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It’s not one of the sights on the famous Hakone Loop, but that doesn’t mean you should ignore this beautiful museum in Hakone. Here’s why…
The word ‘hidden gem’ is bandied around a lot in travel writing – but, when it comes to the Venetian Glass Museum, it’s appropriate as it’s literally full of them sparkling away on trees, bushes, and dotted around spider web style.
The effect is a Disney-esque Museum at the top of Hakone that you don’t want to miss.
Article by Helen Foster. Disclosure: Some links in this post are affiliate links. See our Affiliate Disclosure.
I can thank a glint of sunlight for sending me to Hakone’s Venetian Glass Museum. It wasn’t on my original plan for the day, as it didn’t sound like my kind of thing at all. But as I was on the bus heading back to the ropeway to see if Mount Fuji had appeared from behind the morning clouds, we drove past the museum, and I noticed the trees outside it were twinkling.
I was intrigued.
Because I was using the Hakone Free Pass, I could jump on and off the buses wherever, so I got off to investigate, only to find myself standing under a tree decorated with hundreds of tiny glass beads shimmering in the sunlight.
I decided this was enough to make me investigate inside as well, and it was just the start of a fantastic hour wandering around this surprising space.
The Museum has around 1000 pieces in its collection, with around 100 on show at any given time. It’s divided into two main areas – the exhibits inside the museum, and the amazing garden outside. Here’s a rough idea of what to expect from these…
The Pond and Crystal Arch
Once I’d paid my entry fee to the museum, this was the sight that greeted me.
A giant Dale Chihuly glass sculpture sits on an island in the middle of a still green pond, while in the distance, a little bridge, covered with what looks like a sparkly spider’s web, leads you into the museum proper.
It was such a surprise as it wasn’t what I was expecting at all, but it’s stunning. The Crystal Arch alone contains 160,000 individual glass stones.
Even the boat in the middle of the pond contains giant glass baubles. These are apparently based on the ‘walla walla’ sweet onions made in Chihuly’s hometown state of Washington, USA.
Many attempts at selfies with the sparkles later, I crossed to the other side of the bridge and entered the museum proper.
Inside the Museum
This is more what you expect when you hear the words Glass Museum – vases, goblets, candlesticks, chandeliers and more, all made from beautiful Venetian glass, stand on plinths or hang from the ceiling for you to admire.
The setting is fantastically ornate, ranging from cathedral-like ceilings to rooms staged as if they were in the home to the Capulets in fair Verona.
For me, it was a real step back in time as my grandmother had some Venetian glass, including some clown-like figures similar to the two on display here. I don’t think her collection was quite as rarified as this, though. Some of the works here were created in the 15th Century.
As well as the smaller, older pieces, the museum houses a collection of more adventurous modern pieces by famous glass artists like Dale Chihuly and Livio Seguso.
The details in the pieces and the meandering design of the museum itself mean you’ll want to take your time wandering around here, seeing what you can spot before heading back outside to the garden space.
The Garden
While I enjoyed seeing the works inside the museum, it was this part of the museum that delighted me.
There are gravity-defying glass sculptures dotted around a garden that blooms with seasonal flowers – but, look carefully… not all the plants here owe their petals to Mother Nature.
Like the trees outside, they are all made from tiny glass stones – from the hanging wisteria to the hydrangeas that line the garden. It’s extraordinary.
The exact plants displayed change with the season. I was here at the end of May to get the pictures here, but they also have a display of autumn leaves and pampas grass during the appropriate seasons.
Don’t miss the Rose Garden – I did as I didn’t realise it was there. It’s located behind the two buildings of the museum. Apparently, it’s even more impressive than these plants are.
The other interesting thing is that in the distance, you can see the sulphur clouds of Owakaduni, one of the stops on the famous Loop.
At this point, I did doubt the wisdom of locating a priceless glass collection near an active volcanic area. I hope they have good insurance – or some very strong fixings holding the exhibits in place.
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Shops and Restaurants
Once you’ve finished seeing the exhibits, there are a few other things to do.
There are two shops in the Museum – one selling glass items, one selling local goodies like glass-inspired candy, maple-based biscuits and paste.
There is also a restaurant/cafe in the garden. During lunch hours, it’s asked that you order food here rather than just drinks, but outside of 11 am to 3 pm, you can just enjoy tea, coffee or a glass of wine if you’d prefer.
Make Some Souvenirs
If you’d like to create something unique to take home, you can make your own glass items at the museum.
The glass fusion class helps you bond different glass shapes together to make things like coasters or jewellery, while the sandblasting workshop allows you to customise a glass item with your own design.
Enquire about the session times for these at the Museum when you arrive.
Related Read: You can also try glass blowing in Hakone. See more in our guide to Hakone’s Top 10 Sights.
Opening Hours of the Museum
It’s open from 10 am to 5 pm or 5.30 pm, depending on the season, seven days a week. They are closed for a couple of days around New Year and also around Coming of Age Day in early January.
If you are visiting at these times, check their website for more details. They may also occasionally close to change up the exhibits.
How Much Does it Cost?
Entry costs 1800 yen for adults (1700 for seniors), 1300 yen for High School or University students, 600 yen for Elementary or Junior High school students. Children below school age are free.
It is included as one of the discount admissions on the Hakone Free Pass. If you have the pass, you can reduce the entry fee by 100 yen by showing it at the door.
You can also book tickets in advance, which saves a little money, but you don’t need to do so as it’s not exceptionally busy. One of the other lovely things about the museum was how peaceful it was compared to the queues of people following the Loop.
Related Read: How to Avoid the Crowds on the Hakone Loop.
Is the Museum Accessible?
Not completely, as there are staircases – but much of it is flat, and they do have some wheelchair ramps. They also offer wheelchair rental on the property. There is an accessible toilet and parking outside the museum.
Getting To the Venetian Glass Museum
The Museum is in the Sengokuhara area of Hakone, north of Gora and Hakone Yumoto.
The best way to get here is by bus, and it’s served by a lot of different routes. Exactly which ones you need will depend on your starting point, but Google Maps will help you find the quickest option for this and the time of day you are travelling.
If you have the Hakone Free Pass, you just need to show it to the driver to pay for the fare. If you don’t, then the buses are still very easy to use.
Get on at the front and either tap your IC card or pick up the numbered ticket. When you get off tap your card again, or use the display at the front to work out your fare from the number on your ticket and drop the exact money in the box by the driver.
Note – this area of Hakone is also home to the other place that delighted me in Hakone – the Choan-ji temple with its incredible display of statues. See more about this in our Choan-ji guide.
Who Writes This Blog?
My name is Helen Foster, and I’m a journalist and author. My travel articles have appeared in publications including The Australian, Escape, RAC Horizons, Jetstar Magazine, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and more.
I’ve traveled to Japan eight times before – solo and with my partner and visited over 25 towns and cities. My last visit was November 2024 so, everything here is pretty up to date.