"We asked a professional about sleeping in a car in the snow mountains" - Part 1: Advantages and Disadvantages

In fact, "car camping" is currently gaining attention from skiers and snowboarders. So, in collaboration with car camping professionals, we will start a series of articles to deliver information users want to know, such as the appeal of car camping, items to put it into practice, and car camping spots

Learn the secrets of car camping pros

Sleeping in a car is fascinating, but there are many things about it that you can't really understand unless you've experienced it. And sleeping in a car in winter is even more difficult. For example..

Questions about sleeping in a car on a snowy mountain ??? (Questions)

・Just how cold is it to stay overnight in winter?
・What are the must-have items for sleeping in a car on a snowy mountain, and what quality do they need?
How much space do you need to get a good night's sleep so you can ski energetically the next day?
・How can you store your ski gear and other luggage to create as much space as possible?
・What about power? What about electricity?
What about toilets?
What about water? What about meals?
・What type of car and how many people can sleep in a car?
・How different is it cost-wise from staying at a hotel?
・How comfortable can you actually be? How harsh is it?
・What kind of troubles and risks can you think of?
・What kind of people will not find sleeping in a car uncomfortable, and will even enjoy it?
・What are some things you should avoid doing (for your own sake, rules and manners)?
・What are the advantages and disadvantages of sleeping in a car in the first place?

These are the most valuable sources of information and know-how, and so it's wise to seek out advice from those who have been there before (seniors who are experienced in that field). So, let's ask a car camping professional about all things car camping and learn the secrets of the pros!

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What are the attractions and benefits of sleeping in a car on a snowy mountain?

Let's start by asking a simple question to a car camping expert. First of all, what are the benefits of car camping in snowy mountains for skiers and snowboarders? Our answer comes from car camping YouTuber "Dad Has a Tennen Perm." From

here on, we'll be exploring the topic in his own words.

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of sleeping in your car : 1. You can travel freely

"It's often said, but the biggest benefit of sleeping in your car is that it allows you to travel with a high degree of freedom. That's all there is to it

When traveling by plane or train, you are inevitably restricted by the need to board the plane or train at a certain location by a certain time on a certain day. You are restricted by the need to go to the airport or station, and not only are there time restrictions on departure and takeoff times, but the journey itself also takes time. However, if you sleep in your car, you can approach your destination directly, so there are no restrictions on time or actions

And if you have a fixed place to stay, you have to be there in time to check in. On the other hand, if you travel by car and sleep in your car, you can have the ultimate spontaneous trip

Another appealing aspect of car camping is the freedom to change your plans as you travel. While looking at a map, you might discover a place you absolutely want to visit. In snowy mountains, the best ski resorts and backcountry spots change daily due to weather, snow quality, and wind direction

The biggest advantage of car camping is that you can flexibly change your destination, restaurants, and tourist spots in real time depending on the weather and your mood that day! You can discover many places that you would never be able to visit if you just followed a plan, which I think is also the best part of car camping

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Benefits of sleeping in your car 2. When you wake up in the morning, you can see snow-capped mountains and the sea right in front of you.

"The freedom of a car camping trip, apart from the time, is also largely due to the location. As you can see in the photo above, you can enjoy the ultimate luxury of waking up in the morning and looking out at the beach right from your bed. It's great to be able to camp in your car in a place with a spectacular view, wherever you want to stay　

I once parked my car on a beach, and because it was a deserted and unlit spot, I was able to enjoy the most amazing starry sky of my life at night. Another benefit of camping in your car is that you can stay directly on a playground and wake up in the morning to go swimming in the ocean or skiing on a snowy mountain

Sleeping in a car is ideal, especially for skiers and snowboarders who want to explore remote backcountry fields. Depending on the weather, snow quality, wind direction, etc., you can move from spot to spot with good conditions, without having to worry about finding accommodation, and you can be sure to stay somewhere!

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Benefit 3 of sleeping in your car: You can avoid traffic jams and arrive at your destination early.

