Turning our JAPAN CAMPER VAN into an OFF-GRID TINY HOME 

Bus Conversion Japan - Episode 16. Turning our Japan camper van into an off-grid tiny home. We recently purchased a 2004 Nissan Civillian ex-police bus which we plan to convert into an off-grid camper van in Japan over the next few months.
In this Japan camper van conversion episode, we start work on one of the most important parts of this entire Japan camper van conversion. We spend the day installing 4 solar panels to our DIY custom bus build roof rack. These huge solar panels will provide us with a total of 1600 watts of solar and enable us to power our electrical devices without any worries. We have spent the last 18 months doing full time van life in Japan with 300 watts of solar panels on our van roof. We often ran out of power, especially during the Japan rainy season. We are installing 5 times more solar on our Japan bus life conversion since our goal is to live off-grid for as long as possible.
After already converting a small camper van in Japan (2006 Nissan Caravan) in early 2020 and then spending the last 18 months doing full-time van life in Japan while travelling Japan by van, we have always had the idea in the back of our minds that we would like a Japanese camper van which is a little more spacious and comfortable for full-time Japan van life. We have absolutely loved our time living in an off-grid camper van in Japan and are excited to continue with this nomadic lifestyle in a slightly bigger tiny home.
Van travel in Japan and being full time van lifers in Japan has been an incredible way to overland Japan and get off the beaten path. We have managed to visit so many amazing places during the 18 months of our slow travel camper van road trip in Japan. Converting a DIY camper van in Japan has been one of the best decisions we have ever made and car camping in Japan is so easy due to the huge amount of Japanese roadside stations, free campsites and onsen throughout the country. We can’t recommend Japanese camper van life enough!
We are excited to share this Japanese camper van bus conversion and our van life adventures in Hyogo prefecture (where we will do the conversion) with you all over the next few months!
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WHO AM I?
After spending 9 years travelling the world, I came back to my home country of Japan and converted an old delivery van into a campervan with my Scottish girlfriend Ruth. We spent 18 months doing a van life in Japan road trip and visiting places off the beaten path in Japan. We have now decided we'd like a bit more space so are converting a Japanese ex-police bus into our dream custom DIY campervan.
🌎 Website / Blog - bappashota.com
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