Hakone Open-Air Museum Museum

Address: 1121 Ninotaira, Hakone, Kanagawa 250-0407, Japan

Website: https://www.hakone-oam.or.jp/en/

Hours: Daily 9:00am-5:00pm, closed Tuesdays (check for national holiday exceptions)

Admission: Admission around ¥1,600 for adults (discounts for children/seniors); prices may vary with special exhibitions

The Hakone Open-Air Museum is a sculpture park and museum in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, combining outdoor sculpture displays with indoor galleries. It opened in the late 1960s and is known for integrating modern and contemporary sculpture with the natural landscape.

The grounds host hundreds to over a thousand works across landscaped lawns, wooded slopes and terraces, with large-scale outdoor pieces by international artists. A dedicated indoor space, the Picasso Pavilion, exhibits works and ceramics by Pablo Picasso alongside rotating exhibitions.

The museum’s layout encourages walking between dispersed sculptures with views of surrounding hills; facilities include sheltered galleries, a café and rest areas. The collection emphasizes large-scale, durable works suited to outdoor display and offers year-round access with seasonal planting changes.

Hakone Open-Air Museum is located in the Hakone area of Kanagawa Prefecture, within the volcanic Hakone region southwest of Tokyo and accessible by regional rail and road links from Odawara and Tokyo.

• Scale and Opening: The museum opened in 1969 and combines indoor galleries with large outdoor lawns to display over a thousand sculptures and site-specific works.
• Onsite Facilities: A small hot-spring footbath and rest facilities on site reflect the region’s onsen culture and provide a brief rest point for visitors exploring the sculpture grounds.

What to See#

• Picasso Pavilion: Picasso Pavilion contains a permanent collection of works by Pablo Picasso, exhibited in an indoor gallery within the museum complex.
• Outdoor Sculpture Park: Extensive outdoor lawns and sculpture gardens display works by international modern and contemporary sculptors across roughly seven hectares of parkland.

From Odawara Station, take the Hakone Tozan Railway to Hakone-Yumoto, then bus or the Hakone Loop (ropeway/cable) to stop nearest the museum (Sengokuhara area). The museum is about a 15-20 minute walk from the Sengokuhara bus stops; regular buses connect from major Hakone hubs.

• Buy a combined ticket in advance during holiday periods to avoid long lines, especially on weekends.
• Visit early to enjoy the sculpture gardens with softer morning light before crowds arrive from Tokyo.
• Look for the Picasso and Rodin pieces inside; many visitors miss smaller installations tucked into side galleries.