Campfire Breakfast on the Riverside

The camping scene has been growing in Japan recently, many accrediting its popularity to the launch of the anime series set in Yamanashi, known as “Laid-Back Camp” or “Yuru Camp.” My favorite part of camping has always been a hot breakfast over the campfire. Now, let me tell you about Yatsugatake Outdoor Activities and their bonfire tour, where you can enjoy a delicious campfire breakfast on the riverside.

▲Enjoying our hot ham sandwiches by the campfire

Yatsugatake Outdoor Activities

Yatsugatake Outdoor Activities（External Link） is based in Hokuto City, Yamanashi Prefecture. They offer a series of different outdoor activities you can enjoy all throughout the different seasons, such as: kayaking, trekking, e-bikes, bonfires, and more. What makes them really stand out from the others, is their wide variety of beginner-friendly, guided tours that are both “active” and “scenic.” No gear? No problem. Helmets are provided, and additional gear like rainwear is available to rent for separate fees.

▲Using kindling from the forest to make a fire

Starting the Fire

Fall foliage blanketed the forest floor, making crunching noises with each step. Along the way, we worked together to gather kindling to start a fire, such as dry twigs, branches, pine cones, and even some spiky chestnuts. Ouch! Once we made it to the riverside, we set up our portable, eco-friendly fire pit. After a few minutes, we were able to get a steady flame going with our materials and newspaper scraps.

Let’s dig in!

The bonfire tour provides you with a delicious breakfast set: seasoned baby tomatoes, a hot ham sandwich, and sweet persimmon slices for dessert. Yum! Our guide brought us each a sandwich maker with a handle, so we could toast our sandwiches to perfection over the fire. Have you ever had a “hot sandwich” before? Well, if you haven’t, you definitely need to try one.

Our guide handed us each a cup, and we began to sip on some coffee while sitting and enjoying each other’s time around the fire. After sharing some of my camping stories from growing up, I realized that neither of my coworkers (one from France, the other from Brazil) had been camping before, and this was their first-ever campfire breakfast.

▲Autumn air by the fire

If you have some room left in your stomach after breakfast, I recommend bringing some s’more supplies and marshmallows to roast with you as well. There are so many different ways to enjoy this laid-back, campfire experience!

More Info

Yatsugatake Outdoor Activities website:
https://y-outdoor.com/