[Travel Report] We Visited Outdoor Village Yakage, a New Outdoor Facility in Okayama

We visited Outdoor Village Yakage, an outdoor-themed complex that opened on April 28 in Yakage Town, Okayama Prefecture.

The facility was developed as a hub for a broader project to create an auto campground, biotope, and other outdoor amenities along the Oda River. The project made use of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s “Kawamachi-zukuri” river-town development support program, as well as grants from the Digital Garden City Nation initiative. The total project cost was approximately 2 billion yen.

Inside the facility, visitors will find several tenants, including Montbell Yakage, a directly operated store by the outdoor brand Montbell and one of its largest locations in the Chugoku and Shikoku regions. There is also Caffè dell’Orto, an Italian café focused on locally sourced ingredients, operated by JA Hare no Kuni Okayama together with BONTA ITALIA, an Italian restaurant from Daikanyama, Tokyo.

We visited on May 2, during Japan’s Golden Week holiday period. Although we arrived in the late afternoon, the three parking lots were almost full, and an open area at the back had been made available as a temporary parking lot. The building is located across the Oda River from Sanyo-do Yakage-juku Roadside Station.

Montbell Yakage, One of the Largest Montbell Stores in the Chugoku and Shikoku Regions

Montbell Yakage offers a wide selection of outdoor gear in its spacious store, including camping equipment, mountaineering gear, climbing equipment, bicycles, kayaks, high-performance apparel, and sun protection items.

Next to the store entrance stands the Climbing Pinnacle, an approximately six-meter-tall climbing experience facility that serves as one of the store’s symbolic features. It is designed for both adults and children to enjoy climbing. The climbing challenge is held on Saturdays, Sundays, and national holidays from 10:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with each session lasting 20 minutes. The participation fee is 1,000 yen, including accident insurance and equipment rental.

The store was also accepting reservations for kayaking and SUP experiences on the Oda River. The kayaks are two-seater boats, while SUP, short for stand-up paddleboarding, is an open-air water activity that originated in Hawaii, where participants stand on a large board and paddle across the water. Kayaking costs 4,000 yen for adults and 3,000 yen for children. SUP is open to participants from junior high school age up to 75 years old, and the fee is 4,000 yen. Both activities require advance reservations online, and the program details may change from time to time.

Authentic Italian Cuisine Made with Vegetables from Yakage

Caffè dell′Orto is an Italian restaurant operated by JA Hare no Kuni Okayama, offering dishes made with vegetables grown in Yakage.

The menu includes pinsa romana, which features a lighter and easier-to-eat dough than pizza, as well as casual Italian snacks and home-style dishes such as lasagna. Guests can also enjoy desserts including gelato. Inside the restaurant, Italian vegetables grown by local farmers were also available for purchase.

The restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus. For lunch, there are four set meals, each served with an assortment of vegetables from Yakage. These value-for-money sets also include authentic Italian dishes such as Rigatoni Ortolana and Fusilli with Tomato Ragù.

For dinner, guests can enjoy hearty à la carte dishes, including lasagna, bamboo shoot arrabbiata, and broccoli dressed with anchovies.

The Italian gelato lineup included classic flavors such as Fior di Latte, made with milk, and Nocciola, made with hazelnuts, as well as local flavors such as Setouchi lemon.

The dessert menu was also varied, featuring granita, a sorbet-like frozen dessert that originated in Sicily; cannoli, crispy pastry shells filled with cream; and familiar Italian desserts such as panna cotta and tiramisu.

Since the lunch menu had already ended by the time we arrived, we ordered the Margherita pinsa romana from the à la carte menu, which is available throughout the day. It came topped with generous chunks of cheese and was quite filling.

Takeout is also available, so the food may taste even better if you enjoy it while taking in the natural surroundings from the second-floor observation terrace or at one of the outdoor tables.

Campsites and a Dog Park Nearby

Next to the main facility, there are eight unit-style campsites. Each site comes with a unit house equipped with a hot-water sink, refrigerator, toilet, shower, and power outlets, as well as a private table and four chairs. Each site also has a tent area covered with wood chips.

Between Montbell and the café, there is a visitor center where items such as firewood for barbecues were available for purchase. The center also offers rental services for e-bikes and camping equipment, including tents, lanterns, and sleeping bags.

Along the riverside, there is an open and spacious dog park, and we saw many visitors with pets on the day we visited. Outdoor Village Yakage is a place where visitors can casually enjoy a variety of outdoor sports and activities. Even as someone who usually prefers indoor activities, I found it exciting enough to make me want to try something new.

Facility Information