Open-air Museum of Sapporo Art Forest

The Open-air Museum of Sapporo Art Forest, officially known as Sapporo Art Park, opened on July 27, 1986 as a cultural forum for the Northern region. The park completed a 15-year, three-stage renovation process in 1999, establishing its role as a symbol of Sapporo's artistic identity. The park was created to cultivate unique culture in Sapporo and foster harmony between the city, arts, culture, and the region's natural beauty. Located in a 40-hectare forest south of Sapporo Station, the park represents a significant integration of contemporary art with Hokkaido's forested landscape.

The sculpture garden forms the centerpiece of the outdoor museum, featuring 74 sculptures by 64 artists spread across a 7.5-hectare area. The collection consists mostly of contemporary Japanese works, though it includes international pieces as well. Many sculptors visited the park to create pieces specifically designed for their chosen locations, resulting in works that integrate naturally with the surrounding forest environment. The park also includes the Churyo Sato Memorial Children's Atelier, dedicated to the leading Japanese sculptor who created figurative works featuring people around him.

Visitors can walk through the hilly circuit to encounter sculptures at various elevations and forest settings, with the landscape providing different seasonal backdrops throughout the year. Guests are encouraged to interact closely with the sculptures, touching them and photographing them. During winter months, snowshoe rentals allow visitors to experience the snow-covered sculpture garden. The park complex also includes the Sapporo Art Park Museum, which hosts rotating exhibitions, along with art studios, an outdoor stage, and music practice rooms for those interested in creating as well as viewing art.

Access to the park requires taking the Namboku subway line to Makomanai Station, then boarding a Chuo Bus on either the Soranuma or Takino Line to the Geijutsu no Mori Iriguchi or Geijutsu no Mori Center bus stops. By car, the park is approximately 30 minutes from Sapporo Station. Admission to the Open-air Museum costs 800 yen for adults, with free entry for junior high school students and younger. The park operates daily from April 29 to November 3, and closes on Mondays during the remaining months, with exceptions when national holidays fall on Mondays.