Moerenuma Park, a landmark park in the outskirts of Sapporo City, was designed by Japanese-American sculpture artist Isamu Noguchi.
Opened in 2005 as a work of sculpture in itself, Moerenuma Park is renowned for its duality as an expansive art park and a place for the locals to unwind in the middle of greenery.
Here, we'll take you inside and share some of the ways both kids and adults can enjoy spending time at the park.
Main image: Terence Toh Chin Eng / Shutterstock.com
Moerenuma Park: Born from the concept of a "single unified piece of sculpture"
Going beyond the traditional limits of sculpture, the designer of the park, Isamu Noguchi, was a sculptor whose landscaping and design can be described as "sculpting the earth."
The most significant milestone in his work on Moerenuma Park is the fact that the entire place is an artwork in itself. The land the park was built on was cleared to make it have synergy with the vast nature that surrounds the site, along with man-made mountains and fountains designed with geometry to create a massive work of art!
Moerenuma Park bears 4 distinct impressions according to the seasons where you can enjoy art and nature in equal measure encompassing an area of 188.8 hectares. The Moere marsh, an extensive drainage system, encompasses the park grounds and features 14 different unique monuments and zones.
*Japan is currently in the middle of nationwide anti-epidemic measures. Please visit the Moerenuma Park website for the latest updates.
Moerenuma Park Map. (Image courtesy of Moerenuma Park)
Image courtesy of Moerenuma Park
A symbolic monument of the park, the Tetra Mound. The three shafts stacked upwards together in the triangular shape of a mound strikes a powerful impression.
Image courtesy of Moerenuma Park
The "Play Mountain," according to Noguchi, is an avant-garde art piece that was created by directly carving the land. Do try climbing the 99 stone steps made from granite that came floating in the Seto Inland Sea from Inujima.
Nature and ever-changing seasons at Moerenuma
Image courtesy of Moerenuma Park
Due to being designed in unison with the surrounding nature, the ways you can enjoy Moerenuma Park change with the seasons.
For spring, the "Forest of Sakura" with over 1,900 cherry blossom trees is highly recommended! All of these cherry blossoms at Moerenuma Park will be in full bloom near the end of April, announcing the start of spring.
In the middle of the sakura forest, seven playgrounds are available. For some beautiful photos, you can try the cone-shaped slide "Slide Mountain." The unique and various playground equipment make for some photogenic shots!
Image courtesy of Moerenuma Park
In the summer, a refreshing session with water games is the p…
