I’ve always wanted to try camping with my kids, but hesitated when I thought about the cost of getting camping equipment such as tents, BBQ grills and table sets. However, after doing some research, I found out that there are campgrounds that offer a service where we can rent a complete set of equipment needed for camping, such as tents, sleeping bags, and BBQ sets. The place we chose for our first camping trip was Nature Mirai Kan in Kin Town. I went on my first camping trip with my kids during spring break, a time when even camping beginners would be comfortable!
Nature Mirai Kan in Kin Town is located at the mouth of the Okukubi River, in a rich natural environment with a view of mangrove forests. The facility has not only camping sites but also cottages where you can experience mangrove canoeing and various other activities. There is also a full range of camping equipment available for rent, so you can really camp even if you come empty-handed. You can find a list of camping equipment that can be rented at Nature Mirai Kan on the page linked below.
List of camping equipment available for rent at Nature Mirai Kan
It’s great to be able to fine-tune the various camping equipment available. The camping equipment I rented this time was a tent, table set, BBQ grill, tent mat, and sleeping bag. The total cost for these five items and the usage fee was a little over 10,000 yen. Even if you don’t have camping equipment, it’s nice to be able to experience camping easily. The camping equipment we rented was put together in a basket like this.
The camp site at Nature Mirai Kan looks like this. The campsites are neatly divided into sections, and the cooking area and toilets are close by, making it a very user-friendly campground.
The first step was to set up the tent. However, it was quite difficult for a beginner to set up a tent with just two kids, so we ended up having a staff member help us. The tent was made by SnowPeak, and it was more authentic than I had expected. It was a little difficult to set up this tent without two adults. The staff was kind enough to explain and help us.
The tent was quite spacious and there was enough space for a family of four to sleep.
Once the tent was set up and the table set BBQ grill was set up, the atmosphere became more camp-like. Now it’s time to make a fire, the best part of camping.
I’d like to take the liberty of teaching you a secret trick for starting a fire. I’m a beginner at camping, but I’m pretty good at starting fires for things like BBQs. Normally, you would use an igniter to start a fire on charcoal or twigs. There is a secret technique you can use here. That is
Use the charcoal left over to start a fire! .
Charcoal that has been burned and is still burning is much easier to ignite than regular charcoal. This is because it has been burned once and is quite dry. And there are a lot of leftover charcoal at the charcoal dump! There is no way not to take advantage of this.
This is the charcoal we actually picked up from the charcoal dump, as well as some dead branches we picked up from around the area.
I bought some charcoal, but in the end, this found charcoal and dead branches were enough to keep the fire going until midnight.
Incidentally, this time there was some charcoal left burning and smoking in the ashes. Since we were able to use this charcoal, we were able to easily start a fire without using a lighter or anything else. I guess recycling is important (laughs).
Now that the tent is set up and the grill is fired up, all that’s left to do is just sit back, relax, and enjoy the beer and drinks while grilling the meat! We’ll start with the steak, of course! And for Uchinanchu, Orion beer!
After all, there’s nothing like drinking beer in the middle of nature! Yum! It sinks into my body. And the chirping of birds and insects was soothing to the ears. And the sound and smell of meat cooking was the best accompaniment to the drink.
However, this is the Kin Town. The sound of the Osprey’s flight can be heard from time to time (laughs). Well, the only campsite where you can hear the sound of Osprey is probably the Nature Mirai Kan in Kin Town. In that sense, it was a precious experience.
Even after it got dark, we just kept on burning wood, watching the fire and enjoying our drinks. My kids were also very excited about camping for the first time, and even though we left them alone, they played on their own. Camping is a great way to spend calm time with kids. I was hooked on its charm.
Even though it was late at night, I was still in an extraordinary space that was different from my usual daily life, but the sounds of nature, such as the wind, birds, insects, and the distant sound of the ocean, made me feel very relaxed.
By the way, each campsite has its own small light, so it is not completely dark. It’s a safe place for a family camping with children.
In the morning, I woke up very pleasantly to the sound of various birds. I could hear the sounds of various birds from the Okukubi River right in front of the campground. It was a very refreshing morning.
My first camping experience at Nature Mirai Kan
As I have very little camping equipment, I rented most of it for my first camping experience. It was more comfortable than I expected, and I was able to relax and enjoy nature. The wind, birds and insects were soothing, the beer and meat were delicious, and I think I fell in love with the charm of camping. My children also enjoyed their first tent, their first sleeping bag, and their first camping experience to the fullest.
The campsite at Nature Mirai Kan has toilets nearby and showers available until 24:00. Even beginners to camping can use this campground without worry. I was able to relax and enjoy the natural atmosphere. There are also cottages available, so it seems that multiple people can stay together. There are also cottages available for multiple people to stay in, and there are various activities for families to enjoy together.
- Address: 11818-2 Kin, Kin town, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa 904-1201, Japan
- Telephone: 098-968-6117
- Contact Hours: 9：00～17：00
- HP Link：
Click here to go to the Nature Mirai Kan website.
Nature Mirai Kan is here ↓
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