Moerenuma Park

Moerenuma Park (モエレ沼公園, Moerenuma Kōen) is a municipal park located in Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan. Conceived as a synthesis of art and nature, the park was designed by Japanese American artist and architect Isamu Noguchi according to his concept of "a park considered as one complete sculpture." Construction began in 1982, with Noguchi joining the project in 1988, and the park fully opened to the public on July 1, 2005. Spanning approximately 188.8 hectares including the surrounding Moere marsh, the park has received numerous architectural and design awards, most notably the Good Design Award in 2002. Entry and parking are free of charge.

The site that became Moerenuma Park served as a garbage reclamation ground from 1979, accumulating 2,736,000 tons of waste across 71.2 hectares by the time reclamation closed in 1990. The park's origins trace to the Sapporo Circular Greenbelt Concept, a city planning initiative to develop urban greenbelts, with construction officially beginning in 1982. In 1988, Sapporo invited Isamu Noguchi to design the park after entrepreneurs proposed adding playgrounds. Noguchi visited the site in March 1988, impressed by the northern landscape and skyline, and accepted the commission. He developed a master plan incorporating the reuse of debris for construction, but died of heart failure in New York City on December 30, 1988, shortly after completing a miniature model. The city adhered to his vision, and construction proceeded from 1989 under the supervision of the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and George Sadao. The park opened in phases: the first playground in 1993, tennis courts in 1995, Play Mountain, Tetra Mound, and the music hall in 1998, followed by the Hidamari glass pyramid in 2003, Moere-yama in 2004, and finally the Sea Fountain in 2005. The complete park opened on July 1, 2005, approximately one year behind the original 2004 target. In 1997, Moerenuma Park established a twinning agreement with Bayfront Park in Miami, United States. The Sapporo International Art Festival held events at the park in 2014, 2017, and 2024.

The park's collection and design elements reflect Noguchi's integrated vision of art, nature, and recreation. The total construction cost was 27 billion yen. The park contains 120 pieces of playground equipment and approximately 3,000 cherry trees, expanded from an original 1983 planting of 1,800. The design emphasizes renewable energy and environmental sustainability, including a snow-storage cooling system for the glass pyramid. The park functions as a greenbelt under the Sapporo Circular Greenbelt Concept, with facilities that adapt to seasonal use, from summer beaches and fountains to winter cross-country skiing courses. The name "Moerenuma" derives from the Ainu word "Moyre pet," meaning "a slowly flowing river," referring to the marsh that predates the park and whose official name is Shinoro New River.

The Hidamari glass pyramid stands as the park's principal symbol. Named in 2002 from 2,340 public submissions, the nickname means "sunny spot" in Japanese. The fully glazed structure rises 32.3 meters with a floor area of 5,328 m² (or 5,322 m² according to some measurements), containing three floors plus a rooftop overlook. The top floor houses the Isamu Noguchi Gallery and the park's miniature model; the ground floor contains a restaurant and museum shop. Its air conditioning system uses snow stored in a neighboring building during winter. The Sea Fountain, inspired by a similar fountain at Miami's Bayfront Park, features a 48-meter diameter structure surrounded by Japanese larch trees totaling 80 meters in diameter, with jets reaching 25 meters high, operating in 15- and 40-minute programs with nighttime illumination. The Tetra Mound, located on the western side, consists of stainless steel tubes forming a tetrahedron above a small mound. Mount Moere, at 62 meters high (though Moere-yama is 52 meters), offers panoramic views of the park and northern Sapporo. The 150-meter Aqua Plaza canal runs through the park center. The Music Shell, approximately 15 meters wide, serves as a musical venue shaped like two shells emerging from the ground. Play Mountain, realized from a 1993 concept Noguchi originally developed for Central Park, is a 30-meter hill with 99 winding stair steps. The Moere Beach provides a shallow pond with a maximum depth of 45 cm, open during summer.

The park's architecture and landscape design embody Noguchi's theme of creating "a whole from individual sculptures." The 188.8-hectare site, including the encircling Moere marsh, transforms a former waste reclamation area into an integrated art-nature environment. The glass pyramid Hidamari functions as the cultural and administrative center, featuring full glazing and an atrium for events. The Sea Fountain's circular form and the geometric Tetra Mound demonstrate Noguchi's sculptural approach to landscape elements. Moere-yama, constructed from accumulated debris, represents the park's recycling philosophy. The park includes an outdoor stage of approximately 20,000 m², a music hall with polished resonance surfaces, sports facilities including 15 sand tennis courts, baseball and softball facilities, and a track and field facility. The construction was supervised by the Isamu Noguchi Foundation and George Sadao. The park has received multiple awards: the Good Design Award (2002), 11th Sapporo Urban Scenery Award (2003), Hokkaidō Red Brick Architectural Award (2004), the Grand Prize of the Minister of Construction (1998), the AACA Award of the Japanese Association of Artists, Craftsmen and Architects (1998), the Japan Institute of Architects Prize (2008), and others including the Civil Engineering Society Design Grand Prize (2007) and Asia Cityscape Award (2010).

Moerenuma Park is located in Higashi-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan, and is owned and operated as a municipal park by the city of Sapporo. The park is open to visitors free of charge, with free parking for approximately 1,500 vehicles. Access is available via Hokkaido Chuo Bus routes Higashi69 or Higashi79, taking 25 minutes from Kanjō-Dōri-Higashi Station on the Tōhō Line to the 'Moere Koen Higashiguchi' bus stop, followed by a 10-minute walk to the Glass Pyramid. The park offers bicycle rentals and seasonal activities: sports facilities operate from April to November with registration required at the management office, while winter visitors can enjoy cross-country skiing with equipment available for loan at the glass pyramid office. Some facilities close during winter months. Nearby attractions include Sapporo Satoland, an agricultural theme park and Sapporo Snow Festival venue; the Sapporo Community Dome indoor stadium; and Okadama Airport. The official website is http://moerenumapark.jp.