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Where can I park and sleep in the Overland camping car overnight?

Where can I park and sleep in the Overland camping car overnight?
March 15, 2021 Luke Bridgford

The beauty of traveling in an Overland camping car is the freedom it gives you to get off the beaten path and find camping on the fly.  We love hearing about new places and secret spots from our customers! 


Ninja Camping / Nature Parking / Wild Camping
Part of the adventure is there are free nature spots and free parking sites along rivers, oceans, mountains found all over Japan for you to secretly discover (and tell us about!).
Legally you can generally park and sleep just about anywhere. However, parking in a busy city might attract negative attention (and not a nice overland experience!) and you could be asked to leave.
The basic rule is if you see other people doing it, it is probably okay.  We often find that local hobby fisherman know some of the best spots, so with google maps, try to think where they might be looking for early morning fish!


Auto Camping and Camp Sites
There are more than 1,000 auto camp sites throughout Japan.
Google maps can be your best friend, by finding an area first you can search with the key words “auto camp, auto camping, campgrounds, camping ground or RV park” with a quick check of the photos and reviews you can find some logical options.
Please note that many camp sites require booking in advance especially during national holidays and long weekends in the summer.


Roadside stations (Michi-no-eki) 道の駅
https://www.michi-no-eki.jp/stations/english

Michi-no-eki camping is becoming very popular in Japan and there are communities of people doing this regularly. Michi-no-eki are parking and resting facilities with large free parking areas and clean restrooms that are available 24 hours. There are over 1,000 roadside stations all over Japan. During the day, you can usually purchase local food and souvenirs, and get useful information about the area. Some facilities have hot spring baths and other services. Parking and sleeping at Michi-no-eki is usually okay but the general rule is one night only. You can not take out a table or a chair from your camper and use them. Use of fire such as gas stove and BBQ in the parking lot is generally prohibited. Please observe the rules and good manners when using roadside station facilities.


Service Area / Parking Area
Service areas and parking areas on expressways are facilities to take a rest and are usually equipped with beverage vending machines and clean restrooms that are available 24 hours a day. Service areas are often connected to gas stations and restaurants. You may take a nap, but generally you should not use the facility for overnight stay. You can not take out a table or a chair from your camper and use them. Use of stove or BBQ in the parking lot is prohibited. Please observe the rules and good manners when using service and parking areas.