There's nothing to beat the great outdoors and camping out under the stars. The trick, of course, is finding the perfect spot.

Like outdoor enthusiasts the world over, Kyohei and Chisako Ueyama yearn to get out into the back and beyond whenever they can.

But Chisako was always irked that everywhere they went never matched their expectations.

Inevitably, the couple started talking about whether they could ever afford to purchase their own mountainous retreat and construct their dream site.

It's something a lot of people would love to do but never take the plunge for whatever reason.

But these days, there is surging interest in getting back in touch with nature and not coming into close contact with others due in large part to fears about the new coronavirus pandemic.

Two years ago, the Ueyamas purchased a forest plot measuring about 430,000 square meters in Kami, Hyogo Prefecture. The site can only be reached via an unpaved forestry road that stretches for about a kilometer.

A small wooden shed stands on cleared land about the size of a soccer field.

“Everything that you can see is what we own,” Kyohei, 29, said.

Now, he and Chisako, 28, are involved in the gradual process of transforming the land into their ideal camping ground.

Kyohei obtained a license to operate heavy machinery, and he used a small digger to level the plot after clearing it of weeds and trees.

Chisako learned design on her own to draft a plan for the wooden shed. It took about three months to build, after receiving advice from an architect acquaintance. The couple also built a shelf to dry firewood as well as a bath made out of a barrel. They are now working on a wooden veranda.

The Ueyamas have a home in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. During the week, Kyohei works as a company employee and Chisako has a part-time job.

But on weekends, they drive for about three hours to reach their camping ground and sleep in tents. On occasion, family members will lend a hand in improving the site.

When the Ueyamas visited camping grounds in the past, those located in accessible areas tended to be crowded, and each area for a group of campers was too small. Less popular camping grounds often did not have adequate facilities. Some even had dirty toilets.

So the Ueyamas set about buying and constructing their ideal camping ground. Initially, they set a budget limit of 3 million yen ($28,000) on their dream. They visited areas in Kyoto and Okayama prefectures before settling on the Kami site.

While Kyohei is normally not overly decisive, he knew when he first saw the site that this was where they would build their dream camping ground.

But the asking price for the plot was 8 million yen, well in excess of their budget. Chisako told her parents about their plan, and financial support materialized. The couple purchased the land about three months after first seeing it.

Their plans for the future include building a cafe, cottage and outdoor bath. They both now have jobs, so they are in no hurry to formally open the camping ground.

COMEDIAN'S 'SOLO CAMPING'

A comedian who goes by the single name of Hiroshi is credited with triggering interest in solo camping.

Hiroshi, 48, purchased forested land in the greater Tokyo metropolitan area in 2019 because he wanted to enjoy camping out of sight of curious individuals. He has posted videos of his solo camping experiences on YouTube. Some videos have been viewed as many as 4 million times.

A year after purchasing the site, Hiroshi said there were both advantages and disadvantages to having a private camping ground. On the negative side, it requires a lot of work to maintain the site, such as cutting weeds.

“In my own mountain, no one speaks to me or asks if they can take a photo,” Hiroshi said. “I can spend a quiet time in nature.”

AGENTS FIELDING MORE INQUIRIES

Individuals who operate internet sites that handle sales of forested land agreed that the COVID-19 crisis had spiked interest in such purchases.

Masaki Tatsumi, 67, president of Mountain Voice, based in Kozagawa, Wakayama Prefecture, began the Sanrin Bank site in 2005.

Initially, more than half of the inquiries he received were from individuals interested in forestry. But more recently, the inquiries have been from those wanting to build private camping grounds. One factor that triggered the interest is videos transmitted about private camping experiences.

Tatsumi said he has received about 400 inquiries a month since May, a fourfold increase over last year.

“There has been a huge increase in interest in purchasing mountainous areas for one’s own camping ground due in part to the novel coronavirus pandemic,” he said.

Many of the inquiries are from residents of major urban areas, such as Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya and Fukuoka. Many are seeking forested land about two hours by car from their residence.

Shingo Higa, 35, is president of another company that operates the Yamaichiba (Mountain market) site.

He said that more people were interested in purchasing their own plot because camping grounds also closed after the government requested residents to refrain from leaving homes due to the health crisis.

According to the Tokyo-based Japan Auto Camping Association, no special permit is required to operate a camping ground. However, permission will be required if a lodging facility is operated or if a large plot of forest is felled.

While two-thirds of land in Japan is forest, many plots have simply been abandoned because of a decrease in lumber prices. Poor maintenance has led to landslides in some areas.

Higa, who also sells lumber, said: “I hope camping will serve as the catalyst to increase interest in ‘mountainous areas’ among more people. I also would be happy if that led to protection of lumber resources and water sources.”