This suburban cafe in Tokyo recreates the joys of camping indoors

Want to go camping but hate the cold, the wind and dirt? Ogawa, the Japanese brand behind some of the most durable accessories for outdoor sports, operates a camping-themed café called the Grand Lodge Café, which lets you experience camping without having to leave the cosiness of a neighbourhood café. You don’t even have to trek far from a metro station.

Located in the west Tokyo suburb of Kodaira, this café has faithfully recreated the bonhomie of a camping ground, complete with actual tents, artificial grass patches, folding chairs and even bean bags. The outdoor-themed design of the café is further accentuated with wooden furniture, some of which were handmade by the staff. Pots, pans, lanterns and other camping gear are scattered around the luxurious tents to complete the experience.

The meticulous recreation of the camping concept is also present in the food menu. The focus on ‘camping food’ brings together recipes appropriate for the outdoors, which range from simple grilled meats to more complex dishes that add fun and challenge to outdoor cooking. Every dish will be accompanied by a recipe card, so that you can learn how to cook the dish the next time you’re actually camping in the great outdoors.

Grand Lodge Café offers a place for you to dip your toes into the world of camping without dispensing with style and modern creature comforts. It’s family-friendly, too, as you’ll find a kids corner along with a breastfeeding tent. In this cold winter weather, this could just be the best way to do some ‘camping’ while still staying warm and comfy in the city. By Xiaochen Su

Grand Lodge Café is located at 2F, 4-34-6 Hanakoganei, Kodaira, Tokyo. Opening hours are 11am-7pm (last orders 6pm) daily. For more information, check its Facebook page.

This article was originally published on January 31 2019 and updated on May 6 2021.