It takes about 10 minutes to reach this spot by climbing the mountain path behind Suwa Shrine. You can enjoy a panoramic view of the thousand cherry trees.
I visited Natsui Senbonzakura on Sunday, April 17, 2022, as it was apparently in full bloom. While walking the riverside promenade is nice, the view of Senbonzakura from the observation deck is simply breathtaking! Cherry blossoms bloom all the way along the river!
The official route to the observation deck seems to be up the stairs next to Suwa Shrine, through the trees, to Amanoiwato → Abukuma Observatory → Senbonzakura Observatory, but everyone else took the path behind the restroom at Suwa Shrine to get to the observation deck.
*Maybe the official route is through the forest and doesn't offer great views. The path behind the restroom offers a better view, and there are forsythia flowers blooming along the way.
It's located across the road from the Natsui River. The walking trail from the shrine side is quite steep and requires considerable stamina. It takes about 20 minutes to climb. You can enjoy a panoramic view of the cherry trees along the Natsui River.
The Natsui Senbonzakura Observatory is located on a hill on the outskirts of town, and offers a panoramic view of the Natsui Senbonzakura.
You can climb up to the observation deck from near Suwa Shrine.
The cherry blossoms viewed from here are exceptional. If you come to see the Natsui Senbonzakura, be sure to stop by.
