Laid-Back Camp the Movie 2022

Five high school students — Nadeshiko Kagamihara, Rin Shima, Chiaki Ogaki, Aoi Inuyama, and Ena Saito — along with Outdoor Activities Club adviser Minami Toba and Ena’s loyal dog Chikuwa, set out on a New Year’s Eve camping trip that plants the seed for a shared dream: to keep camping together as adults. The spark of friendship kinds a practical idea—the group starts dreaming about turning a neglected space into a welcoming campsite, sketching a plan to transform an underused area into a place where they and future friends can gather year after year.

Years later, Rin, now a magazine editor in Nagoya, is visited by Chiaki, who has begun working at Yamanashi Prefecture’s tourism promotion bureau. Over drinks at an izakaya, Chiaki hints at a redevelopment plan for an abandoned facility, and Rin suggests building a campsite on the vast site. Chiaki then drags Rin to Fujikawa to inspect the forgotten Fuji River Youth Nature Center. Nadeshiko arrives from Tokyo after Chiaki invites her, and Aoi follows with Ena’s absence noted due to work. Chiaki reveals the plan to turn the place into a campsite and assigns everyone roles to help realize it, setting the wheels in motion for what could become a shared future outdoors.

They waste no time cutting back overgrown grasses and branches, laying out the key features and refining the concept as the days progress. Rin volunteers to collect ideas from the campsites she visited during high school, grounding the project in real experiences. With the green light from her supervisor, Chiaki moves forward, and the group celebrates the year-end break before resuming the work in the following year. The timeline tightens: roughly six months to complete the project, a deadline that keeps everyone focused and creative. Nadeshiko and Chiaki step in with practical help, bringing in resources like an excavator and a mower to hasten the construction, while the others contribute ideas and encouragement.

After a preliminary renovation, Rin, Nadeshiko, Chiaki, Aoi, and Ena head out for a trial camping session to test their work. Chikuwa then presents a clue in the form of a mysterious shrapnel unearthed during the digging, adding an element of mystery to the project and nudging the group toward a new path. An investigation is announced because the shrapnel is connected to buried earthenware found in the prefecture, casting a shadow over the original plan and prompting officials to pause the project to reassess the site.

The pause becomes a turning point: the group rethinks their campsite by weaving the archaeological site into the experience, rather than competing with it. The prefecture approves the revised plan, and the camp is redesigned as Fujikawa Matsubokkuri Camp Base, a place that blends the charm of outdoor living with a touch of history. On its opening day, visitors struggle to find their way due to missing direction signs, but Rin steps in to guide them on her old Vino scooter, helping guests discover the welcoming grounds. As people enjoy the new campsite, the founders decide to host another New Year’s Eve camping trip, reaffirming their friendship and continuing the tradition of gathering together in this evolving, nature-filled space.