuchichibu Ryokami Camping Ground." When I heard it has a simple setup style with no powered sites, I got curious about how comfortable someone like me—who tends to be more of an indoor type—could actually be there, so I decided to look into it.

The Short Version

While there are flush toilets in two spots on the grounds, there are no powered sites, which gave me the impression this is a place for people who bring their own gear and really commit to camping.
The Rakuten Mobile signal apparently came back with a C rating, so it seems like connectivity might need a bit of extra attention.

I've put together the details below.

What Kind of Place Is Okuchichibu Ryokami Camping Ground?

This campground is located in Ogano, Chichibu District, Saitama Prefecture, and it seems it used to be advertised under a slightly different name as well. The operating season runs roughly from early May through the end of October each year, and it looks like weekdays in September and October are closed, so that's worth checking in advance. Check-in is at 12:00 and check-out is at 10:00, and apparently if you stay past that, a day-camp fee kicks in.

As for pricing, it seems to be structured roughly as follows.

Facility usage fee: 330 yen per person per night (elementary school age and up), 220 yen (young children)
Auto sites: 6,600 yen per site (one tent, up to 5 people, up to one car or two motorcycles, additional person 1,100 yen)
Solo sites: 3,300 yen per site (up to 1 person, up to one car or motorcycle)
Bungalows: seems to range from 8,800 yen for a 4-person room up to 44,000 yen for a 17-person room
Parking: 1,100 yen per car, 550 yen for motorcycles
Bath: 660 yen for adults, 330 yen for children (available 17:00–20:00)

Reservations can apparently be made through the online reservation form on the official website or by phone. It seems you need to pay about 30% of the usage fee in advance as a deposit via bank transfer, and payment on-site is cash only, so that's something worth knowing ahead of time.

Komorin

The cash-only payment thing felt kind of refreshing while I was researching this. I should probably get in the habit of carrying more cash in my wallet for situations like this.

Checking the Facilities That Matter to an Indoor Person Like Me

It seems flush toilets are available in two spots on the grounds. Whether they have bidet-style washlet functions wasn't mentioned on the official site, so I couldn't confirm that part. On the other hand, regarding powered sites, it's clearly stated that "the tent sites have no toilets or electricity," giving the impression that setting up with the assumption of using electricity would be difficult. It might be worth bringing extra portable battery packs just in case.

Here are some other facilities I noticed:

Cooking areas: apparently set up in three spots on the grounds
Bath: there's a rock bath and an open-air bath, available for a fee only between 17:00 and 20:00
Shop: open 7:00–20:00, and it seems firewood and charcoal can be purchased there (apparently gathering firewood in the surrounding area is prohibited)
Rental items: blankets, futons, cooking equipment, BBQ grill sets, and more all seem to be available
Wi-Fi: not mentioned on the official site, so whether it's available remains unclear

Open fires directly on the ground are apparently completely prohibited, and using a fire stand is required, so this gave me the impression it's more of a place where you head out with a certain amount of your own gear rather than a hands-free camping spot. Pets also don't seem to be allowed. There's no supermarket nearby, so it seems you'd need to drive about 25 minutes into Chichibu City or around Ogano to stock up on supplies. There also seem to be nearby spots worth visiting, like Maruko Falls and a roadside station with a hot spring bath, so I imagine quite a few people combine a stay here with a visit to those.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked this facility's location using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as "C." I'll just share that here as reference information.

Given that there are no powered sites either, it might be reassuring to plan ahead a bit for your device's battery life and how you'll spend time offline.

Komorin

Hearing it's a C rating, personally I think I'd do a quick check beforehand for spots where I can get a signal. Since there's no power either, it seems like a good idea to plan around battery life too.

See Rakuten Mobile Details

Wrapping Up

Pulling it all together, Okuchichibu Ryokami Camping Ground gave me the impression of a place with at least the minimum facilities in order, like flush toilets, but with a simple setup style since there are no powered sites. Since options like baths and bungalows also seem to be available, it looks like a good fit for people who want to bring solid gear and settle in properly. The Rakuten Mobile signal came back with a C rating, so if that's a concern for you, it might be worth checking with the official Rakuten Mobile tool yourself.

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