Tonight, I Become Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain's novel "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" depicts a boy living in the good old days of America. Did you read it as a child? Or perhaps, like me, who is a bit older in their 40s or 50s, you might know it from the Sunday evening anime. Many people must have longed to live like Huck Finn, Tom Sawyer's free-spirited best friend. Otherwise, camping wouldn't be this popular.



I remember trying desperately to imitate those two when I was a child. Building a secret base behind the adults' backs, hiding treasures there. Dusk spent listening to the rustling of leaves. The scent of grass and trees. The feel of the air. When you place yourself close to nature, your skin's senses sharpen, and your forgotten antenna sensitivity stands up straight again.

The most prominent of these is the flame.

Why is it so soothing to gaze at the flickering flames...? School camping trips. The songs we sang around the campfire for the first time. I've forgotten what we sang now, but I think the fragments of positive memories I felt then make me want to come camping again someday and stare at the flames to my heart's content.


Yes, it was realized quickly.
In just 100 minutes one way.
Without any prior preparation.
And in the middle of winter.
With ordinary city attire.

This is the terrace at the highest point of the vast forest slope at "HOSHINOYA Fuji," a shared campfire lounge for guests. The area is large enough for all 40 accommodation rooms, accommodating over 100 people at maximum capacity. Even in spaces slightly away from the campfire, there are gentle partitions and tarps to avoid obstructing private areas, and outdoor gas stoves provide warmth even from a distance.

The campfire flame is carefully managed by fire-tending staff. Whether it rains or blows, as long as nothing extraordinary happens, its light will not go out. This is because this campfire is the symbol of "HOSHINOYA Fuji." The staff fully understands the significance of people coming to this facility for this campfire. Therefore, this lounge is the "living room" for all guests.

To allow you to spend relaxing time around the fire, the staff thoughtfully brings you whatever you need. Of course, the library right next door has a fireplace, where you can enjoy the flickering flames while staying warm and cozy.

Any drink you desire. From champagne to start, to wine, whiskey – while carefully selected, a wide range of well-known brands are available.

By the way, the lowest temperature on the day of the interview was 0°C. City winter clothes are completely inadequate for the cold... but the cabins are equipped with highly insulated coats, and the lounge is warmed by outdoor gas stoves to a level that allows you to enjoy the cold air, so it's no problem at all. If it's still cold, you can use a blanket. Furthermore, there's even an outdoor kotatsu as a trump card. Therefore, you can enjoy sipping your long-awaited whiskey to your heart's content, stress-free.

At 9 PM, an artist is invited from Tokyo for a "Forest Concert." This is an everyday event, including weekdays. It feels like a Viva Private Fest.

Page02.Gibier is the perfect choice for a winter feast!

Gibier is the perfect choice for a winter feast!

Let's move on to one of the joys of travel: food. "HOSHINOYA Fuji" recommends gibier dishes during the winter season. Wild boar meat aged since autumn, and venison harvested in winter, are slow-cooked. Hunters who are experts in their field ensure proper processing is done quickly, resulting in meat with little gamey odor and rich flavor.

Venison harvested in winter, in particular, is fed bark and straw, which reduces its fat content, firms the meat, and gives it a mild flavor, making it easy for first-timers to enjoy. On the other hand, the wild boar ham uses only meat that has been aged, making it softer and more concentrated in flavor than raw meat.


This course is served at a kotatsu table set up in the outdoor dining area. It's enjoyable to eat piping hot gibier in the cold winter forest air, with your feet kept warm under the kotatsu. Furthermore, under the guidance of the Glamping Master, you prepare and plate the food yourself using a Dutch oven, making the taste even more special. The hotel's staging, which condenses the essence of camping enjoyment, is exquisite.

Also, related to gibier, you can choose the "Mountain Foot Venison Shabu-Shabu Hot Pot." This is enjoyed at a kotatsu set up on the terrace of your accommodation cabin. In other words, it's "room service hot pot."

Venison, which is mild and easy to eat, is perfect for simple cooking methods that don't overcook it. Rich in iron and vitamin B2, venison is high in protein and low in calories, making it excellent for health and beauty.

Three types of dipping sauces are offered: sudachi ponzu, Japanese parsley paste, and nut sesame sauce. Inspired by the mountainous environment where deer roam, we deliberately chose mountain ingredients such as nuts and vegetables that deer might eat. First, take a bite with just the broth without any sauce, then coat it with the rich sauce.



By the way, if you're not too keen on gibier? Yes, that's fine. The main dining hall offers a à la carte menu. Not being limited to one option is also a characteristic of "glamping."

Page03.And, and, behold!

And, and, behold! This magnificent view that Japan boasts.

Mount Fuji looms right before your eyes. The inverted reflection of Fuji on the surface of Lake Kawaguchiko. You'll cry when you see it. Yes, I cried. Thinking, "It's so huge," the obvious. But to experience this emotion, you have to get up a little early. Because you can only encounter this view in the early morning when there is no wind and the water surface is calm. Moreover, it's early winter mornings when clouds rarely cover Mt. Fuji. Early morning canoeing before the anglers and tour boats wake up. It's an essential activity for winter glamping.

To participate in the canoe activity offered by "HOSHINOYA Fuji," you must board the tour bus that arrives at the hotel's waiting area at 6:50 AM. Waiting for the bus in the dim light before sunrise can be quite tough and disheartening, but it's "Camping! Camping! Let's go!" And it's only about a 5-minute ride to Lake Kawaguchiko (practically next door). You'll gently glide your canoe while receiving explanations from the instructor, so there's no danger. Of course, our international guests will be thrilled by this magnificent view. Observing the fun of such foreign tourists discreetly is also interesting.

Glamping. It means glamorous camping. It is said that its roots lie in the practice of European nobles setting up camps on their journeys to the capital, creating temporary accommodations that were as close as possible to their daily lives within nature.

However, the glamping offered by "HOSHINOYA Fuji" is not merely about providing a luxurious, extraordinary experience in nature. Their concept of luxury is not expensive alcohol or rare ingredients, but rather nature itself. They themselves hold a sense of awe for the nature of Fuji, and at the same time, they are dedicated to providing thorough support for urban dwellers who are unaccustomed to interacting with nature. Based on the travel style of glamping born in Europe and America, they are creating a unique Japanese glamping style that sees gods in all things.

When it rains, when it blows, when it's particularly cold, and then it gets stuffy... Spending time at "HOSHINOYA Fuji" transforms these natural phenomena from mere annoyances into "What shall we do?" or "How can we tackle this?" – turning them into small joys and amusements. That is the special effect and benefit of this accommodation.



P.S. Why go glamping outdoors in the cold winter? I understood when I actually went. Because the harsher the natural environment, the more eloquently the forest speaks to you. And it's different from just camping; the Glamping Master's wisdom and experience provide solid protection.

P.S. 2 "I don't want to go home on a windy night." Don To of BO GUMBOS once sang that. Yes, I really understand that feeling now.