ACAO FOREST Atami: Gardens, Stacked-Timber Cafe & Sea-View Swing

ACAO FOREST is a 660,000-square-meter hillside garden above Sagami Bay, a recipient of the World Federation of Rose Societies' Award of Garden Excellence. Halfway down stands COEDA HOUSE, a stacked-timber cafe pavilion by Kengo Kuma that reopens at night as BAR COEDA. The grounds also hold a hilltop swing over the bay and Japan's largest bonsai. The garden blooms year-round, peaking with roses in May. This guide covers what to see and how to plan a visit.

The Hillside Garden Above Sagami Bay

ACAO FOREST is built into a steep, south-facing hillside above Atami's Sagami Bay coast. The site covers about 660,000 m² (200,000 tsubo) and holds 13 themed gardens, plus the Soga Sengen Shrine and the Tensho Japanese garden.

Layout: Top-to-Bottom Garden Walk

The recommended route is to take the free shuttle bus to the top of the hillside, then walk down through the gardens to the entrance. The route turns each section into a different scene as the bay comes closer with each switchback. The walk takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

ACAO ROSE FESTA: 4,000 Roses, 600 Varieties

The signature display is ACAO ROSE FESTA, when the gardens hold 4,000 rose plants across 600 varieties. Roses peak from late April through early June each year. The rest of the year, the calendar shifts through tulips, sakura, and other seasonal flowers.

Award of Garden Excellence Recipient

ACAO FOREST is a recipient of the World Federation of Rose Societies' Award of Garden Excellence: an international rose-society recognition awarded to gardens that meet sustained standards of variety, design, and care.

COEDA HOUSE — A Kengo Kuma Pavilion Above the Bay

About halfway down the hillside, the gardens open onto COEDA HOUSE, a glass-walled cafe pavilion designed by Kengo Kuma, the architect of Tokyo's Olympic Stadium and the V&A Dundee in Scotland, and one of Japan's leading contemporary architects.

CO + EDA: A Tree Where People Gather

Kuma's idea: build a great tree from small branches. Glass walls and mirrored furniture dissolve the pavilion into the Rose Garden, so architecture and garden resonate as one. The name COEDA layers CO (gather) + EDA (small branches), with the added meaning of people gathering beneath.

Construction: 1,500 Alaska Cypress Pillars in 49 Layers

The structure is built from 1,500 short pillars of 800-year-old Alaska cypress stacked in 49 layers, the shortest 80 cm and the longest reaching 12 meters. Glass walls open the room to Sagami Bay.

Cafe Menu: Building as Motif

The menu uses the building as its motif:

• COEDA stick cakes: modeled after the pavilion's pillars; flavors from Atami daidai (bitter orange) cheesecake to matcha, chocolate, and strawberry

• Lavender lemon squash: house-made cordial from herbs and flowers; the cafe's most popular drink

Best Time to Visit COEDA HOUSE

Quietest hours are weekday mornings; light reaches the back of the room from mid-morning onward. Cafe seats can fill on weekend afternoons.

Things to Do at ACAO FOREST

Beyond the gardens, ACAO holds a hilltop swing above Sagami Bay, the Phoenix Pine (Japan's largest bonsai), an outdoor art park, a Shinto shrine, and a herb-and-flower workshop.

Garden Swing Above Sagami Bay

Near COEDA HOUSE on the upper paths, a wooden swing sits on a flat lookout. The seat faces directly out over the water. A single push feels like swinging into the sea.

Phoenix Pine — Japan's Largest Bonsai

Near the upper gardens stands the Phoenix Pine, ACAO's official designation as Japan's largest bonsai, named for the sweeping branch line that resembles a phoenix's tail. Bonsai is the Japanese art of cultivating miniature trees in shallow trays, a centuries-old discipline of patient pruning and shaping. Phoenix Pine works in reverse: a trunk and crown trained at full landscape scale, close to the ground.

Land Art Park — Outdoor Artworks & Stamp Rally

Across the property, the Land Art Park holds many site-specific artworks by contemporary artists. The Art Stamp Rally maps a walking route through 10 selected pieces. Highlights include:

• "45LDK": a wooden roadside hut (Runner-up Prize, Kobe Rokko Meets Art 2024)

• "Mural for the Goddess of the Forest": painted on the stairs and entrance of Parking Lot 1, depicting the deity worshipped at Soga Sengen Shrine

A stamp rally card at the entrance maps each piece.

Soga Sengen Shrine Within the Gardens

Set within the gardens, Soga Sengen Shrine is dedicated to the goddess of cherry blossoms. The shrine fits ACAO FOREST, which was conceived as a cherry-blossom landscape. Within the forest stands a mirrored torii gate: the gate marks the boundary between the everyday and sacred ground, and the mirror invites a quiet moment of self-reflection as you pass through.

cokage — Herb and Flower Workshop

Near the entrance gate, gift & workshop "cokage" sells accessories, blended teas, and seasonal pieces made from flowers grown in the gardens. The on-site workshop lets visitors blend their own essential-oil pieces, herbal sachets, or floral keepsakes. Check the official site for prices and reservations.

Where to Eat & Shop

Five venues across the property cover full-day dining and shopping. The COEDA HOUSE building is a daytime cafe and reopens as BAR COEDA in the evening.

BAR COEDA (Evening Bar)

After ACAO FOREST closes, the same building reopens as BAR COEDA, a cocktail bar from 6:00 PM to 11:00 PM, closed Mondays. Signature cocktails feature Atami daidai (bitter orange), Atami lemon, Shizuoka craft gin, and sencha (Japanese green leaf tea), with a monthly "full moon" theme.

BAR COEDA does not require a park ticket. Reach the bar by taxi or private car after closing.

