Question 1

Why does it cost more than a normal campsite?

Accepted Answer

Because it isn't a bare pitch. A ¥3,000 campsite is grass and a tap. Tsumagoi is from ¥7,500/night for the first adult (+¥4,000 each additional) included at 1,444m: heated lounge, fiber office, gym, indoor kitchen, laundry, hot showers — you sleep in a tent. Glamping in Gunma/Nagano runs ¥15,000–35,000/person/night; coliving $1,300–2,500/month in the city.

Question 2

Do I need to bring my own tent?

Accepted Answer

Either works — bring your own or rent one of ours. We have a solo tent (¥1,000/night), a 5m bell for 8–10 (¥1,500), a pop-up for 4–6 (¥2,000), and a family bell for 4–6 (¥3,000). All self-pitch; we can help you set up. (This is a tent site, not a licensed hotel — that is why overnight stays need a tent.)

Question 3

Can I bring my dog?

Accepted Answer

Yes — all campsites A–E are pet-friendly. Well-behaved dogs are welcome on leash in shared areas. Pick up after your pet, keep food secured (bears visit the plateau), and never leave dogs unattended in the office or kitchen. Message us on LINE if you have questions about your specific animal.

Question 4

Will I be cold at night?

Accepted Answer

You can be — always check the temperature before you come. At 1,444 m the air runs roughly 10°C cooler than the city and mountain nights drop fast, even in summer, so check the live reading at the top of the page and pack for it. Bring warm layers and a cold-rated sleeping bag or blanket. Every rental tent has a chimney port, so you can run a wood stove for real heat, and a personal gas stove is a great backup for warmth and hot drinks. The heated indoor lounge is there whenever you want to thaw out. If in doubt, message us and we'll tell you exactly what to bring.

Question 5

What is car camping / 車中泊? Do you provide a car?

Accepted Answer

No — you bring your own vehicle and sleep in it. Car camping (車中泊) is a dedicated overnight vehicle spot with the same stay amenities (fiber office, hot showers, kitchen, gym, heated lounge). From ¥6,500/night for the first occupant, +¥4,000 each additional (max 4 in the vehicle). We do not rent or provide a car.

Question 6

Can I park my car on the campsite? What if I pitch a tent too?

Accepted Answer

Yes — you may drive onto and park on your booked camp pad. 4WD is recommended (wet grass can be soft); if a vehicle gets stuck, towing is at the guest's cost — the ranch is not liable. Parking on a camp pad plus pitching a tent is still a camping booking (per-adult Plateau Lifestyle Pass), not car-stay. Choose the Car Camping tab only when you sleep in the vehicle on a dedicated car-stay spot.

Question 7

How many people per site? Can we book two sites?

Accepted Answer

Each camp site fits up to 10 guests and is billed per adult (first adult ¥7,500/night, each additional +¥4,000). Groups larger than 10 can book adjacent sites in the same cart — each site is its own line, still per-adult. For very large parties, message us or book the full-venue Event option (up to 100 guests).

Question 8

Are there lots of insects? What should I bring?

Accepted Answer

Mountain insects are part of highland camping — mosquitoes, horseflies (abu), and blackflies (buyo) show up in the warmer months. Nothing scary if you're prepared: rent our Coleman mosquito coils (蚊取り線香) from the gear list, or bring your own repellent and long sleeves. Coils are also sold at the unmanned ranch shop. Screens on the lounge help when you're indoors; outdoors, smoke + clothing is the classic Japanese fix.

Question 9

Why the blue sheet on the pad? Is the ground flat?

Accepted Answer

We lay a blue ground sheet (ブルーシート) on every pad so grass doesn’t grow under your tent — that’s intentional. The ranch sits on a gentle slope, and some pads aren’t perfectly flat yet while we finish leveling. Bring a thick sleeping mat if you like, and if you feel a lean, pitch with your head uphill.

Question 10

Is there a quiet zone? I'm an introvert — do I have to mingle?

Accepted Answer

No forced mingling — this is a self-paced plateau base. Ranch-wide quiet hours are 22:00–06:00. For a quieter pad, book Quiet Sites A-1 or A-2 (next to the water-pump room) — lower foot traffic, good for solo / deep-work stays. Pads A and B (A-1 / A-2 / B-1 / B-2) offer optional paid AC hookup at booking (¥1,000/night flat; low-wattage only — no heaters). You can work in the office lounge or stay on your pad; social time is optional.

Question 11

Can I work productively here? What about connectivity?

Accepted Answer

Yes — 100Mbps symmetric fiber to the climate-controlled office lounge (20+ tables, 9:00–18:00 Mon/Fri/Sat/Sun). Overnight guests use the lounge free with their stay; day visitors pay the office day use (¥2,400). Power at Quiet Sites for phone/laptop charging (low-wattage). Many guests ship code all week and soak at Manza or Kusatsu on the weekend.

Question 12

Which days are you open?

Accepted Answer

Kenji (the owner) is on-site on Monday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. On other days, the ranch is fully self-service — auto-lock access, shared kitchen, gym, showers, and office are all available. Please book in advance for unattended stays.

Question 13

Can I come by train without a car?

Accepted Answer

Yes — the most reliable route is the Kusatsu-Shima Ltd. Express to Naganohara-Kusatsuguchi, then a Toyota rental car (~30 min). There is no direct bus from that station to the ranch. Alternatively, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Karuizawa and the Seibu Kanko M-line bus — it stops at the ranch gate, but only 3 times per day each direction. Use the trip planner on the homepage Access section for times.

