While travelling in Japan, finding places to stay is most of the time easy. Discover the 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 tend 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 or 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 Maps: search for "michi no eki," "roadside station," or "rest stop".

Resources:

• Search for a Michi no Eki with specific equipment
• Map of Michi no Eki across Japan (PDF)

Public parking lots

Japanese countryside has a ton of public parking lots. They usually come with toilets. They are often located near parks, beaches, rivers, and tourist attractions. They are often great as fewer people use them. It is recommended to park just before sunset and leave after breakfast, and don’t set anything up outside the van while using them (table, chair, or cooking).

Auto campgrounds

There are a lot of campgrounds in Japan that accept camper vans and RVs. We only use campsites when we find ones with great natural spaces. Campgrounds are ideal to enjoy the outdoors: set up outdoor tables and chairs, a tarp, and grill things on the BBQ.

Japanese campgrounds often require reservations and have specific check‑in and check‑out times to avoid people disturbing others at night.

Campgrounds in Japan can be expensive though, but are also a great opportunity to dump trash and refill or empty the water.

If you can, you should avoid weekends and national holidays as they can get crowded.

Service areas on freeways

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 bins, shops, and restaurants.

Hotels, ryokans, and Airbnbs

While traveling on the road, you'll sometimes find it nice to relax in a real room and bed. Don't hesitate to break up your travel with some stops in a nice hotel or inn.

In case of bad weather (typhoons, heavy snow, or rain for a few days), you should consider staying at a hotel. Japan is a country with typhoons in summer and it's preferable to stay safe while the conditions are tough.

Big cities

We don't advise staying in big cities with a camper overnight. Parking in Tokyo or Osaka can be quite expensive. But if you have to, search for outdoor parking lots without a size limit. The price is often given per hour with a 24‑hour max limit.

We compiled a list of places you can stay in Tokyo on the blog.