Outdoor Sculptures and Objects
The Fujino area is dotted with more than 30 outdoor sculptures and other objects that make up the Fujino Art Sanctuary. The sanctuary illustrates wabi sabi, the aesthetic that appreciates beauty in imperfection, impermanence, and incompleteness. Each artwork is displayed in natural surroundings.
The first sculptures were installed in Fujino in the early 1990s as part of the Hometown Art Village Project, an initiative to encourage the art movement in the area. Their popularity among residents and visitors led to more pieces appearing year after year. Today, a sightseeing course takes visitors past all the outdoor artworks. The course can be completed in 2–3 hours at a relaxed pace.
An information center in Fujino Station stocks the Fujino Art Sanctuary field guide (in Japanese), which explains each of the sculptures and contains a map of the route. A digital guide option (in English and Japanese) is the FujinoART app, which is available on both Google Play and the App Store. The app tracks the users’ distance from each sculpture and provides information about the art along with a picture to aid in its recognition, as some of the pieces blend in perfectly with their surroundings.
One easily accessible sculpture is Love Letter, a large envelope sealed with a heart held by two hands. It is visible after exiting Fujino Station and can be reached by a 10-minute walk up a small hill.
