Hill of the Buddha

This guide to Hill of the Buddha in Sapporo follows architect Tadao Ando, who buried a giant stone Buddha carved around the year 2000 inside an artificial hill above a quiet cemetery. You'll hear how the statue went from barely visited to sealed behind a dome ringed with 150,000 lavender plants, reached only by crossing a still water garden and walking a long, dim tunnel. It also covers the cafe built into the same hill, where visitors who just sat in silence order lavender ice cream and udon minutes later.