Year-Round Blooming Calendar

The gardens are designed to bloom year-round, with May roses as the most-visited season.

For up-to-date bloom status, follow the official @acaoforest Instagram.

Hours, Tickets & Closed Days

Two cautions for the visit itself:

• Black kites (large hawk-like birds common along the Atami coast) sometimes swoop at outdoor tables. Eat indoors when possible.

• The downhill walk takes 1.5 to 2 hours. The path is mostly paved with several stair sections, so wear suitable shoes. Strollers and wheelchairs cannot navigate the recommended top-to-bottom route; lower gardens near the entrance are partially accessible (confirm with entrance staff).

Access from Atami Station

From Tokyo Station, the Shinkansen reaches Atami in about 35 minutes by Hikari (limited stops, fewer departures; 29 minutes from Shinagawa) or about 45 minutes by Kodama, the more frequent service running every 30 minutes. For full route options, see Tokyo to Atami access guide. ACAO FOREST is about 4 km from Atami Station along a coastal road: too far to walk comfortably and not recommended by bicycle (steep hillside). Three options reach the gardens.

Free ACAO Shuttle

A free 22-seat shuttle leaves from the rotary in front of McDonald's at Atami Station. Look for the blue bus marked with the ACAO logo. Reservations are not accepted; seating is first-come, first-served.

Departures run roughly every 45–60 minutes between mid-morning and late afternoon. For exact times, see the official ACAO shuttle timetable before traveling.

Route Bus

From Stop #6 at Atami Station Bus Terminal, take a route bus heading toward Ajiro and get off at the "ACAO FOREST" stop. The ride takes about 15 minutes. This service runs more frequently than the ACAO shuttle and accepts cash or IC cards. Exit the ticket gate at Atami Station and turn left to find the bus stops. visitatami's bus stops guide shows the layout of all Atami Station bus stops.

Taxi or Rental Car

A taxi from Atami Station takes about 15 minutes (approximately ¥2,500–3,500 one way). During park hours (9:00 AM to 5:00 PM), private vehicles cannot enter the park grounds. If arriving by car, park at the on-site lot (100 spaces, paid).

Plan Your Visit

Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the gardens and a stop at COEDA HOUSE. Plan up to 3 hours with the full Land Art Park stamp rally and Soga Sengen Shrine.

ACAO FOREST is best experienced as part of an overnight Atami stay: visit the gardens in the morning, visit a day-trip onsen in the afternoon, then return to BAR COEDA after dark (the same Kengo Kuma pavilion, no park admission required). Pair the next morning with the MOA Museum of Art or Kinomiya Shrine. A day trip from Tokyo is also possible (about 35 minutes each way by Hikari Shinkansen).

Quiet Hours

Weekday mornings tend to be quieter than weekend afternoons.

Rainy Days

The gardens stay open in light rain. ACAO lends umbrellas free, and the paths are paved with brick or local Komatsu stone. COEDA HOUSE and the herb workshop at cokage offer indoor shelter. For more rainy-day Atami plans, see rainy-day adventures.

Stay Overnight: The Forest Cabin

Since June 2026, ACAO FOREST has offered a one-group-a-day overnight stay: the Forest Cabin (森の宿 / Mori no Yado), a single wooden cabin set in the hillside lemon grove with one of the property's widest views over Sagami Bay. Guests have the grounds to themselves before the park opens and after it closes — the sky turning orange before sunrise, the quiet forest and shrine in the early morning, and the "moon road" a full moon traces across the bay on a clear night.

The cabin sleeps two (one queen bed) and has a kitchenette, shower, private toilet, air conditioning, and an outdoor wood deck. No meals are served, but you can barbecue on the deck (a gas grill and fuel are provided), and overnight guests can add guests-only dinner plans at CODA ROSSA and BAR COEDA.

FAQ

Q1. How long does an ACAO FOREST visit take?

1.5 to 2 hours typically; up to 3 hours with the full Land Art Park stamp rally and Soga Sengen Shrine.

Q2. Are pets allowed at ACAO FOREST?

Yes. Pets pay ¥1,000 per animal and must stay on a leash. Pets are not allowed inside cafes and shops, but are welcome on the outdoor terrace seats at COEDA HOUSE and CODA ROSSA. On the ACAO shuttle bus, only pets that fit on a passenger's lap can ride. Owners with larger dogs can enter the park on foot from the entrance gate.

Q3. Can I visit ACAO FOREST without speaking Japanese?

English signage is posted at the entrance and at key attractions including COEDA HOUSE and the Land Art Park. The official site has an English version. Tickets can be purchased on arrival without booking.

Q4. Do I need to reserve at COEDA HOUSE or CODA ROSSA?

COEDA HOUSE serves walk-in customers during park hours (9:30 AM – 4:00 PM L.O.). CODA ROSSA and BAR COEDA accept reservations through their official booking pages; see ACAO FOREST's official site for current links.

Q5. What if it rains on the day I visit?

Open in light rain. Umbrellas lent free at the main gate. Severe weather may close the park; check the official site the morning of your visit.

Q6. Can I visit BAR COEDA in the evening without paying park admission?

Yes. BAR COEDA does not require a park ticket. Open 6:00 PM–11:00 PM, closed Mondays.

Q7. What can I combine with ACAO FOREST for a full Atami day?

For an Atami day trip, the most natural pairings are an evening onsen, the MOA Museum of Art (a hilltop museum where a 200-meter Light Walk leads up to the galleries, with three rotating National Treasures and 180-degree Sagami Bay views), or Kinomiya Shrine (2,100-year-old camphor tree). The Atami Ginza shopping street area is good for casual food after the gardens.