Dec 23, 2020 - 3 min read

Moose Family Camp Resort

Bilingual campsite with lots of extras

By Lynda Hogan

Community writer

Moose Family Camp Resort in the Nasu District of Tochigi.

The entrance is as welcoming as the lovely American Japanese couple that own and run it.

The beautiful center house has several facilities inside and out, including the outdoor jacuzzi and swimming pool.

Inside there is a playroom with lots of toys, coloring pages, crafts and lots to keep children engaged on a rainy day.

Outside, you can see all the bikes and balls lined up. There is no extra charge to use these. There is also a playground, ping pong and basketball hoops.

In summer, for smaller children who may not want to use the large pool, there is a smaller pool and water play area.

There are several different accommodation choices. We stayed in an old camper van.

They have some newer options too, such as this sky tent. In June you can sleep among the fireflies.

At Moose you can also rent this party house. They also host seasonal dinners here, for example Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners. You can book to have a barbecue made for you too.

The campsite is ideal for children with all there is to do. There is wildlife to boot!

For anyone in Japan right now, Santa Claus will be Moose Family Camp Resort until December 26th.

Moose Family Camp Resort is a family friendly campsite in Nasu,Tochigi Prefecture. It is definitely worth considering for a camping experience in Japan for several reasons, not least that it is a completely bilingual resort. They have several accommodation choices so you can chose how 'wild' you want to go. No matter what you choose, there are several facilities and services at this campsite that ensure a comfortable and memorable stay. Furthermore, it is very reasonably priced and open all year round. As if all that wasn't enough, it is owned and run by two of the most welcoming and accommodating people you could ever meet.

Accommodation Choices

Tent sites
Sky tent
Trailers
Camper vans
Cabins

Retro camping is all the rage in Japan at the moment. Moose Family Camp Resort offers a generous taste of old style camping. We stayed in a camper van, which was a dream come true for my kids. It fit the six of us comfortably. It is an old camper van, but comfortable and convenient. There is a small kitchen, living space, toilet and shower. Outside the camper van, and all trailer and tent sites, there is a barbecue area with a table and benches.

Facilities and services

All year round outdoor jacuzzi
Catering
- Party room that can be hired
- You can order barbecue to made for you
- Seasonal meals such as Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners
Swimming pool and water play in summer
Fishing in winter
Private bath for rent
Laundry room
Baby room (diaper changing / baby bath)
Indoor play room
Outdoor playground and various bikes and balls you can use for free
Wildlife!
Annual events including, but not limited to:
- The real Santa Claus visits every year in December
- Firefly viewing in June
- Halloween decorations and party in October

For anyone in Japan right now, Santa Claus will be at Moose Family Camp Resort until December 26th. There is a plastic partition up between Santa and the guests (required to wear masks), and the Santa House has an open front, so you can visit Santa in safety. The Santa house has a lovely open fire, a beautiful Christmas tree and seasonal decorations. For last minute bookings, you can contact Ervin (English language) or Rika (Japanese language) through the campsite's Facebook group.

We have been to dozens of campsites in Japan. If you ask my four children which campsite is their favorite, without a second's hesitation they will answer "Moose" in unison. Apart from all that the campsite has to offer and the hours of unadulterated fun they enjoyed, it is the gregarious owners that made a lasting impression on them. There were tears, lots of them, when it came time to leave Moose Family Camp Resort. We'll just have to go back for another visit!

By public transport: The nearest train station - Kurodahara Station - is about four kilometers away, which would take about 50 minutes on foot. You can get a taxi from Kurodahara Station, it takes about ten minutes.

By car: the campsite is about a 20 minute drive from the Nasu Interchange of the Tohoku expressway. Head north east toward Kurodahara Station. Go east from the station on prefectural route 28.