Hikawa Camp site — Attraction in Tokyo

I went there on the 5th of August and set up an overnight camp on the riverbed tent area. I have only used the tent area therefore will only speak of the tent area. I was surprised to see that many people on a Tuesday but a large majority of them (about 90%) didn't stay overnight. It's a camping site where you set your tent up wherever you want so you can try to identify people that won't stay overnight by looking at their gear and set your tent up accordingly (where you want to end up after 5pm when most people go home/wake up at in the morning, not where you want to start your day if you check in relatively late) so you won't have to move your setup later. ⊛A few positive things: ⁂ Relatively long but very easily accessible from Shinjuku Station. ⁂ I thought it would be very warm at night but I did turn my portable fan off at night(33 degrees Celsius during the day, about 22-23 at night). ⁂ The water was very clear and I was able to swim in the river. It was very refreshing (watch out for strong current zones) ⁂ You can fish if you purchase a fishing permit. ⁂ Very close to the Okutama Train station, 1 convenience store (not 24h) and a small butcher. ⁂ Camp fire anywhere you want. ⁂⁂ Shower (cold or hot) for 200 jpy/4 minutes which was very, very refreshing before sleeping.

⊛A few negative things I had to deal with: ⁂ Might sound funny but I had to fight off a very stubborn horsefly that kept coming for me every 30-60 mins. These things bite and suck your blood, are pretty big and their bite hurts. It seemed to only come for me even though there were people that had tents around me (I usually am "the buffet"). I did the research afterwards and all I can say is DON'T wear black/dark uv protection clothes and use DEET-based (at least 30–50%) or picaridin repellents on exposed skin and clothing. ⁂ This camp for some reason seems to attract non Japanese people. There was a group of an ethnic group I won't mention that was loud even after 1am, even when passing close to my tent to go to the restroom. Shining their torch, phone flashlights without caring about where they were aiming. I had to ask them to be quiet and they did. Now, I could've just gone and spoke to nightshift guy instead of talking to them myself but ⁂ it's quite a workout to go from the riverbed to the reception...

We spent a night at Hikawa Campsite in a cabin with six adults. The cabin was reasonably sized and priced, equipped with cots for everyone. While it lacked air conditioning, it did have a refrigerator and a fan. The absence of air conditioning could be an issue in the summer, but fortunately, the weather was pleasant during our stay.

One downside was the absence of a private fire pit near our cabin. Although there was a barbecue area, it was quite busy with loud college students. So, we opted to set up a barbecue by the riverside, though it was a bit of a challenge due to the steep terrain and the need to carry heavy coolers.

The staff were incredibly friendly, and they offered affordable firewood and fireworks for purchase. The restroom facilities were surprisingly clean for a campsite.

Additionally, the campsite had a designated garbage disposal area, which was a welcome convenience not often found at other sites.

The only disappointment was the steep parking fee of 1,400 yen per car. Unfortunately, there was no way to avoid this fee, especially when carrying a lot of camping gear.

Overall, I'd rate the cabin and the atmosphere a 4/5, but I have to deduct one point for the lack of a private fire area near the cabin and the high...

A great camping site, nice facilities, very kind & cooperative staff, amazing views, easy access by car or train, spacious and very well managed. We camped there last night, also booked a cabin/cottage. The experience was totally awesome. The camping places along the bank of Tama River are great spots to enjoy the beautiful sound of river water and have a lot of stones to use for making stoves for burning woods and coal to cook/bbq. The facility's front desk, which is open till 5pm, has got basic amenities like wood, coal, utensils, food items and camp/bbq related stuff. In addition to open bbq, there are 3 proper covered bbq venues at the campsite. On site parking is available for ¥1400 per night. There is also a small cafe - Koala Cafe; the place has vending machines as well. At just 7 minutes walk is a good onsen. The view of mountains and suspension bridge is great. Garbage sorting is done perfectly. Cabins/cottages are clean and smell fresh. Front desk provides complementary bedding/futon with cottage reservation. Check-in time is 4pm. Nearest train station is just 6...