Question 14

Is there a bus stop at the ranch?

Accepted Answer

Yes — 「Tsumagoi Ranch - Bell of Love」(嬬恋牧場 愛妻の鐘) on the Seibu Kanko Bus M-line (Kusatsu–Karuizawa via Manza). Service is limited to about 3 buses per day each way; check NAVITIME or our trip planner before you travel.

Question 15

Is drinking water available?

Accepted Answer

Water is pumped from over 1 km downhill — it's used for showers and cooking. Please bring your own potable water or a water purifier for drinking. Drinks, snacks, food, and frozen items are available at our unmanned store (pay-as-you-go).

Question 16

What does my booking pay for — and what is extra?

Accepted Answer

Your payment covers the stay rate: campsite or car spot plus fiber office, gym, kitchen, laundry, heated lounge, and hot showers. Rental tent fees are added at checkout if selected. Everything else is pay-as-you-go at the unmanned shop — drinks, snacks, ice, firewood, BBQ gear. No alcohol sold on-site. Shower water on tap; bring drinking water or a filter.

Question 17

What's the minimum stay (and how do long stays save)?

Accepted Answer

One night minimum — we never turn away a one-night guest. Long stays earn automatic discounts on the same pass: 3–5 nights −10%, 6 nights −12%, 7+ nights −15% (from ¥6,375/night for the first guest). A solo 7-night 7-night plan runs ≈ ¥44,600 included. Showers and facilities are included at every length.

Question 18

Is it suitable for remote workers?

Accepted Answer

Yes — fiber internet, office desks, air-conditioned office, shared kitchen, and gym are included. Quiet hours from 22:00. You still sleep in a tent; this is site use, not a hotel room.

Question 19

Can I work a full week here off-peak (テレワークキャンプ場)?

Accepted Answer

Yes — that's exactly who Tsumagoi is built for. Fiber internet to a climate-controlled office at 1,444m, a shared kitchen with microwave and fridge, an unmanned shop for drinks/snacks/meat/veg, hot showers and a heated lounge. Drive in, work the week on the plateau while the weekend crowds are gone, and leave on a quiet off-peak day. A solo 7-night stay (7 nights) is ≈ ¥44,600 included; longer stays save more, down to −28% at 30 nights.

Question 20

What is “nature work” (自然ワーク) at Tsumagoi?

Accepted Answer

Nature work means remote work in the highlands — fiber desk by day, tent under the stars by night — without a city office commute. At 1,444m in Tsumagoi (Kita-Karuizawa / Manza area) you get 100Mbps office, kitchen, gym, and hot showers in one stay rate. Day use ¥2,400; overnight guests use the office free.

Question 21

Is Manza Onsen nearby?

Accepted Answer

Yes — Manza Onsen is about 15 minutes by car, one of Japan's highest hot-spring resorts at ~1,800m. Its milky sulphur springs are traditionally sought out for soothing skin and easing tired bodies after a work week (we keep this factual, not medical advice). Soaking there at the weekend and working the plateau on Monday is the rhythm Tsumagoi is built around.

Question 22

What about food and drinks?

Accepted Answer

No cooked meals — cook in the shared kitchen or bring food. Basic seasoning on hand; bring favourites. Alcohol not sold on-site. Minimart (cash or PayPay): ice, snacks, cup noodles, microwave meals, drinks.

Question 23

What is 湯治 (touji), and can I do it here?

Accepted Answer

Touji is Japan's centuries-old tradition of long, unhurried stays near a hot spring to rest and reset — historically self-catered, at a gentle pace, over days or weeks (see Kusatsu's long touji history). Tsumagoi mirrors that rhythm: a shared kitchen for self-catering, a quiet 1,444m plateau away from crowds, and three storied onsen towns — Kusatsu, Manza, Shima — within an hour to soak at. This is a cultural rest practice, not a medical treatment.

Question 24

Can I do a short プチ湯治 (petit touji, 2–3 nights)?

Accepted Answer

Yes — プチ湯治 (a short, modern take on touji) is exactly what a 2–3 night stay here is built for. 3–5 nights already qualify for the long-stay ladder, and the self-catering kitchen and quiet plateau work the same whether you stay 2 nights or 21. Many guests use a weekday petit-touji break to combine a quiet highland reset with a soak at Kusatsu, Manza or Shima.

Question 25

Which onsen should I visit for a healing-focused trip?

Accepted Answer

All three nearby onsen towns have long touji traditions: Kusatsu (~35 min) is one of Japan's most famous touji-and-hot-spring towns with acidic sulphur springs; Manza (~15 min) sits at ~1,800m with milky sulphur springs traditionally sought out for soothing skin and tired bodies; Shima (~55 min) is a quieter, clear-water valley onsen with its own long history. We keep this factual — any specific 効能 (efficacy) claims come from the onsen operators' own 温泉分析書 (spring analysis reports), not from Tsumagoi.

Question 26

How do I book?

Accepted Answer

Click "Book now" to check availability and complete your reservation online. For custom enquiries, group stays, or event bookings, use the chat to talk directly with Kenji.

7 nights on the plateau

Everything in the pass

1,444m on the Gunma plateau

Getting here without a car

A workation day

Work setup (all included)

Prefer 現代湯治 instead? Same ranch, onsen rhythm