The practice of "solo camping" outings -- in which a person can relish the great outdoors during a overnight excursions -- is catching on.
Though this reporter has a level of interest, I'm somewhat apprehensive because I have no experience camping. The first step was to observe an experienced solo camper in action.
Getting away from daily grind
On a Saturday in late June, I joined Ayano Hamada, 37, of Nagoya, at Bokyo Forest Campground in Ena, Gifu Prefecture.
Hamada, who works in the wedding industry, said she has been fascinated by one-person camping for the past two years.
"I can forget all about work and savor the moments of bliss when I don't have to do anything," she said. "When I'm home, I have the computer and WiFi and I can't help but think about work. When I take a trip, I think, 'I have to go and see the sights.'
"So instead, I head off to the campgrounds with the least amount of necessities."
However, on this particular day, two men were camping with her. I had to question whether this was really a "solo" effort.
"Because it is risky for a woman to spend the night alone outdoors, I do 'group solo camping,' in which each respective person can enjoy solo camping [on the same grounds]," she said.
Hamada became acquainted with the two men at a camp-related event, and they have often enjoyed group solo camping ever since.
I wondered what was different from camping with multiple people. With that question in mind, I continued to observe.
Firstly, Hamada set up a tent. Though I imagined the task would require some amount of strength, she had the tent up in less than 20 minutes.
"Tents sold for solo campers are light, compact and the design is simple. Any woman can easily put it together by herself once she gets the hang of it," Hamada said.
The space inside the tent is about 4 square meters. Ventilation is also good.
Hamada laid out a colorfully patterned rug on which she placed her favorite lanterns. She looked like a happy camper.
She put her collection of camping equipment together with advice from friends and selecting items she saw in magazines. Hamada also chose items that had positive reviews on social network websites.
For lunch this day, she made hot sandwiches using cat-shaped bread and egg salad and cheese that she bought at a convenience store.
"My spirits are lifted if [the sandwiches] have some cuteness to them," she said.
Exchanging information
As for the two men, they set up their tents at a distance of about 5 meters apart. Each was slurping a cup of instant ramen and a bowl of Chinese noodles purchased at a convenience store.
One of the men, Eiichi Takamura, 24, a worker at a store that sells outdoor goods, spoke about the draw of one-person camping.
"The appeal is that it's relaxing" he said. "No matter what I eat or when I sleep, or even if I go to the restroom in the middle of the night, I don't get complaints from anyone. I'm mentally drained from being around people in my everyday life -- living with my family and being at the workplace, you know."
It is very compelling to see people who want to spend time alone, at least in their leisure time. But then why don't they camp completely alone? The answer was also compelling.
"Though I go solo sometimes, it is also fun to exchange information about items and campgrounds with other campers," Takamura said.
Hamada said her hobby is photography. After the manager of the campground offered recommendations of some picturesque locations, Hamada, the two men and I set out for the summit of a mountain.
Hamada took photos of the landscape from the summit as both men struck humorous poses. Then the three strolled through nearby areas.
In respective styles
Just as I thought the trio was a unit, the moment we returned to the campground, the three went back into solo mode, each heading off to their respective tents. They had private time, which included reading manga, having an afternoon nap or listening to music.
After sunset, the three met up again, this time around a campfire. Watching them smile and chat, they did not have the look of solo campers. But, they did their own things separately, one grilling sausage, while another scanned through recently taken photos.
They were alone in some instances, but that was not the case at other times. What an odd feeling this place gives me.
They said numerous stars can be seen shining down on the campground when the sky is clear, but unfortunately it was cloudy this day.
Hamada showered at the campground facility, snuggled into her sleeping bag and quickly fell asleep. Space would be limited if another person were to sleep in the tent with her. But in a campground surrounded by trees, it might have been relaxing for her to feel the subtle signs of the presence of her camp buddies instead of complete silence.
I left the campground around this time. The following day, the three said they were awoken by morning light and ended their camping trips at different times.
"We don't need to worry about people's feelings or do things to take care of others. When we get tired of being alone, we can get together. When we get tired of being together, we can be alone again. Each of us can take responsibility for our own enjoyment. The feeling of distance is comfortable for us," Hamada said.
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