For mountains, rivers or whatever floats your boat, Saitama’s got you covered.
Located in the north-western part of Saitama Prefecture in the Chichibu basin and surrounded by mountains is the town of Ogano. As a child, Kenta Ogino played in the rivers and mountains and rivers here. He discovered bushcraft 8 years ago when he started working at Forest Sons Nagatoro and realized that it was “exactly like how we used to play back in the day.”
Things like knives and ropework were once an extension of play, but by learning them systematically through bushcraft instructor workshops and self-study, he developed a new awareness towards nature that he had previously taken for granted.
“When I was asked which way the wind was blowing in a workshop, I realized that I had never paid any attention to it before, despite being an outdoorsman. When you are having fun in the great outdoors you tend to get blinkered by that one thing you are into and are unreceptive to all the other information around you. So when if I’m cutting logs with a knife for example, I have to be careful not to get so immersed that I can’t hear the other sounds around me,”
Up until his mid-20s, he often went clubbing and felt a strong pull from the city. Ogino-san however felt that he loved nature the most as it brought him a sense of tranquility, and left behind his job as a hairdresser to work as a woodsman in his hometown. This led to a shift in how he approached having fun. He took up fishing and mountain hiking, and realized that his own backyard in Saitama offered all sorts of ways to play.
”The river facing the campground is popular for rafting, canoeing, and recently, SUP. There are some low mountains called Nagatoro Alps just across the river, where you can go for a good 3-hour hike.”
He can usually be found in local rivers and mountains. “I’m into mountain stream fishing, so I take my motorcycle up the forest roads, and if there is a stream, I’ll head in and make a bonfire and brew up some coffee.”
He usually uses a tarp, but “this is the first time I’ve been inside a tent in a long time, and I feel very safe and secure,” he says, planning to stow a tent on his motorcycle from now on. Ino also wants to start hiking mountains, and says, “I would like to try overnight hiking in the with an ultralight tent.” In Saitama, he’s got his eyes set on Mt. Kumotori, which borders Tokyo.
Ino-san has a lot to recommend when it comes to outdoor activities in Saitama. “I’d like people to use the campgrounds as a base and explore all over the place. You can do all kinds of activities on the river or in the mountains, and there is even a big BMX course in the back part of Chichibu,”. Huge and diverse, Saitama has more fun than you can shake a stick at.
Location：Forest Sons Nagatoro
Kenta Ino
After stints as a hairdresser and in the forestry industry, worked at the Forestsons Nagatoro campground and is now the manager. Loves bonfires and motorcycles.
Japanese-made frame for mountain camping with a good balance of comfort and wind resistance.
