Hokkaido Landscape Gallery
Hokkaido Landscape Gallery
This gallery showcases works by Shuichi Okuda, who has been painting landscapes of Furano and elsewhere in Hokkaido for more than three decades. His field-oriented approach to painting amidst the harsh natural environment of Japan’s northernmost island, where temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius in the summer and plunge to –30 degrees Celsius in the winter, makes viewers feel as if they were out there themselves and gives a glimpse into the kind of religiosity we might see in a real seeker of truth. Recently, he has begun to paint a Madonna statue that exudes elegance and that many people find to be a source of calm.
This Western-style wooden structure built in 1950 attracts many repeat visitors for its nostalgic atmosphere and scenic design by the landscape painter. It was chosen as a location for The Wind in Your Heart (Kokoro ni Fuku Kaze), a Shochiku film directed by Yoon Seok-ho.
Landscape Painter’s Garden
A garden near the gallery spreads across a roughly 7600-m2 “community-based satoyama” woodland area. To enjoy his everyday life and create motifs for his paintings, the nature-loving painter has planted trees, created a koi pond, and taken care of free-range cats. Walk along a tree-shaded path through light and shade produced by the landscape painter, and you will find a small church with rainbow-colored stained glass (called Maria Mido). Enter the church using a key you receive at reception, and spend a relaxing time in this quiet space. You may want to bring your lunch and enjoy it at a small arbor known as Naeyama Viewpoint on your way.
Facility information
- Address
- Nakafurano Nae Mubanchi, Nakafurano-cho, Sorachi-gun, Hokkaido
- Phone
- 0167ｰ44ｰ4477
- Hours
10:00 – 15:00 (last admission)
- Closed
Mondays (or Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday)
Closed in winter (October 11 to April 28)- Admission
Adults: ¥400; Junior high and high school students: ¥300 (Joint tickets to the Hokkaido Landscape Gallery and the Landscape Painter’s Garden: Adults: ¥700; Junior high and high school students: ¥500)
Discounts for groups of 20 or more
Adults: ¥350, Junior high and high school students: ¥200
Reservations are required. For groups making reservations for multiple days, the gallery may be opened on scheduled closed days.- Parking
- Available
- Official website
- https://hokkaidofukeigakan.jp