While travelling in Japan, finding places to stay is most of the time easy. Discover the places options you have to stay overnight in your RV, van or car.
Michi no eki
Michi no Eki (道の駅) are roadside stations that you can find everywhere in Japan. In the countryside, they are often seen as a hub that connects local people and travelers with some shops offering local products, and restaurants. Some of those even have public baths (onsen 温泉).
Japanese people tends to prefer staying there due to their amenities.
Even if they often offer a lot of comforts. they can get really crowded and noisy on weekends. A lot of truck drivers or young people spend all night with their engines on while sleeping/watching movies on their cellphone. On weekends near big cities, it is common for car enthusiasts to gather there.
The easiest way to find them is on Google Map, search for "michi no eki," "roadside station," or "rest stop".
Ressources:
Public parkings
Japanese countryside has a ton of public parkings. They usually come with toilets. They are often stated near parks, beaches, rivers, and tourist attractions.. They are often great as less people use them. It is recommended to park just before sunset and leave after breakfast and don’t settle anything out of the van while using them (table, chair or cooking).
Auto campgrounds
There is a lot of camping in Japan that accepts camper vans and RVs. We only use campsites when we find ones with great natural spaces. Campgrounds are ideal to enjoy the outdoor: set up outdoor tables/chairs, and tarp and grill things on the BBQ.
Japanese campgrounds often require reservation and have a specific checking in and out time to avoid people disturbing others at night.
Campings in Japan can be expensive thought but are also a great opportunity to dump trash and refill/empty the water.
If you can, you should avoid the weekends and national holidays as they can get crowded.
Service areas on freeway
While they can get noisy. They can be a good option to sleep when on the road. On Highways the service areas offer toilets, trash, shops and restaurants.
Hotels, Ryokans and Airbnbs
While traveling on the road, you'll sometime find it nice to relax in a real room and bed. Don't hesitate to cut your travel with some stops in a nice hotel or inn.
In case of hard weather (typhoons, heavy snow, raining for a few days..), you should consider staying at an hotel. Japan is a country with typhoons in summer and it's preferable to stay safe while the conditions are tough.