"In urban areas, traffic jams inevitably occur on the way to your destination during long holidays and weekends. This happened during Golden Week in 2019. Due to the calendar, there was a 10-day holiday, and it was predicted that there would be significant traffic jams on the expressways

So, I left in the evening the day before Golden Week and took a nap at a service area along the way. Even so, there were a lot of cars around! If I had left early in the morning, I don't think I would have reached even half of my destination that day. In that case, if I left the night before, I wouldn't have gotten caught in traffic, and I could sleep in my car at my destination and wake up in the morning with plenty of time to spare. This is another benefit of traveling by sleeping in your car!

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Benefit 4 of sleeping in your car : Reduced accommodation costs

"The biggest benefit of traveling by car is that you can keep accommodation costs down. With prices of everything from lift tickets to meals on the slopes on the rise these days, it's really nice to be able to save on accommodation costs. Especially when it comes to family skiing with a family of four, the accommodation costs for one trip can be quite high

For example, if a family of four were to fly to Hokkaido to ski around their child's spring break in 2023 (late March), they would fly from Haneda Airport

Domestic flight (JAL) Tokyo (Haneda) - Hokkaido (New Chitose): 82,580 yen (round trip) x 4 people = 330,320 yen

In comparison, how much would it actually cost to travel around Hokkaido and sleep in your car? We calculated the total cost of highway tolls, ferry fare, and gasoline when traveling to Hokkaido by ferry in 2019..

for a family of four traveling around Hokkaido and sleeping in a car
: 189,594 yen Per person (8 nights, 8 days): 47,398 yen

We spent a week to travel around Hokkaido, enjoyed it to the fullest, and it all cost this much! If we had traveled by plane, the round trip would have far exceeded the travel expenses of a car camping trip, so the cost difference is clear and overwhelming. For the same amount of money, we could have a much more luxurious car camping trip. Considering the rich experiences that the whole family gained on this trip, this amount is overwhelmingly cheap!

To begin with, it's difficult to get plane tickets and hotel reservations during long holidays. If you can't get a flight at the time you want, or if you can't get accommodation in the place you want, you'll be forced to change your travel plans. In that sense, car camping is unique in that you can travel without having to adjust to public transportation times (ferries are the only option, with set departure and arrival times), and you can travel without being tied down to a specific accommodation location."

※ For more information on the cost of a car camping trip around Hokkaido,
please click here : https://tennenperm.fun/know-how/2019summer-vantrip-cost/

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Benefit 5 of sleeping in your car: You can use the time you spend at the accommodation to travel.

"If you sleep in your car, you only need to arrive at your sleeping spot in time, so a big advantage is that you can use that time for driving and traveling. When you stay at a hotel, you're bound by time restrictions, such as how long it will be before dinner or what time you can take a bath, and you end up wasting time and not knowing what to do with the odd amount of time　

If that's the case, I'd like to use that time to travel around and have fun in my car. I think that car camping trips are a perfect fit for people with this mindset."

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Benefits of sleeping in your car 6. You can

"If you fly to Hokkaido, you can get to Chitose in an hour from Haneda. But if you take the highway to Aomori and then take a ferry from Aomori Port to Hokkaido, it takes a day and a half. It's certainly better to get to your destination quickly in a short amount of time, but if you fly, you don't really get a sense of the vastness of Japan's land area..."

Children in particular don't know what it was like in the past, so they think that you can easily go anywhere as long as you have a plane. I think it's good for children to have a real sense of how big Japan is, how Hokkaido is a faraway place that requires a lot of time to get there, and that they're now in such a precious place, as it's more fun for them and it broadens their intellectual curiosity."

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Benefits of sleeping in your car 7. Educational benefits for children and strengthening family bonds

"Anyone can travel by plane or train and stay in a hotel if they have the money, but not everyone can travel by sleeping in their car, even if they have the money. Traveling around Hokkaido from the Kanto region is a kind of adventure. Wouldn't it be great to be able to take such a trip that only you can take with your family?

