Makomanai Takino Cemetery

Welcome to the Makomanai Takino Cemetery, a site that transcends the traditional concept of a burial ground to become a profound exploration of space, spirituality, and landscape architecture. As we begin our journey today, I…

Standing before us is an unexpected sight in the heart of Hokkaido: a row of thirty-three massive Moai statues, echoing the ancient monoliths of Easter Island. These statues are not mere replicas; they are significant cultural…

Continuing our exploration, we encounter a full-scale reconstruction of Stonehenge, the prehistoric monument from Salisbury Plain in England. In this scholarly environment, we must ask: why replicate a Neolithic solar calendar in…

We now approach the entrance to the Hill of the Buddha, designed by Tadao Ando. Before we can view the great statue, we must first cross the Water Garden, a classic element of Ando’s architectural vernacular. …

Leaving the brightness of the water garden, we enter a 40-meter long tunnel that leads into the heart of the hill. This tunnel is a critical narrative device in Ando’s design. …

We emerge from the tunnel into a giant, open-roofed well, and there, standing 13.5 meters tall, is the seated Buddha, known as the 'Atama Daibutsu' or the Head of the Buddha. This statue, weighing approximately 1500 tons, was…

Having visited the Buddha, we now ascend to the exterior of the hill to appreciate the landscape that defines this site during the summer months. The entire mound is covered in a mantle of 150,000 lavender plants. …

As we conclude our tour of the Makomanai Takino Cemetery, I hope you carry with you a sense of the profound peace that this landscape offers. We have moved from the monumental guardians of the Moai statues, through the ancient…