I Looked Into Shoji Lakeside Camp

On Komorin's Imaginary Travels, I've been gradually looking into campgrounds in the Fuji Five Lakes area. I've already checked out several lakeside facilities, so this time I looked into a campground on the shore of Lake Shoji that I hadn't covered yet.

This time I looked into Shoji Lakeside Camp. I was curious about its small-scale setup—attached to a hotel with only 9 sites total—so I put together what I found.

What Kind of Place Is Shoji Lakeside Camp?

This is a campground on the shore of Lake Shoji in Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi Prefecture. Apparently it's a small campground with only 9 sites set up right on the lakeshore, directly in front of Shoji Lake Hotel. It seems the hotel itself runs the campground, so what stood out to me was how the campground and hotel operations are integrated as one.

According to the official website, all the individual sites face Lake Shoji. Maybe because there are only 9 sites, there's info suggesting it's quiet with little surrounding noise, giving it an atmosphere that seems well-suited to solo camping. In fact, a review on a booking site apparently mentioned being able to camp solo in a calm setting with Mt. Fuji visible right in front. It seems you can sometimes catch views unique to Lake Shoji, like the reflected "upside-down Fuji" or the phenomenon known as "Fuji cradling a child," so it's possible many people choose this spot specifically for the scenery.

As for the operating season, there's apparently an off-season, but the specific dates don't seem to be clearly stated on the official website. Reservations seem to go through an external booking site called Nap, and the official website apparently provides a link to the booking page. There also seems to be phone reservation guidance, but I'll leave the number out of this article.

As for pricing, it looks like weekday rates start somewhere in the 4,000 yen range, while Saturdays and holidays start somewhere in the 8,000 yen range. There also seem to be solo sites available, so there may be a pricing option for solo campers as well. That said, I couldn't confirm an official price list, so it's probably safer to double-check at the time of booking. Also, vehicles can't drive up to the sites—you apparently need to walk down about 30 steps from the hotel parking lot to reach them—so that's worth keeping in mind if you're bringing a lot of gear.

Checking the Facilities That Caught My Indoor-Kid Attention

The restrooms and cooking area are outdoors, but they're apparently reserved for guests only and easy to use even in the rain. The cooking area has water supply facilities, but it doesn't seem to come with sponges or detergent, so you'll probably need to bring your own.

One thing that caught my attention was a notice on the official website saying the showers are currently unavailable. There's no mention of when they'll be back in service, and the situation could change, so it seems worth double-checking before heading out. Not exactly as a substitute, but the hot spring baths at Shoji Lake Hotel are located right behind the campsite and can be used for an additional fee. There also seem to be outdoor baths and a sauna, so it looks like that could make up for the lack of showers.

I couldn't find any mention of powered sites on the official website, so it seems fairly likely they aren't offered. Information about Wi-Fi was mixed too—some sources say it's available, while I couldn't confirm it on the official website—so I can't say anything definitive there. As for pets, there was guidance asking guests not to bring pets into the sites, so that's something to watch out for if you're considering bringing one along.

There's a shop on the hotel side next door where you can apparently buy firewood, drinks, and light snacks. There was also information suggesting a gear-free plan is available for some of the sites, but I wasn't able to directly confirm this on the official website.

Komorin

Getting to use a hot spring instead of a shower actually sounds like a plus to me as an indoor type. Though those 30 steps do give me a bit of pause.

Access and the Surrounding Area

If you're driving, the route seems to involve taking the Kawaguchiko Interchange off the Chuo Expressway, heading west on Route 139, then entering the lakeshore area at the Lake Shoji entrance and arriving within a few minutes. That said, Route 139 apparently tends to get congested during peak periods like Golden Week or Obon, and detour routes are sometimes suggested. Since I don't actually drive myself, I can't really speak from experience, but if you're planning to drive during a busy season, it's probably worth researching the route ahead of time.

If you're taking the bus, it looks like you'd get off at a stop called something like "Shoji Lake Hotel Mae" on the Fujikyu Bus line. If you're taking the train, the basic route seems to be JR to Otsuki Station, then transferring to the Fujikyuko Line to Kawaguchiko Station, but I had trouble confirming the specific bus routes and frequency from Kawaguchiko Station, so I couldn't find clear information there. If you're not driving, it might be reassuring to carefully check public transportation options in advance.

Nearby, there are cave-type tourist spots like the Fugaku Wind Cave and Narusawa Ice Cave, apparently about a 10-minute drive away. For shopping, there's a convenience store about a 3-minute drive away that also carries charcoal and firewood, so it looks like you could pick up anything small you forgot there. If you need a larger supermarket or home improvement store, it seems you'd need to head out toward the Kawaguchiko area, about 20 minutes away by car.

Rakuten Mobile Signal Conditions

When I checked the location of this facility using the official "My Area Connectivity Simulation" tool, the overall rating came back as a C. If you're concerned about the connectivity on-site, it's probably worth checking in advance.

Given that this location is both lakeside and mountainous, signal conditions could vary depending on the exact spot and circumstances. If you need to stay in touch for work or want to be prepared for emergency contact situations, it might be reassuring to plan ahead with this rating in mind.

Komorin

Seeing that C rating made me feel like lakeside tranquility and good phone signal might just be hard to have both at once. I use Rakuten Mobile myself, so if I ever go, I'd want to bring a portable battery along with some mental preparation.

Wrapping Up

To sum it all up, my impression of Shoji Lakeside Camp is that it's a small, view-focused campground where all 9 sites face Lake Shoji and you can also use the hot spring at the adjacent hotel. There are some points of concern, like the showers currently being out of service, but it seems designed so the hot spring can make up for that.

There are still some unclear points when it comes to facilities like power outlets and Wi-Fi, and it seems like the kind of place where you'd want to confirm details on pricing and operating dates at the time of booking. As for Rakuten Mobile signal, the result came back as a C rating, so if that's a concern for you, checking it yourself with the official tool would probably give you some peace of mind.

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Related Links

• Official Site