When sleeping in the car, Dad drives and takes the kids wherever they go. Naturally, the kids respect their reliable dad, and the bond between parent and child deepens dramatically. And it seems that the adventure of sleeping in the car is very stimulating for the kids, and there are obvious changes when they return home. They start to help out on their own, or they try to stay overnight at a friend's house by themselves, and I think these various experiences give children confidence

"Even if you don't have enough gear and it's too cold to sleep, or you miscalculate your time and don't reach your destination, these will become fond memories for the family. If you make a mistake, you can use it as a lesson for next time. In this way, the bonds between family members and the children grow as you make mistakes on your car camping trip."

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What are the disadvantages of sleeping in a car on a snowy mountain?
However, it is nonsense to list the disadvantages.

"After listing the advantages of sleeping in your car, I understand that you may be concerned about the disadvantages. For example, safety, comfort in the car, heat or cold, inconvenience of using the toilet, etc. But in terms of safety, when you camp, you sleep in a tent. Compared to a tent, don't you think a car that's covered in iron and can be locked is safer?

When sleeping in your car in winter, the cold is still your biggest enemy. However, if you take measures to protect yourself from the cold, you can stay reasonably comfortable. And sleeping inside your car will be much more comfortable if you lay down an air mattress. With the number of roadside stations and public parking lots having increased dramatically compared to the past, you can now use the facilities for toilets and washing your face

If you don't like the inconvenience and anxiety of sleeping in your car, then you can just stay at a hotel. In fact, you could even think of the inconvenience as the real appeal of a car camping trip. If you're only looking for immediate convenience and comfort, then there's no need to go on a car camping trip. Even if it's a little inconvenient, if you can enjoy the situation, there's nothing more enjoyable than a car camping trip. Once you've experienced it, it seems pointless and a waste to think about the disadvantages

What may seem like a disadvantage at first glance actually turns out to be a double advantage. For example..

• It takes a while to get to the destination, but the free-spirited driving along the way is a lot of fun
• You can't eat luxurious meals like you can at a hotel, but if you travel by car, you can eat whatever you want to eat in that area depending on your mood that day
• It's a little uncomfortable to sleep in the car, but it's in a great location
• I can't sleep on a fluffy futon in a hotel, but I'm happy to be able to sleep snuggled up with my family
• I can't drink draft beer after a bath, but drinking alcohol while gazing at the beautiful snowy scenery and starry sky is the best

Why not try a car camping trip and discover the charms of each region and the wonders of true travel?　

▼ Check out the YouTube video Dad Has a Natural Perm

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Dad's family has a perm

This family of four spends 40 to 50 days a year traveling in their Hiace, from the sea to the snowy mountains, all over Japan, enjoying surfing, skiing, and snowboarding. As surfers, they started sleeping in their car because they wanted to be near good waves, and have been doing so for over 20 years. From 2016 to 2019, they even traveled around Japan sleeping in their car. In the winter of 2019, they began a dual life in Yuzawa Town, Niigata Prefecture. They are YouTubers and influencers who share the appeal of a free lifestyle and sleeping in their car on social media

"Tennen Perm Base @ Echigo Yuzawa" was provided

Car camping event "Izakaya Van Life in Niigata" will be held on April 22nd (Sat) - 23rd (Sun) 2023!

https://www.instagram.com/tennenperm_daddy/
https://www.youtube.com/user/masatoikebe

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Summary of this article

If you sleep in your car, you'll wake up to a pristine powder field in the morning, and
you'll be the first to set the first track!

For powder-loving skiers and snowboarders, this reason alone is more than enough to justify sleeping in your car. The morning after it snows, you want to be the first to reach the powder! This is especially true for those who enjoy backcountry skiing as well as skiing on the slopes, and if you're taking a road trip in search of good mountain conditions, it can be a hassle and a waste of time to search for accommodation every time. Sleeping in your car allows you to design and enjoy your snow trip freely, whenever and wherever you want, at your own pace. The convenience, comfort, and fun are incredible

Well, from next time, let's learn some specific know-how about sleeping in your car!

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※Please note

If you plan to sleep in your car in a ski resort parking lot, we recommend that you contact the ski resort in advance. Some ski resorts have announcements such as "We ask that you refrain from sleeping in your car the night before your trip." As skiers and snowboarders who love playing in the snowy mountains, please be sure to follow the rules and etiquette of the ski resort