SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

TOP

» Japan
» Is this Japan’s most extreme cherry blossom viewing? Leap, cycle and climb through 2,500 sakura

Featured

Weird
Studio Ghibli
Jobs

Is this Japan’s most extreme cherry blossom viewing? Leap, cycle and climb through 2,500 sakura

Elliot Hale Mar 13, 2026
Tweet

Why sit on a tarp when you can zoom through flowers on a 100-meter slide or risk falling into the trees from 370 meters in the air?

Anyone traveling to and around Japan during the spring knows that the country is famous for its cherry blossoms. These beautiful pink and white blossoms mark the end of winter and arrival of spring, and have often been used to symbolize the fleeting beauty of life. The most important cultural activity during this season is hanami (literally “flower viewing”), which usually involves having a picnic under the cherry trees.

If you’re keen to experience hanami just like a local, but your soul craves adrenaline, you need to head to Sagamiko Mori Mori.

Located in Sagamihara, Kanagawa, just 50 minutes by car from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo, this forest adventure resort is hosting the Sagamiko Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) from March 20 to April 19.

With a total of roughly 2,500 cherry trees, it is one of the largest floral displays in the entire Kanto region, but at Sagamiko Mori Mori, strolling along tree-lined paths becomes secondary as you take to the skies with the pink canopies at your feet.

A fee of 2,000 yen (US$12.67) will gain you entry to the park, along with a handful of facilities, but the remaining attractions will all charge an additional fee. To mitigate this, you can spring for the Free Pass for 4,700 yen (or 3,000 yen after 2:00 p.m.), which will allow you to ride most of the attractions as much as you please, though there are a few exceptions, most notably the athletic courses.

There are several ways you can enjoy this sakura viewing with an exciting twist. There’s the Magical Wave, a 100-meter (328-foot) slide, which just opened last year, that lets you zoom right into a row of beautiful cherry trees.

The Aozora Pedal allows you to cycle through the air at an altitude of 370 meters (1,213 feet) with a magnificent view of the blossoms from above.

The Tengu Dojo is an aerial obstacle course where you jump between trees at almost the exact same height as the cherry branches, as if embodying the long-nosed demon the dojo is named after. It is worthwhile to note that it is open on weekends and holidays only until April 12.

For even more thrills, be sure to check out the Muscle Monster giant athletic course, the Gokuraku Pilot ride, or the Futen screaming suspension bridge on the mountain summit.

▼ Muscle Monster

▼ Gokuraku Pilot

▼ Futen suspension bridge

If you prefer something more relaxed, but still want a taste of hanami from a different perspective, take a scenic ride on the Pair Lift to admire the colorful landscape of cherry blossoms and other spring flowers, or hop on the cycle-type attraction Sky Rider that passes through the trees, or race through falling petals on the F-1 Kart course.

▼ Pair Lift

▼ Sky Rider

▼ F-1 Kart

No good hanami is complete without delicious food and social media-worthy photos. Sagamiko Mori Mori offers both, with an outdoor tea ceremony area decorated with elegant Japanese umbrellas, as well as a brand-new Sakura Dome decorated with paper flowers that are perfect for capturing another fantastic spring memory.

When hunger strikes, the Wild Dining restaurant will be serving cherry blossom-themed one-hand foods, but for the ultimate experience, grab some friends and book a hanami barbecue at the Wild Cooking Garden, where you can enjoy a special feast on a private wooden deck surrounded by trees in full bloom.

▼ Wild Dining

▼ Fluttering cherry blossom donut skewer

▼ Wild Cooking Garden

▼ Special Menu: Spring in Full Bloom Barbecue

The fun doesn’t end when the sun goes down, either. The famous Sagamiko Illumillion, an award winning event featuring six million lights (running until May 10), transforms into the Night Cherry Blossom Illumination for the duration of the event period.

Seeing the pink blossoms glow against the dark night sky, illuminated by millions of sparkling lights is an otherworldly experience.

For a limited time, you can also catch some special nighttime events.

On March 20 and 21 only, a team of bubble artists will create a stunning spectacle of lights and soap bubbles dancing together in the sky in an event called Night Bubble Show.

▼ You can check out last year’s show in the video below:

Other sights include a performance using a real 20-meter (about 66-foot) high ladder truck evolves into a special spring version that resembles a beautiful cherry blossom blizzard. After a whole day’s excitement, it’s time to unwind at the adjacent hot spring, Sagamiko Onsen Ururi, which, from March 20 to 22, will be offering a special Sakura Bath in its open-air, high-concentration carbonated spring, featuring pink-colored and cherry-scented water.

▼ It also serves a Fluttering Cherry Blossom Rich Matcha Pudding

Sagamiko Sakura Matsuri 2026 offers everything from high-altitude thrills to magical light shows and relaxing hot springs, all surrounded by thousands of iconic cherry blossoms to make your spring travels unforgettable.

Location information
Sagamiko Mori Mori / さがみ湖MORI MORI
Address: Kanagawa-ken, Sagamihara-shi, Midori-ku, Wakayanagi 1634-banchi
神奈川県相模原市緑区若柳1634番地
Open: 10:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (weekdays), 9:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. (weekend and holidays)
Open every day between March 13 and April 5, and only on weekends and holidays from April 6.
Website

Related: Night Bubble Show, Barbecue Booking Website, Hot Spring Website
Source and images: PR Times
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!