Makomanai Takino Cemetery

The Iconic Moai Statues

One of the first sights visitors encounter is a group of 33 Moai statues standing as though they are watching over the cemetery. The largest statues reach approximately 9.5 meters in height and weigh as much as 120 tons. Some of the benches around the site are also designed in the shape of Moai statues.

The name “Moai” is given a symbolic interpretation here: “mo” represents the future, while “ai” represents living. Their monumental presence creates a striking contrast with the surrounding green landscape and has become one of the site’s most recognizable photographic subjects.

The Hill of the Buddha by Tadao Ando

The most famous structure at Makomanai Takino Cemetery is the Hill of the Buddha, designed by internationally renowned Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The enormous Buddha statue is concealed from the neck down within a concrete dome built beneath a low hill, so visitors approaching from outside see only the head rising through an opening in the roof.

The Buddha measures 13.5 meters in height and weighs approximately 1,500 tons. The stone figure was created from selected and processed material from around 4,000 tons of raw stone, resulting in a monumental work that combines sculpture with architecture.

A Dramatic Journey into the Buddha Hall

The approach to the Buddha is carefully designed as an architectural experience. In front of the hall is a water garden that acts almost like a boundary between everyday life and the sacred space. The presence of water creates a calm atmosphere and encourages visitors to mentally shift into a different, more contemplative environment.

Beyond the water garden, a tunnel leads toward the Buddha. The dimly lit passage has a womb-like atmosphere, with curved concrete surfaces forming a continuous sequence overhead. The Buddha’s face remains hidden until visitors pass through the tunnel and finally look upward.

At that moment, the gentle expression of the Buddha is framed by a circular opening in the sky. Natural light pours into the otherwise enclosed space, creating a dramatic and contemplative setting in which architecture, sculpture, light, and nature are brought together.

Lavender and the Changing Seasons

The hill surrounding the Buddha is planted with approximately 150,000 lavender plants. Their peak flowering period is generally from mid-July to late July, when the purple flowers create a spectacular landscape around the monumental Buddha.

In summer, the combination of the Buddha, concrete architecture, and vivid purple lavender creates an almost surreal scene. In winter, the same landscape is transformed as snow covers the hills and the Buddha, creating a completely different but equally striking atmosphere.

Stonehenge and Other Monumental Sculptures

Makomanai Takino Cemetery contains more than just the Buddha and Moai statues. The grounds also feature a recreation of Stonehenge, inspired by the famous prehistoric monument in Britain, along with other stone sculptures and monuments.

Among them are representations of Zochoten and Komokuten, Buddhist guardian figures, as well as a distinctive winged lion with a human head. These monumental works add to the unusual character of the cemetery and make walking through the grounds feel like exploring an open-air sculpture park.

A Café and Shop beside the Buddha Hall

Near the water garden are a café and shop where visitors can take a break, enjoy light meals and coffee, and purchase original goods. The facilities provide a comfortable place to relax while taking in the distinctive architecture and surrounding landscape.

A Formerly Coal-Mining Region Reimagined as a Place of Beauty

Since opening in 1981, Makomanai Takino Cemetery has pursued its vision of creating a bright and beautiful sacred environment. Today, its combination of flowers, forests, monumental sculptures, and contemporary architecture has given the site a character unlike that of a conventional cemetery.

The Hill of the Buddha, in particular, has attracted considerable attention on social media and has become known internationally as a distinctive work by Tadao Ando. Visitors from overseas now arrive in tour buses to experience its unusual landscape.

A Striking Sapporo Experience

Makomanai Takino Cemetery is one of Sapporo’s most unexpected architectural and landscape destinations. From the enormous Moai statues and Stonehenge-inspired monument to the lavender-covered Hill of the Buddha, the site offers a remarkable combination of sculpture, architecture, nature, and spirituality.

Whether visited in the purple landscape of summer or beneath a blanket of winter snow, the cemetery offers a memorable and highly distinctive view of how contemporary architecture can exist in harmony with the natural landscape.