2026 Full-Day Course: Stargazing at Hoshigayama Park (星ヶ山公園)

True to its name, ‘Hoshigayama’ (literally ‘Star Mountain’), this is a day spent enjoying the night sky at a hilltop park perfect for stargazing. Hoshigayama Park (星ヶ山公園) is a grassy park in the mountains of Yugawara Town, and the park's ‘Satsuki no Sato (さつきの郷)’ is known as a famous spot with about 50,000 azalea bushes. From its hilltop location overlooking Sagami Bay, there are no large lights on the sea side after sunset, making for a striking contrast between the starry sky overhead and the dark sea below. In the afternoon, start by enjoying the spray and forest air at Fudo Falls (不動滝), tucked away at the far end of the Yugawara hot spring town, then enjoy a riverside stroll from the Entrance Terrace of Manyo Park (万葉公園), before heading up the mountain in the evening for stargazing. The park has a parking lot. Since there is little nighttime lighting on the mountain and temperatures drop, be sure to bring a flashlight and warm clothing, and check the official Yugawara Town tourism website beforehand for the latest information on nighttime access and parking.