MK Deep Dive: Makomanai Takino Cemetery, Sapporo’s Strangest Spiritual Site

M.R. Lucas
7 days ago
2 min read

Have you ever wanted to visit a cemetery on vacation, detour through Chile and England, and end your day face-to-face with a colossal Buddha wrapped in lavender? Welcome to Makomanai Takino Cemetery—a place that doesn’t just blur cultural lines, it bulldozes them.

While Japan’s so-called “weirdness” has been slowly absorbed into the global tourism mainstream, spots like this remind you how far that assumption can stray. Tucked just outside of Sapporo, this cemetery doubles as a surrealist sculpture park, a spiritual theme park, and an architectural provocation. It’s one of those places that jolts you awake—head-scratching, myth-soaked, and oddly photogenic.

Row of large stone Moai statues on a grassy hill under a blue sky with clouds, evoking a sense of grandeur and mystery. — Photo by SqueakyMarmot (CC BY-SA 2.0)

Makomanai Takino is home to 33 Moai statues, modeled after the mysterious figures of Easter Island. Why 33? That number alone hints at ritual significance—especially when they’re lined up near a full-scale replica of Stonehenge, another site tangled in esoteric lore. The juxtaposition feels deliberate. Two of the world’s most enigmatic monuments, reproduced side by side, not for historical preservation but for something more personal. According to the cemetery's owner, the Moai were installed as “a symbol of a place where many people can visit regardless of their religious beliefs or sects.” Or maybe it’s just a cosmic joke. Either way, it works.

Then there’s the Atama Daibutsu—the “Head Buddha.” Designed by Tadao Ando, the Pritzker-winning architect known for the Church of the Light and Naoshima’s underground museums, his style here blends raw concrete, natural light, and spiritual geometry. This enormous seated Buddha rivals Kamakura’s in size but offers a completely different experience. For starters, only the top of his head is visible from a distance, peeking out from a ring of lavender (over 150,000 plants in summer). You approach slowly—first the dome, then the subtle descent into the earth—until the full figure is finally revealed, quiet and enclosed in palpable reverence. It's as much a meditation on space and silence as it is a statue.

Large stone Buddha statue in a circular concrete chamber beneath a cloudy sky, surrounded by colorful flower arrangements on stands. — Photo by MIKI Yoshihito (CC BY 2.0)

The Buddha was built, according to the cemetery’s founder, to watch over the souls interred here. But as with everything else on the grounds, it's hard not to feel there’s another layer. Some deeper symbolic logic pulling the strings.

Just past Stonehenge is a black triangular structure, stark and silent. A narrow staircase invites—or warns—you to enter. Below, a circular underground chamber holds a collection of tiny Buddha statues, arranged in solemn quiet. No signs. No instructions. Just you and the silence.

Reproduction of Stonehenge under a cloudy sky, surrounded by a grassy field with distant trees and mountains in the background. — Photo by pakku (CC BY 3.0)

And yes, there’s a café. You can get tonkatsu, udon, and lavender ice cream. Because of course there is.

Vertical garden of vibrant green leaves on curved concrete wall, minimalist interior with table, chairs, and a candlelit counter. — Photo by MIKI Yoshihito (CC BY 2.0)

Makomanai Takino Cemetery is more than a final resting place. It’s a riddle, a punchline, and a prayer—all wrapped into one concrete-lavender fever dream.

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