Hazakura Ways (Relax Gaming) Slot Review

Hazakura Ways: Slot Overview 

Relax Gaming’s Hazakura Ways is a high-volatility video slot that brings a delicate touch of Japanese cultural symbolism into the world of online gambling. Released on January 25, 2022, it takes its name from the Japanese word Hazakura, referring to the phase when cherry blossoms have fallen and new leaves begin to grow. This poetic inspiration is juxtaposed with a pragmatic game design that merges expanding symbols, powerful free spins, and strategic betting features like Mega Bet and Bonus Buy. 

Played on a 6×4 grid with 4,096 ways to win, Hazakura Ways straddles the line between spiritual serenity and high-stakes excitement. With a maximum win of 50,000x the stake, a base RTP of 96.37% (increasing to 97% in bonus buys), and betting limits from €0.15 to €30, it’s a slot that invites both aesthetics lovers and seasoned players to take a calculated risk.

Design and Graphics 

Visually, Hazakura Ways is zen-like, but restrained. The game is framed within a peaceful garden scene brimming with sakura blossoms. Soft tones of pink, wood, and parchment dominate the palette, evoking the quiet refinement of traditional Japanese temples and gardens. The reels sit on a bamboo-inspired grid nestled within a wooden dojo façade, flanked by flowering trees and atmospheric paper lanterns.Symbolically, the game uses classic card suits—diamonds, clubs, spades, hearts, and stars—for low pays, each rendered in enamel badge style. Premium symbols are represented by swords, ornate pendants, a stern sensei figure, and a beautiful female heroine, echoing the design language of games like Sakura Fortune or The Falcon Huntress. 

While polished, the visual style doesn’t attempt to dazzle. Instead, it opts for subdued refinement, reinforcing the cherry blossom metaphor: transience, potential, and brief moments of beauty.

Gameplay Mechanics 

Hazakura Ways uses the All Ways Pays system with 4,096 ways to win, allowing combinations to form when three or more matching symbols appear from left to right on adjacent reels, starting at reel one. 

The game’s core mechanic revolves around expanding symbols, which can activate during both base game spins and the bonus round. These symbols expand downward to fill the reel and pay regardless of position on it, creating powerful wins when multiple expansions occur in one spin. 

The real kickers, though, are the random base game expansions, bonus-triggering scatter symbols, and the Mega Bet mode, which enhances the odds of these key events occurring.

Sound and Music 

The soundtrack is subtle and in keeping with the game’s theme. Gentle flutes, soft plucked strings, and ambient nature sounds form the auditory bedrock of Hazakura Ways. It’s relaxing, evocative of a stroll through a Kyoto garden, and functions more as background ambiance than an interactive driver of intensity. 

Win sounds add a layer of energy with soft chimes and delicate metallic notes. Triggering special features or free spins introduces more dramatic flourishes, but even then, the audio design remains tastefully reserved. 

Overall, the soundscape is harmonious and elegant, contributing to the theme without becoming intrusive.

Bonus Features 

Random Expanding Symbol FeatureOn any base spin, one pay symbol may be randomly designated as the special symbol. If it lands, it expands downward to fill its reel and pays from any position, regardless of row. This is a key mechanic that adds surprise and explosiveness to the base game. 

Free Spins 

Landing 3 to 6 lantern scatter symbols triggers 10, 15, 20, or 25 free spins, respectively. Before the round starts, one regular symbol is randomly chosen as the special expanding symbol, behaving like in the base game, but for the duration of the bonus. 

If the special symbol lands, it expands downward, covers the reel, and pays from any position. 

Wild symbols also expand if the Mega Bet is active. 

Landing 3 or more scatters during the feature retriggers additional spins. 

This round mimics the “Book of” mechanic, but applies it across 4,096 ways rather than paylines, adding a Sudoku-like layer of complexity and unpredictability. 

Mega Bet 

Activating Mega Bet increases your stake by 50%, but it: 

Increases the chances of triggering free spins 

Boosts the probability of activating the random expanding symbol feature 

Ensures wilds also expand during the free spins bonus 

Mega Bet adds a strategic element, making the feature-rich gameplay more reliable for those willing to invest more per spin. 

Buy Bonus 

Players can instantly trigger the free spins round using the Buy Bonus feature:80x your stake for a regular free spins round 

Higher cost if Mega Bet is active and wilds are included as expanding symbols 

This feature also boosts the RTP to 97%, offering statistically better value for risk-takers who prefer skipping the grind of the base game.

Betting Options and Payouts 

Minimum Bet: €0.15 

Maximum Bet: €30 

Volatility: High 

RTP: 

Base Game: 96.37% 

With Bonus Buy: 97% 

Ways to Win: 4,096 

Max Win: 50,000x the stake 

Symbol payouts range from 1x to 2x the bet for six-of-a-kind low symbols and 3x to 50x for six of the premium symbols. These values might sound modest, but due to the expanding symbol mechanic and the sheer number of ways, the actual win potential can skyrocket rapidly, especially during bonus rounds. 

This slot is designed for those who enjoy high-risk/high-reward gameplay. While wins can be sparse, the combination of Mega Bet, expanding symbols, and bonus buys allows for enormous win spikes.

Conclusion 

Hazakura Ways blends poetic Japanese thematics with aggressive slot mechanics, creating a game that feels both peaceful and potent. Underneath the placid cherry blossom exterior lies a slot that can unleash 50,000x volatility in the blink of an eye. 

Its core mechanic—random expanding symbols—is deceptively simple but meshes well with the All Ways Pays format. Free spins introduce Book of Ra-style expansion, but with a four-row twist and 4,096 possible paths to glory. 

However, the slot’s visual design doesn’t push boundaries, and its gameplay leans heavily on features that seasoned players may recognize from earlier titles. Additionally, the decision between using Mega Bet, Bonus Buy, or both introduces complexity that may deter more casual players. The rarity of wilds and the positioning of expanding symbols can make the experience feel inconsistent at times, despite the tantalizing win potential. 

Still, Relax Gaming has crafted a mechanically solid, high-ceiling slot for players who thrive in feature-rich, volatile environments. While it borrows from other game archetypes, it wraps its influences in an elegant package and delivers an experience that feels coherent and rewarding when it all aligns.