Murou Art Forest
Walk through Dani Karavan's landscape-scale artwork above Murouji, with seasonal opening and two different gates.
AI-generated visual study · not a documentary photographDiscover Murou Art Forest
Murou Art Forest is more than a park displaying sculpture. Uda City says a concept begun by sculptor Inoue Bukichi was developed as a single environmental work under Dani Karavan's design supervision on land reclaimed after landslide-prevention works. Its water spiral, tower and geometric forms use sky, slope and forest as part of the encounter. The city manages entry as a paid outdoor art space, with a long winter closure and weather-related changes that deserve attention before a trip from the rail station.
Understand the entire hill as the artwork
The municipal account links the Art Arcadia project to this site and contrasts the hill's 'sky' theme with the nearby road station's 'earth' idea. Inoue Bukichi's original vision and Karavan's later landscape design are both part of its authorship. The city emphasizes that the completed environment is a work of art, not an ordinary play park. Walk slowly enough to see how the water channel, astronomical tower and pyramid island alter the view of the surrounding terrain.
Plan for a real seasonal closure
The city lists 10:00–17:00 in April–October, and 10:00–16:00 in March, November and December, with last entry thirty minutes before closing. Tuesday is the regular closing day, shifted to the following day when Tuesday is a public holiday. It closes from 29 December through the end of February. Severe rain or wind can cause an extra closure; the municipal page and park's official X feed carry notices. A dated exception calendar is not a permanent new schedule.
Choose the correct gate and payment method
The north gate is the regular entrance; the south gate opens on weekends and public holidays. Uda City lists cash-only admission of ¥410 for adults, ¥200 for high-school students and free admission for junior-high students and younger. A visitor arriving at the south gate on a weekday should not assume the park is closed: follow the north-gate access instead. The city lists parking for 53 vehicles at the north gate and 50 at the south gate when available.
Treat the bus as one leg of the journey
The city gives a bus from Kintetsu Murouguchi-Ono Station toward Murouji, about twenty minutes, followed by roughly one kilometre on foot from the temple stop. The return climbs toward a hilltop and should be planned separately from a short walk at Murouji. Uda City's longer Tokai Nature Trail option runs through forest from the station and warns of slopes, loose stones and mossy sections; this is a hiking choice, not an interchangeable shortcut for every visitor.
Check conditions before the uphill journey
Uda City publishes two live cameras inside the park as well as closure notices. They can help you judge visible weather and the site before leaving, but they do not replace the opening calendar or a closure notice. The city explicitly requires a park-use application for photography or filming undertaken as a business, including wedding pre-shoots, music videos and television, as well as for exclusive use or events. It lists a ¥1,040 daily fee for commercial photography and a seven-day application deadline. An ordinary personal snapshot is a different case, but obey on-site rules, keep other visitors out of images without consent and never climb or alter an artwork to stage a photograph.
What to look for
Landscape-scale work connecting sculpture, sky and water
North gate daily when open; south gate on weekends and holidays
A Murouji-area art stop with a meaningful uphill approach
Photo notes
Uda City requires advance park-use permission for business photography/filming and other exclusive uses; its page gives the application and fee. MyNara has no permission to reuse city or prefectural images. For personal photos follow signs, respect other visitors and avoid touching or climbing works; a future MyNara commercial shoot needs prior city approval.
Make a day of it
Explore guides close to this map point, then check the actual route before travelling. Distances below are straight lines, not walking distances or travel times; map points may not be entrances.
Sources & editorial status
Original MyNara draft based on the linked sources. Sources reviewed 20 October 2026. Opening arrangements, prices and offers may change; use the operator's current information before travelling.