The Atama Daibutsu, or Hill of the Buddha, is a unique attraction found in the Makomanai Takino Cemetery to the South of Sapporo city. While it may seem odd and out of place to have a tourist attraction found in a cemetery, the Atama Daibutsu was created to commemorate 30 years of the cemetery, having been completed in 2016. The statue and dome-shaped mound housing the statue was designed by Tadao Ando, an architect famous for having worked on many creative buildings both within and outside of Japan.

From the outside, only the top of the Buddha statue peeks out over top of a lavender-covered hill. However, once inside, the actual size of the Buddha statue becomes clear. Standing at 13.5m tall, the statue is one of the largest sitting Buddha statues in Japan. 

A massive Buddha statue is not the only attraction of the Makomanai Takino Cemetery though – surprisingly, this cemetery is more than meets the eye. Also housed at the Makomanai Takino Cemetery, you can find over 30 Moai (Easter Island) heads, lining the main entry road into the cemetery.  There is also a replica Stonehenge just a little bit further into the cemetery, adding to the mystery of the destination. The Cemetery is run by a public interest corporation (a non-profit company focusing on community good), and as such, there is no fee to enter and see these attractions.