Japan's Solo Camping Boom

Due in part to the Corona pandemic, camping has become a popular way to get outside and enjoy nature and the outdoors in Japan. Traditionally, camping was often a family or group activity, but "solo camping" has been on the rise as of late. Solo camping is a great way to get away from the stresses of everyday life and enjoy some time alone in a quiet environment. Having some alone time to get in touch with nature can be relaxing, and it also provides an opportunity for self-reflection. In this article, we'll take a look at some useful gear for solo camping.

Solo Camping Gear

Photo：Camping gear

As we mentioned previously, solo camping refers to "one-person camping," and it has been growing in popularity in Japan in recent years. With Japan's current boom in solo camping, lots of useful and stylish solo camping gear is now available on the market.

Video Introduction

Source :YouTube screenshot

The video we'll be going over today, titled "[Camping Gear] Camping With Just One Backpack! Solo Camping Gear Introduction" (【キャンプ道具】バックパック１つでキャンプが出来る！ソロキャンプギア紹介), was uploaded by "Takibito channel" (焚き人channel). The video introduces compact, convenient, and lightweight camping gear and backpacks. Various gear that can be packed into one backpack is introduced in an easy-to-understand manner. ※Please note that the order in which the gear is introduced is different from the order shown in the video as they've been divided based on their purpose.

A Comfortable Tent and Sleeping Area

Source :YouTube screenshot

First, we'll introduce tents and bedding to bring when solo camping.

The tent introduced in the video is the LOCUS GEAR Khafra HB Kit. It can be easily stored in a backpack and is also stylish and waterproof. The tent is secured with Snow Peak Solid Stakes and Boundless Voyage Titanium Peg Solid stakes using an MSR Stake Hammer to pound the stakes into place.

As for sleeping gear, a NANGA AuroraLite 600DX sleeping bag and Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm are great options! If you need a pillow, a MARCHWAY Inflatable Camping Pillow is recommended. For a night light, a BRISIE LED Lantern is waterproof, dustproof, and can also be used as a mobile battery.

Must-Have Gear for Building a Fire

Source :YouTube screenshot

Next, we'll introduce gear for building a campfire that can fit in a backpack when solo camping. The first step in building a campfire is to chop kindling. The 38cm Husqvarna hatchet is a high-quality Swedish-made hatchet that is sharp and weighs just 600 grams.

After chopping some wood, it's time to get a fire started.
To build a fire, a Morakniv Mora Knife, SOTO Slide Gas Torch, and Conifer Cone Butterfly Saw are used. For easy fire starting, the match-shaped SOLSTICKAN FIRELIGHTERS are used as a handy igniter, and their combustion duration of 8 minutes makes it easy to ignite firewood.

When the fire is about to be go out, a Bushcraft Fire Blaster (Sx) is used to keep it going.
To protect your hands, use Tent-Mark Designs King Tongs and GRIP SWANY G-1 gloves.

Solo Camping Gear for Cooking

Source :YouTube screenshot

The next solo camping gear we'll introduce is what to bring so you can enjoy cooking. This includes cooking utensils, etc. that can fit in a backpack. Camp food is an important part of the camping experience. The STC Picogrill 398 and the Boundless Voyage Titanium Fire Grill make the perfect cooking tables and are highly popular in Japan.

The Snow Peak Aluminum Personal Cooker Set is easy to store! The set includes a frying pan and two shallow cookers. WILD-1 Brass Sierra Cups are also useful.

After cooking up some delicious food it's time to relax.

Relax and unwind with the SOTO Field Hopper ST-630 table and Helinox Tactical Chair, or enjoy a cup of freshly brewed, delicious coffee in a Snow Peak Ti-Single Cup.

THE NORTH FACE Venture Jacket is great for any sudden rain that might occur.

A Backpack to Hold All Your Solo Camping Gear

Source :YouTube screenshot

A Seibertron backpack can hold all of the solo camping gear featured in the video! The pockets and side pouches on the backpack can be well utilized to store all of your camping gear. The backpack is also waterproof, has a large storage capacity, and is comfortable to carry.

Store all of your solo camping gear compactly in one backpack! See below for all solo camping gear introduced above!
■NANGA AuroraLite 600DX
■38cm Husqvarna hatchet
■Snow Peak Aluminum Personal Cooker Set
■Snow Peak Ti-Single Cup
■THE NORTH FACE Venture Jacket
■LOCUS GEAR Khafra HB Kit
■Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XTherm
■Snow Peak Solid Stakes
■Boundless Voyage Titanium Peg Solid
■MARCHWAY Inflatable Camping Pillow
■STC Picogrill 398
■Boundless Voyage Titanium Fire Grill
■GRIP SWANY G-1
■MSR Stake Hammer
■SOTO Field Hopper ST-630
■Tent-Mark Designs King Tongs
■Morakniv Mora Knife
■SOTO Slide Gas Torch
■Conifer Cone Butterfly Saw
■SOLSTICKAN FIRELIGHTERS
■Bushcraft Fire Blaster (Sx)
■WILD-1 Brass Sierra Cups
■BRISIE LED Lantern
■Helinox Tactical Chair
■Seibertron backpacks

Summary of Solo Camping Gear for Camping in Japan

In this article we introduced solo camping gear that fits into one backpack. The video shows you how to take it out of the backpack, so you can use it as a reference when packing. Be sure to check it out.

If you're planning on camping in Japan for the first time or feel that solo camping might be too difficult, your best bet is to gather information from advanced campers so you can save time when decided what gear to buy. Enjoy Japan's beautiful outdoors with a solo camping adventure!