As the weather gets warmer in Japan, the flowers bloom, insects emerge, and animals come out to play. For us, it is the best time to change into our t-shirts and shorts to go pitch a tent. Camping is very popular among Japanese - it is an activity for their family bonding, friends gathering, or getting to know new people. Being in Japan, preparation is very important - that means everything you need for an enjoyable camping trip can be found. One place that really caught our attention while we were shopping for our camping equipment is Akishima.Â
Akishima station is located about 50 minutes from Tokyo station by Chuo Line towards Ome. While Akishima is more of a residential area than a tourist spot, it has an open-air mall - Mori Town, just beside the station which kind of remind us of Outlet Mall, but on a smaller scale. Just beside Mori Town, there is a cinema, Toys 'R' Us, and a Sports Depot; the Sports Depot is actually a very good one-stop-shop for sporting equipment, but when it comes to camping, you will have to visit the nearby Mori Town Outdoor Village instead.
Mori Town Outdoor Village as the name suggest houses a conglomeration of outdoor products brands, including Coleman, Snowpeak, Mont Bel, North Face, and several others. Within these shops, tents are set out for customers to touch and feel, they are also free to sit inside the tents in some of the shops with their shoes removed. Apart from having fun in the shop, there is also a rock wall for those who are interested in climbing, and a restaurant serving simple camping-like food for those who are hungry.
While Akishima may not be the fanciest place with a whole lot of tourist attraction, it is still a really interesting area to visit, especially if you are on a mission to look for camping equipment.Â