Photo/Illutration A glamping facility at an altitude of 1,200 meters in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture, in August (Douni Tani)

"To glamp or not to glamp?" That seems to be the question for a growing number of people heading for Japan's great outdoors.

Hotel operators and other companies in Niigata Prefecture are hoping to cash in on the trend, opening glamping sites that allow visitors to get in touch with nature without having to worry about preparations involved in camping.

Snow Peak Inc., the leading maker of outdoor equipment, located in Sanjo, Niigata Prefecture, manages "Snow Peak Field Suite Hakuba Kitaone Kogen" in Hakuba, Nagano Prefecture.

It started operating the site in July to attract tourists during the summer to the highlands, which are used as a ski resort in winter.

It takes about two hours to travel from Niigata Station to Nagano Station by making connections with Shinkansens.

From there, it takes about one hour to reach the foot of Hakuba Happo-one by shuttle bus, and a further 10 minutes to Kitaone Kogen Highland, at an altitude of 1,200 meters, by the lift.

Set in the grassland are wooden decks covering about 100 square meters, along with tents and cabins designed by famous architects.

The tents are equipped with double beds, tables, dripolators, air coolers and other amenities, making them just like a hotel room.

According to Snow Peak, the facility is highly unique in terms of its location and guest experience, saying, "We provide an outstanding experience to guests."

The rate ranges between 70,000 yen ($647) and 110,000 yen per person. While it may be high, the company said its service is worth it.

Guests can take nature jaunts, 30 minutes each way, in the mountain with a guide and can take advantage of a nearby onsen resort with spectacular views of the snow-capped Northern Alps.

Tent guests are served dinner with locally sourced foods such as Shinshu char carpaccio and Shinshu beef fillet steak. They can also gather around an open fire with other guests and chat with each other under the night sky.

Yoshiyuki Shinhama, 52, visited the facility from Tokyo's Setagawa Ward, saying about his experience: "I can enjoy great nature like mountains and the starry sky without preparing anything. It's extraordinary."

According to a facility official, the number of guests is gradually increasing, though the site is not often fully booked.

"We want to improve our service further, so that this boom does not become temporary," the official said.

Some traditional tourist resorts are also promoting their glamping facilities as a new attraction.

Senami Hamanasu hotel in Senami Onsen resort in Murakai, Niigata Prefecture, started offering glamping three years ago, setting up one tent and one trailer. The nightly rate for the tent is 12,000 yen per person, while that for the trailer is 18,000 yen per person.

The glamping facility, which has a unique feature of facing the sea, caused a buzz among Internet users with its beautiful view of the sunset. It became so popular that it was fully booked every day last month.

Hotel manager Masako Ito said: "Younger people use the glamping facility more than traditional guests. They have higher abilities to transmit information to society."

Onsen resort hotel operator Tenchoukaku group opened the glamping facility supervised by Snow Peak in Agano, Niigata Prefecture, in May.

The nightly rate ranges from 6,500 yen to 30,000 yen per person. Hideki Aizawa, reception manager, said, "The number of guests is growing gradually, creating a ripple effect for restaurants operating nearby."

Hotel operator Maiko Resort in Minamiuonuma, Niigata Prefecture, also started a glamping facility two years ago.

Tatsuya Ito, head of the company's marketing division, said, “The initial investment cost is lower than that for building hotels.”

As the number of guests has increased since it opened, the company boosted the number of tents from six to 12 this year.

The nightly rate is from 12,000 yen to 26,000 yen per person.

“Equipment and special knowledge are necessary for camping, but people enjoy glamping for its great convenience,” Ito said.