Nice place, beautiful skies. The scenery is really beautiful.
Kids activities offered for additional cost - trampoline, sliding etc.
The toilets were clean. The hot spring was really nice, it would be better if it were open longer (closes at 9 pm, you can only enter by 8 pm).
I used the stargazing deck site at the end of July.
The weather was sunny.
Although the deck is spacious at 48m2, it's almost square, so setting up a tent and a hexagonal tarp, which takes up a lot of space, is difficult.
However, because it's elevated from the ground, ventilation from below is good at night, the temperature is low, and the bottom of the tent doesn't get wet with morning dew, making it comfortable. However, even though the campsite is at an altitude of 680m, the deck site has no shade, so it gets hot during the day, which is tough in the summer.
The office staff were friendly and kind.
Also, the cooking area was clean and even had a dedicated sink for washing the stove, which was convenient.
Overall, it's a good campsite, but here are some points to note:
① The office (shop) closes early.
It closes at 6 PM on holidays and 4:45 PM on weekdays, which might be a little inconvenient.
② The bathrooms close early.
The bathroom is only available in the evening, which is inconvenient as it coincides with dinner preparation, eating, and cleanup time. Taking a shower after dinner is practically impossible unless you eat very quickly. A 24-hour coin-operated shower would be a welcome addition.
③ The slopes make getting around tiring.
As it's a winter ski resort, the deck sites are on slopes. You have to go up and down slopes to get to the water source, which surprisingly works your legs and back.
④ While the staff are good, there's a high possibility of low user morals.
This might not be unique to Wakasugi Kogen Ooya Campground, but loud conversations late into the night, unlocking and locking car doors after lights out and flashing hazard lights and welcoming lights, and flashing powerful LED flashlights around the campground all contribute to an uncomfortable atmosphere due to the low morals of some users. Given that the campground's access point is a winter ski resort, there might be a higher proportion of inconsiderate users.
It's a shame that there's light pollution, especially since they advertise the starry sky.
⑤ You need to bring your own dish soap.
Campgrounds in nature often have restrictions on the types of detergents that can be used for environmental reasons, but you can bring your own here. However, there's no dish soap provided, and the shop closes early, so if you forget, you won't be able to wash your dishes.
⑥ Lots of horseflies.
Horseflies don't seem to harm humans, but they fly around tents all day, which is unsettling. The slopes are low-lying grasslands and easy to walk on, but you'll end up with insect bites all over before you know it... If you're concerned about that, you should minimize skin exposure.
⑦ It's cool at night, even in summer.
The temperature drops considerably, so a sleeping bag and blankets are essential.
I visited on June 6th specifically for the summer slopes.
It was my first time snowboarding on a summer slope, but everyone—from the rental staff to the lift attendants—was so kind, and I had a great time.
The newly laid slopes were manageable because the edges gripped well, but the worn-out sections were difficult to control.
It felt like sliding on hard-packed ice with rounded edges... so it was quite scary.
I got more used to controlling the snow towards the end, so I'd definitely like to visit again!
We stayed at Site G, a scenic spot in the woods. There was plenty of space to pitch our tent and tarp comfortably. The entrance is on a slope, so we had to park our car about 5 meters away, but it seemed like we could park almost right next to the other sites. The difference in elevation between sites was nice because it gave us a good sense of distance from our neighbors. It would have been nice if there were more sinks and they were at a higher height. It was also great that there was a bath on the premises; the water was nice. There are also other options such as sites on the ski slopes and deck sites in the parking lot. There were lots of people doing grass skiing, so it was a lively atmosphere. It was cloudy when we went, but it seems like it would be fun to go stargazing on a sunny day. The staff at the reception were cheerful and left a good impression.
This was our second time camping in the highlands, and our first time at this particular location.
A fellow camper friend found it for us!
The starry sky was truly beautiful. The stars shone brightly, and we could clearly see the Big Dipper and the Summer Triangle, making stargazing a real treat. It was so beautiful that we've added stargazing to our list of favorite camping activities!
We were in a free tent site (anywhere within the designated area), but the ground was quite sloped, and there were only about two flat spots, which was a bit disappointing. I think there would be more options if you're camping solo.
Another issue was driving in the tent pegs. The ground was very hard, a mix of rocks and soil, and the pegs wouldn't go in... It took a long time to drive in the pegs, and we were exhausted by the time we finished.
This experience taught us that strong pegs specifically designed for hard soil are necessary.
It was a wonderful memory!
I was also happy to find ice cream for sale. The ice cream tasted great while enjoying the mountain breeze.
Next time, I'd like to take a leisurely stroll around the area.
