Hakone Craft House — Attraction in Hakone

Buyer beware: once you click “Reserve,” there is no way to modify or correct anything — even in the event of a system glitch. That’s what happened in my case. I had no way to reverse the error, no email listed on their website, and no ability to call from my international phone. I messaged them on Instagram — the only available contact method — but received no reply. Later, I was told that Instagram is not a valid form of contact. So effectively, there was no way to reach them.

As someone who genuinely supports the arts, I was looking forward to this experience. But a glitch in the system signed me up for the wrong time and the wrong course. I attempted in good faith to contact them — through messages, screenshots, and a 2.5-hour journey to their location — to explain what happened. They acknowledged the glitch, but told me I still missed the course. From my perspective, the moment a transaction is glitched or compromised, it should be considered null and void — especially if there’s clear documentation and honest effort to resolve it.

Instead, they only refunded part of the fee and held me responsible for the rest, despite the fact that I never selected that time or course. As a visitor coming all the way from Tokyo, this felt rigid and unfair. Businesses must be accessible and responsive — especially when serving an international audience. In Tokyo, I’ve found companies more flexible, understanding, and responsive. But in Hakone, it seems more difficult to navigate as a foreign guest, and many systems appear to cater primarily to the domestic market.

What left an even worse impression was that after staying well past closing time trying to resolve the issue, we were locked inside the park. Staff had already left, and we were wandering in the dark trying to figure out how to exit. A security guard eventually appeared, but the experience was chaotic and stressful.

I truly believe Japan has amazing potential to welcome global visitors — but only if there’s clear support from local businesses and infrastructure. When a system error occurs and there is no reasonable way to correct it, the business should take responsibility, not the customer. That’s not just good customer service — it’s fair and human. And that’s what was...

We did the sandblasting workshop with our 9yr and 3yr olds. It was lovely and we had a great time but I can't give it any more stars due to the description being misleading. Don't expect to use the sandblasting machine. You just put stickers on a glass and they do the rest. It was still a nice experience but I went hoping for more.

The other annoying things that stopped me adding stars....

It's actually in Gora Park and despite paying for the workshop at Craft House we still had to pay to enter the park. Considering it was chucking it down with rain and we didn't want to be outside this was cheeky!

You have to pay for parking too.

They only give you a standard glass and you have to pay to upgrade to coloured ones.

They also charge you for a paper bag to take your glasses home in.

All these little extras were a real irritant and left a bad impression despite enjoying the workshop. The ridiculous thing is that if I hadn't felt so ripped off with all the extras I would have willingly paid to upgrade all 4 glasses to much more expensive ones.

Also booking on the website was very difficult as I had to translate my name and details into Japanese script.

I just think they should be more upfront on booking about all the extras. Especially...

We had a wonderful time visiting Hakone Craft House! I went with my five kids and the staff was so patient and accommodating. Three of my kids did glass beadwork and my older son and I did glass blowing. The shipping time was only two days (we live in Japan)! I would definitely go back. It was such a special memory made.

Update December 8, 2025 My husband and I went and did glassblowing and I made a lampwork bead. I was so appreciative of them squeezing me in for bead making as our tour group was only there for a small window of time. I absolutely loved the finished product. My husband and I also had a great time with the glass blowing. The gentleman helping us was so cheerful and patient with us. I’ve included a few pictures that show their glass shapes and colors they have to choose from. They also have some special seasonal designs that are offered for a limited time. Definitely set aside time to spend here if you...