What other travelers are saying about Akishima / Showa no Mori Muto Junkyu Sculpture Garden
In February 2025, Forest Inn Showakan closed, but Showa no Mori remained open.
It's a small garden behind the hotel, and since it was February, there were hardly any flowers to be seen, but the walkways were covered with wood chips and the garden was well-maintained.
We visited on a holiday afternoon, and by chance we found ourselves alone, enjoying a leisurely stroll among the quiet trees, which was very soothing.
Akishima Showa no Mori Muto Junkyu Sculpture Garden is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (last entry at 4:30 PM). General admission is 500 yen for adults, 300 yen for high school students, and free for children under 15. The sculpture garden is closed on Mondays and during New Year holidays.
To reach Muto Junkyu Sculpture Garden in Akishima, take the JR Ome Line to Nakagami Station, then walk approximately 10 minutes. Alternatively, take the JR Chuo Line to Tachikawa, transfer to the JR Ome Line. The sculpture garden is located within Showa no Mori Park in western Tokyo, about 1 hour from central Tokyo.
Akishima Showa no Mori features over 36 bronze sculptures by renowned Japanese artist Muto Junkyu, displayed throughout the peaceful forest setting. Visitors can enjoy large-scale contemporary sculptures integrated with nature, walking trails through the wooded park, and seasonal exhibitions showcasing Muto's distinctive artistic style in this unique outdoor museum.
Yes, Muto Junkyu Sculpture Garden in Akishima is very family-friendly with wide paved paths suitable for strollers, free admission for children under 15, and interactive outdoor art experiences. The sculpture garden is located within Showa no Mori Park, which also features playgrounds, picnic areas, and nature walks perfect for families visiting western Tokyo.
The best time to visit Akishima Showa no Mori Muto Sculpture Garden is during spring (March-May) for cherry blossoms or autumn (October-November) for fall foliage. The outdoor sculpture garden offers beautiful seasonal scenery year-round, with comfortable weather for walking. Visit on weekdays to avoid crowds and fully appreciate Muto Junkyu's bronze sculptures in the tranquil forest setting.
On June 9, 2019, a sculpture garden featuring works by marble sculptor Junkyu Muto (1950-) opened in the wooded area north of the Forest Inn Showakan Hotel (which closed on January 31, 2025). A total of nine works are on display here. (Free admission)
⚠Note⚠ The Forest Inn Showakan Hotel will close until January 31, 2025.
In addition, the Showa no Mori Junkyu Muto Sculpture Garden will be temporarily closed from February 1 to 10, 2025, for maintenance of the garden's promenade.
The entrance to the garden, which previously passed through the hotel, may have changed after February 11, 2025. Please be aware of this.
...I visited in December 2024. The paths through the sculpture garden are covered with wood chips and fallen leaves, leaving a soft feeling underfoot. I was the only one in the expansive garden. I had it all to myself 📸.
The best time to visit might be during the autumn foliage season. (There might be a lot of insects in summer 💧)
There are benches and log seats along the way, so you can take a short break. (⚠ Restrooms are only available inside the hotel.)
Italy, America, India, the Vatican... You can experience the same sculptures from all over the world up close, so I hope you enjoy being surrounded by nature.
* Junkyu Muto graduated from Tokyo University of the Arts in 1973. He later established a studio in Rome and the sculpture town of Pietrasanta, Italy, where he creates marble sculptures with abstract themes.
* The second piece from the entrance, "CIRCLE WIND," was rejected by Google Maps 💧, so I'm posting a photo here.
Here in Akishima City, there is actually a little-known, mysterious grove of trees. I wanted to keep it a secret, so I didn't include any reviews. Given the surrounding environment, you wouldn't know you were in the city, and you can immerse yourself in deep forest bathing. The presence of abstract objects further enhances the precision of your meditation.
Surrounded by a golf course and the Tama River Canal, the forest itself is surrounded by green space, making it quiet, home to a variety of animals, and a place to preserve a valuable ecosystem.
However, this environment is now in danger of being destroyed by a project to turn the golf course into an industrial area.
In order to maintain the value of this forest, it is essential to preserve the surrounding environment, so industrialization must be opposed, and more people need to know this now.
When I participated in a stamp rally, there was a stamp spot at Showakan, and by chance I found this sculpture garden. You can explore it for free.
The sculptures are set up in a spacious green garden, and you can view all of them by walking along the designated route. It was a very hot day, but walking through the green forest allowed me to escape the heat while strolling.
You can't experience this much lush greenery and fresh air in the city.
I think it's rare to find a place in Tokyo where you can feel such nature.
I'm shocked to hear that this place will become a logistics center in 2024 (?)...
There were very few people around, so it felt like I was in a secret maze and it was great fun.
You can exit into this garden through an optical illusion door at the entrance to Il Centro, a restaurant inside Forest Inn Akishima.