Visiting the Hill of the Buddha (Japanese: 頭大仏) was one of the highlights of my trip to Hokkaido ! You can drive to this location outside of Sapporo town but for us, as we don’t drive during holidays, we took public transport ! It was an amazing experience visiting this very peaceful place and I invite you to try it out !
Table of Contents
Visiting temples and places of prayers are always something I love to do during my travel. Even in Japan such as Nanzoin Temple in Fukuoka or Kinkakuji Golden Pavilion in Kyoto or Kiyomizu-Dera in Kyoto.
About Hill of the Buddha 頭大仏
The Hill of the Buddha is a remarkable architectural and landscape project located in Makomanai Takino Cemetery, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. Designed by the renowned architect Tadao Ando, it features a large Buddha statue surrounded by a hill covered with lavender plants. The design creates a serene and contemplative space, blending architecture with nature in a way that exemplifies Ando’s minimalist aesthetic.
The site is designed so that the Buddha appears to emerge from the hill, with only its head visible from the outside. Visitors enter through a tunnel, which leads to a serene viewing area around the Buddha, creating a dramatic and introspective experience. The lavender plants, which bloom beautifully in the summer, add a vibrant layer of color and fragrance to the site, enhancing the peaceful and meditative atmosphere.
The Hill of the Buddha attracts visitors not only for its spiritual and religious significance but also for its architectural beauty and the way it harmoniously integrates with the surrounding landscape. It’s a unique destination that reflects the fusion of traditional spiritual symbols with contemporary design.
Timing to Visit the Hill of the Buddha
Actually there is quite a specific range of timing you would want to visit the Hill of the Buddha if you are taking the public transport. This is because there are some quite tight timing if you are taking bus 106 or bus 108 to and from the Hill of the Buddha.
I would advise an early morning ride to visit the Hill of the Buddha and be back by noon or early afternoon or so back to Sapporo.
How to get to the Hill of the Buddha from Sapporo by train and bus
As you can see from this map, the Hill of the Buddha is located SOUTH of Sapporo.
As we are staying at the Crowne Plaza Sapporo, it was relatively easy to leave the hotel and then to hop on the local Namboku Line to Makomani Eki (or Makomani Train Station).
As you can see, it is just a 18 minutes ride all the way to Makomanai Eki.
There are just 10 stops or so.
At the train station, exit at door 1.
You will want to exit by the South Exit.
Once you exit the train station, turn left at the main door and you will see a row of bus stops. You will be going to bus stop 2 where you can take bus 106 or bus 108.
If it is helpful, here’s the bus schedule.
Here’s the row of bus stops.
And yes here we are… either bus 106 or bus 108
Now, if you load up Google Map and load up Bus 106 and also Bus 108 at the same time, you will see all the buses timing to the bus stop called “Takino” or 滝野峠 or W9C5+MV Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
One thing you will notice is that during the same range of timing, there are MORE bus 106 than bus 108. And it is NOT surprising.
Let me explain with this picture (You can get a copy of this from this URL).
You see, bus 106 passes by the MAIN ROAD outside of the Makomanai Takino Cemetery while bus 108 goes INTO the Makomanai Takino Cemetery. As a result, bus 106 is more a general bus that goes by the cemetery as compared to the dedicated bus 108 which has much less frequency.
So we shall take the more frequent bus 106 rather than the more restricted bus 108. And there is another reason why we do so, which I shall later. We will take bus 108 back from the Big Buddha to the Makomanai Station later though.
So here come the bus. It is a Chuo Bus and don’t worry your Suica on iPhone works too.
On the bus….
If you are afraid of missing your stop (remember bus 106 passes by the cemetery), then use your google map to find where you are and how far you are from “Takino” or 滝野峠 or W9C5+MV Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan. (GPS Coordinate : 42°55’14.0″N, 141°21’45.9″E)
And if you are right, here’s the BUS STOP !!
The main entrance of the Hill of the Buddha is here.
Easter Island Is Here in Hokkaido
Here’s why you stopped at this bus stop. Immediately upon coming down from the bus, you will see these Moai Statues. For a moment, you are transported to Easter Island !
The presence of Moai statues at the Hill of the Buddha in Sapporo, Hokkaido, is part of the broader theme of integrating diverse cultural and spiritual elements into the landscape of Makomanai Takino Cemetery. These statues are replicas of the famous Moai statues from Easter Island (Rapa Nui), known for their large, monolithic human figures carved by the Rapa Nui people.
The inclusion of Moai statues in the cemetery is not directly related to the Buddhist theme of the Hill of the Buddha but serves as an intriguing element that adds to the park’s eclectic and global appeal. It reflects a desire to create a space that not only embodies the peace and serenity associated with Buddhist philosophy but also embraces a wider spectrum of cultural and spiritual symbols from around the world.
The Moai statues contribute to this vision by bringing a touch of the mysterious and the exotic, further enriching the visitor’s experience of the site.
It is quite special and spectacular actually, specially in the snow.
Visiting the Hill of the Buddha
Walking past the “Easter Island of Hokkaido”, you will reach the amazing area for the Hill of the Buddha.
You can do a slight detour to visit the Stonehenge too (I know.. not just Easter Island but even UK Stonehenge is here too).
Peeping out…
And I am getting excited, as always, when I visit places of worship..
There is an admission fee and very much dependent on your own honesty. I don’t joke about such things at places of worship so I definitely paid for my entrance. You can pay by many online methods such as credit cards too.
Under the tunnel, we are reaching..
And oh my god… Amazing..
I was so touched..when I can see the Buddha at the Hill of the Buddha
The weather is so nice. Cooling and not too hot or too cold. Not really snowing. With beautiful blue sky.
For the right timing to see this special view.
Cafe at the Hill
There is a small comfortable cosy cafe at the location too. You can buy food, drinks and some souvenirs too.
Getting back to the Makomanai Station or Makomanai Eki
As I mentioned earlier, this time we are going to take bus 108 (which comes INTO the cemetery) rather than bus 106 back to Makomanai station. So you don’t have to walk OUT to the main road.
Instead at the 頭大仏, look right and you see this glass house. It sells lots of good plants.
The bus stop is right outside the shop. The bus stop name is Makomanai Takinoreien.
And bus 108 will come here (not so regularly) to take you back.
And here comes bus 108.
This makes it really easy to go back to Sapporo !
The Hill at the Buddha : Visit or Not
Are you kidding ? Of course. This is a MUST to do 🙂
I was so happy to be able to plan and take public transport to visit 頭大仏 : The Hill of the Buddha and hope this article help you to plan so too.
