Makomanai Takino Cemetery (Hill of the Buddha)

真駒内滝野霊園

A giant Buddha head peeking out of lavender

Hours

Apr–Oct 9:00–16:00, Nov–Mar 10:00–15:00

Address

Takino 2, Minami Ward; about 25 minutes by bus from Makomanai Station

Tadao Ando buried a Buddha in a hill. Only the head of the 13.5 m statue rises out of a mound packed with lavender, the body sunk into the earth. You walk past a water garden, through a tunnel, and come out in a hall right at the Buddha's face, with the sky framed in a skylight. The lavender is purple in summer and white under snow in winter; in mid-October the grass has gone straw-gold and the place is very quiet.