The Hakone Open-Air Museum — Attraction in Hakone

Hakone Open air museum

No need to get your tickets in advance for this museum. You can get your tickets at the entrance and even if there is a q it moves pretty fast.

More than anything this place is worth visiting as it is a the space is so beautifully designed that it is easy to walk around and gives the impression of vastness.

There space is big yet cleverly integrates art with nature so that even though there are loads of statues and structures, you never feel stifled or overwhelmed. In fact you will want to walk a lot more to take in all of them.

There are loads of outdoor sculptures by various artists and some are rather interesting. Although i think the word art might be a bit stretched here on occasions when you look at the sculptures or when you read the inspiration of these artists behind their work.

Loads of outdoor exhibits and in general 2 big spaces that allow for more interaction. One is the Woods of Net which has a net structure within a wooden dome structure that allows for children to use it as a sort of net playground that they can climb on and swing on. The other is a flower petal like maze that you can walk in and try to find your way out, albeit confusing i must say. In the end i walked the same way back out the way i entered instead of finding the other exit.

As for indoor exhibits, there are 3 (Hakone master piece collection, multi hall that is at the exit, and Picasso Pavilion).

I think the one that people generally spend the most time, is at the Picasso Pavillion. Interestingly instead of chronologically displaying his works or capturing it according to his life:

“This latest exhibit deconstructs the artist himself, presenting perspectives from different angles, such as subject matter and technique, and different points in time, by date of the artwork, so that the viewer may then reconstruct their image of Picasso.

For this exhibit, works from the Picasso Collection have been divided into 17 themes, creating a free and natural exhibition space unbound by chronology.

The Picasso of this exhibit is one who defies definition by a single perspective or specific point in time—Picasso as a continuum transcending time and space.”

The one i enjoyed the most was the symphonic structure. There a circular tower captures the four seasons through stained glass that leads you to an open air space on top with a great view of the museum and the trees and mountains beyond.

We arrived at the Hakone Open-Air Museum with just 30 minutes to spare before closing—and while the staff at the ticket counter kindly warned us that it wasn’t ideal, I couldn’t pass up the chance to see Japan’s first open-air museum. So, with running shoes on and camera gear in hand, we dashed in at 4:30 PM and made the most of every minute.

Despite the time crunch, we managed to see a surprising amount. The kids loved the interactive sculptures, and we snapped some fantastic photos with our tripod as we raced through the grounds. It was a whirlwind, but totally worth it. If you’re short on time, don’t skip it—just be ready to move fast!

The museum itself is a stunning fusion of nature and art, with over 120 sculptures spread across beautifully landscaped gardens and lawns. Established in 1969, it features works by legends like Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth, and even Pablo Picasso, whose pieces are housed in a dedicated two-story pavilion. There’s also a colorful stained-glass tower called the Symphonic Sculpture that you can climb for panoramic views of the park and surrounding mountains.

One tip: find the entrance ahead of time. We spent nearly 10 minutes wandering around trying to locate it, which ate into our already limited time. The museum is just a short walk from Chokoku-no-Mori Station on the Hakone Tozan Railway, but signage can be subtle, especially if you’re in a rush.

If you can, give yourself at least a couple of hours to explore. There’s a foot bath, kids’ play areas, cafes, and rotating indoor exhibitions that deserve more than a quick glance. But even in a sprint, the Hakone Open-Air Museum left a lasting impression—and I’m so glad we didn’t miss it.

Great way to experience art and nature! Amazing 120 huge sculptures and art installations set outside on the hilly 17 acres of the museum. The art varies from greatly but is modern and contemporary. It is about a 5 minute walk from the Chokoku-no-Mori Station to the entrance payment windows. It is very affordable at ¥2,000 or USD $13 per adult with small discounts for students and Hakone Free Pass. We took the escalator down the hill and then strolled in a clockwise direction enjoying the scenery and art – down a hill, taking a break on a brightly colored art sofa sculpture, down the path, across the bridge, up some stairs admiring the artwork along the way, into the star shaped maze, into the jumbo Lincoln log type structure where children under 12 could play on the netting… Then into indoor Picasso Pavillion which contains another 319 pieces and is a good place to warm up (we visited in February). And on the far side of the museum is the café which has a very limited menu with 2 “food” items of muffin and hot dog with some additional sweets and drinks; it also sells some fabric bags and other tchotchkes. Nearby the café is an outdoor natural hot-spring foot bath. In the excitement to try the bath that we didn’t realize we should buy a ¥100 towel until after our feet were wet! After drying off our foot, we strolled back pausing to pose on the jumbo fried egg. Upon reaching the entrance an hour and 20 minutes later, we stopped in the larger museum shop. Then we used our Hakone Free Pass to take the Hakone Tozan Train from Chokoku-no-Mori Station one stop back to Gora Station. It was unique, beautiful, different and relaxing.