Yokohama Nature Sanctuary

Great hiking course for family

Large park, numerous toilet buildings. Great place for hiking. Park center building has activities for children, books. Parking is paid.

September 24, 2025 Ofuna Station → Yokohama Cemetery BS → Cemetery Entrance → Nature Observation Center → Firefly Wetlands → Bush Warbler Meadow → Dogwood Valley → Genji Firefly Valley → Nogiku Square → Nagakura Entrance → Nagakuramachi BS → Ofuna Station Starting from the 125-step staircase at the Cemetery Entrance, I stopped by the center to get a map. I had long conversations with the staff and rangers, who taught me a lot. I enjoy walking along waterfronts, so I mainly walked along the Dogwood Trail, seeing beautiful water surfaces everywhere. On the mountain path through the bush warbler meadow, I took a fork in the road. Is it a Japanese bush warbler? Or a Turtle dove? About ten (brown and plump) birds crossed the river one after another, carefully watching their movements, and I found them rather adorable. While walking along the path along the source of the Itachi River, I came across a spot where the water's surface seemed oddly sparkling. I approached and took a photo, and the sunlight reflected in the water in mysterious specks of light. The mountain path to Nogiku Square was quite steep from the middle, and I had to climb quite a few steps. I strolled around the square before turning back. At a fork in the staircase, it seemed to join the Rokkoku Pass hiking course, which connects to Sekiya Oku Observatory and Mt. Omaru. It was a route I'd never walked before. Heading home, I walked along the Itachi River again, heading for the Nagakura entrance. Today, as soon as I entered the cemetery entrance, I felt a bit cold at first, but the lush forest was so cool. I had to take off and put away the towel I'd always worn around my neck, despite being drenched in sweat until last week.

This is a visit from Daimaruyama, the highest mountain in Yokohama City. As the name suggests, it's spacious and full of nature. The hiking course is also well maintained, but there were some areas that were impassable. I think it's perfect for bird watching and hiking.

This forest, 9.6 times the size of the Tokyo Dome, was developed in 1986 to allow visitors to get closer to and learn about nature. Rangers from the Wild Bird Society of Japan are stationed there full time. They are responsible for welcoming visitors and conducting environmental surveys and management. There is also a volunteer organization called Friends of the Park and an information dissemination organization called the Nature Observation Center. Entry: Free, open every day Hours: Sunrise to sunset Nature Observation Center Entry: Free Hours: 9:00 to 16:30 Closed: Every Monday, New Year's holiday ♣ Visitors to Yokohama Nature Observation Forest can use the Kamigo Mori no Ie Parking Lot. [Hours] 7:00-22:00 [Prices] ① 7/21-8/31 & ② Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays ● 0-60 minutes Free ● 61 minutes and above Flat rate of 500 yen ③ Weekdays other than ① ● 0-60 minutes Free ● 100 yen for every 60 minutes thereafter ● Maximum for the day 500 yen ◆ Enter from Prefectural Route 23 Harajuku Mutsuura Line (Kamigo Morinoie Entrance). ◆ Ticket issued at the entrance gate and payment at the exit gate. ◆ There is a distance between the entrance gate and the parking lot. ◆ Visitors to the Nature Observation Forest must turn right on the way. It is a tight right turn like a U-turn. Continue straight and you will reach Kamigo Morinoie (Main Building). ◆ A parking lot section will appear.