Kamiya Resort Hitachi Oarai Ocean Terrace

From the road side, the glass lets you look out over the estuary and sea if you raise the roller blinds, which makes for a great view. Sadly, other buildings blocked the sunrise. There are no curtains on the glass entrance, though, so people outside can see in even while you’re sleeping. The bed by that entrance was especially cold from night until morning during our late-February stay, with outside air reaching it. I know that comes with container homes, but it was uncomfortable. Large vehicles crossing the nearby bridge also make the place vibrate like an earthquake. We stayed as a couple with our eight-month-old. Building 2 was fine, but the first step at Building 1’s entrance is high and raised off the ground, probably because of the sloping site. Take care there with small children. The parking lot entrance is narrow, so large cars should be careful too. On the parking side, there’s no fence between the property and the residential building, so it’s completely visible. There was no staff on site, and we had to follow the instructions from the reservation location to unlock the door before going in. That said, I personally liked being able to come and go easily without dealing with other people. The interior looked just like the official photos.

It works well for couples looking for a getaway. You can pick up food at Nakaminato Market and cook it at the guesthouse, which provides a stove, pots, and pans. The riverside resort guesthouse is about a 10-minute walk from the market. Check the booking details carefully: the listed price looks low, but extra costs such as a cleaning fee are added later. Overall, the price seems reasonable, neither cheap nor expensive.

I was looking for somewhere unusual to stay, and this trailer house fit the bill. The simple but polished interior was comfortable throughout my stay. Being up higher gave me a great ocean view and a lovely sunrise, and I was extremely satisfied.

It gets really cold in winter, and people outside can see right in. If you’re not used to living in a container house, this place can be pretty tough.