Arte Piazza Bibai is an outdoor museum showcasing the works of Kan Yasuda, a distinguished Japanese sculptor who resides in Italy where he creates his sculptures.
Born in Bibai, a city that was once a coal mining town in Sorachi, he returned to find it desolate due to the decline of coal mining in the region during the mid-Showa era.
Witnessing the depopulation issue, Yasuda was inspired to create a space where people could gather and engage in creative activities together.
Open
Wednesday to Monday: 9:00 – 17:00
Close
- Closed on Tuesdays
- the days after the public holidays
- and December 31-January 5
Admission fee
- donation
By train:
From Sapporo 40 minutes to Bibai Station of JR Hakodate Honsen, from Chitose International Airport 90 minutes via Sapporo. 15 minutes by bus or taxi from Bibai Station.
By car:
From Sapporo JCT on Hokkaido Expressway, 40 minutes to Bibai IC and 5 minutes east off the Expressway.
The old school building still stands today, with its first floor serving as a kindergarten and its second floor housing a gallery.
Some paper name plates still adorn the edges of the walls, remnants from when the building served as an elementary school.
At the entrance of the kindergarten on the first floor, you can find works by Yasuda. Indeed, there are his sculptures displayed there.
The large garden hosts numerous works by Kan Yasuda, making it a delightful destination for hiking and enjoying art simultaneously.
Halfway up the hill, you’ll find a studio and a café.
People gather here every weekend to create their own works.
No need to worry about rainy days.
The café is located opposite the studio.
The garden extends up to the middle of the hilltop.
You’ll discover various sculptures scattered throughout the field.
