Hello from Japan! (こんにちは、日本から!)

[Rising Sun Overland]

Hello from Japan!

I am an Arizonian living in Japan for the past year.

I am happy to meet and get to know members of this growing community. Overlanding in Japan is a quite small community with a limited amount of space we have to get creative!

Currently, exploring many of the mountains and wilderness of Japan. Road tripping from Tokyo to Hokkaido this summer.

See you! (またね)
Phil

 

[Chadlyb]

Hello from Japan!

I am an Arizonian living in Japan for the past year.

I am happy to meet and get to know members of this growing community. Overlanding in Japan is a quite small community with a limited amount of space we have to get creative!

Currently, exploring many of the mountains and wilderness of Japan. Road tripping from Tokyo to Hokkaido this summer.

See you! (またね)
Phil

Hello Phil and welcome to the OB crew...looking forward to seeing your adventures in Japan.

 

[SubeeBen]

Welcome from San Diego Ca.

 

[BayAreaTundra]

Welcome! I don't know much about Japan. What is overlanding like there? Is there a large appetite for camping in general?

 

[Rising Sun Overland]

Hello Phil and welcome to the OB crew...looking forward to seeing your adventures in Japan.

Thank you for the welcome! I hope to be posting some trip reports over the summer months.

Welcome from San Diego Ca.

Thank you!

Welcome! I don't know much about Japan. What is overlanding like there? Is there a large appetite for camping in general?

Thank you! There is not really overlanding as we have in America, Australia or other western countries. It is mostly focused on car camping here. Many people modify vans and mini-vans, have small RVs, and use their car to camp. Off-road four-wheel driving is really limited and is mostly done in designated parks. There is not really that much open land that isn't already a farm or owned privately. However, camping is huge over here especially mountain trekking. Camping season is upon us and I can not wait to get out more. Be posting some trip reports I have done so far this season.

 

[Wabbit]

Welcome to OB Phil, excited to see your adventures!

 

[MoreGone]

Hello from Japan!

I am an Arizonian living in Japan for the past year.

I am happy to meet and get to know members of this growing community. Overlanding in Japan is a quite small community with a limited amount of space we have to get creative!

Currently, exploring many of the mountains and wilderness of Japan. Road tripping from Tokyo to Hokkaido this summer.

See you! (またね)
Phil

Weather update from back in AZ,

Today's weather is Hot with a touch of scorching. Looking the same for tomorrow.


What are you wheelin' out there in Japan? Would be cool to see some of the trails they have.

 

[VCeXpedition]

Welcome to OB! Japan is a great country, so much culture and so much to see.

I have spent many stints there, one or two weeks at a time, I came to have an appreciation of the place and the people, but you're right, their version of overlanding is very different than ours, I'm not even sure that word is in their vocabulary.

I was able to go to "Sanage Adventure Field" one time and drove the MegaCruiser while it was still being produced, what a cool place (small but cool!), and what a cool car.

Make the best of it and post up pics of some of your adventures. My travels there have essentially stopped, but if I do get there again, I'd like to see some of the backcountry and even hike Mt. Fuji as much of a tourist draw that it is, it's still quite an achievement.


Dan.

 

[Rising Sun Overland]

Weather update from back in AZ,
Today's weather is Hot with a touch of scorching. Looking the same for tomorrow.
What are you wheelin' out there in Japan? Would be cool to see some of the trails they have.

We just had a typhoon pass by here yesterday and the weather is hot and miserably humid. When I was in AZ in May it was already 100+ I forget how hot it can get.

Right now, we are car camping here. We have a Honda Mobilio which is a like minivan with some okay ground clearance. It mostly just takes us to trailheads or base camping spots and we hike out and explore from there on foot. So far I have only found camping in the designated parks or campgrounds. I am not sure what the laws are here regarding wild camping. Space is very limited in terms of open space.

Also, I have been looking to import an 80 series LandCruiser back to the US when I return. It has been difficult to find one with that ticks all the right boxes. Prices are very high here for an LC even a 25 year old one.

Welcome to OB! Japan is a great country, so much culture and so much to see.

I have spent many stints there, one or two weeks at a time, I came to have an appreciation of the place and the people, but you're right, their version of overlanding is very different than ours, I'm not even sure that word is in their vocabulary.

I was able to go to "Sanage Adventure Field" one time and drove the MegaCruiser while it was still being produced, what a cool place (small but cool!), and what a cool car.

Make the best of it and post up pics of some of your adventures. My travels there have essentially stopped, but if I do get there again, I'd like to see some of the backcountry and even hike Mt. Fuji as much of a tourist draw that it is, it's still quite an achievement.

Dan.

I have been trying to find an overlanding community out here but I think you are right it does not exist. I went to the Tokyo Car Camping Salon in February and it was mostly small RVs and converted minivans. The only overlanding vehicle was at the ARB booth from Australia 70 series Troopy.

Backcountry hiking or trekking really is great here. We just did the Minami Alps just last week. The climbs are tough. Yeah, Mount Fuji is a huge tourist draw now it is like Disneyland. But, I am going to climb it in September towards the end of the season to hopefully mitigate some of the crowds. I'll post a report.