Hakone Open Air Museum makes the kids and the adults equally as happy!
ADMISSION TO THE HAKONE OPEN AIR MUSEUM IS DISCOUNTED FOR HAKONE FREE PASS HOLDERS
Someone get me a time machine – coz I need to swing on a giant rainbow crotchet net in Hakone too!
Hakone Open Air Museum is so fantastic for kids but also it’s so lovely for adults – even if you’re not really an arty person. It’s just a beautiful space and so relaxing just to have a lovely stroll and chat.
The foliage (and view) is also gorgeous in itself. There are three separate areas made especially with children in mind.
Buy tickets to the Hakone Open Air Museum here.
Please note that this blog post contains affiliate links – meaning that, if you book accommodation using one of my links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
If you don’t want to stress about ANY of the traffic or logistics for getting here or anywhere around Hakone, I recommend booking a day tour with TokudAw – they are my personal favourite company to use. They understand the importance of carseats for children and babies, unlike many other transfer or tour companies in Japan they use legally registered tour vehicles and legally registered tour drivers. Another amazing fact that I love about this company, they don’t hire drivers that smoke (not just while on their breaks – drivers who do not smoke at all!) I have pictures of some of their vehicles and carseats here.
The most recent addition to the Hakone Open Air Museum is the ‘Forest of Nets’. It is my favourite part.
This giant crotchet playground of colourful nets has a roof but is still out in the elements so it was a bit cold for us grown-ups in February (very chilly toes as the area is a shoe-free zone.).
It is just such a good idea! Kids (as long as they are 12 or younger) can swing on the giant net pendulums or climb up inside the structure.
My kiddies did not want to leave! It was a fantastic way to get them nice and sleepy too.
This one was a sneaky picture. I got my little girl to take this from the middle of the structure for me as – clearly- I’m older than 12 years old (a teeny bit.)
On the way out of the museum check out the indoor exhibits too.
And then throughout the rest of the museum are other facilities like a foot spa, a few cafes and a restaurant.
I quite like their gift shop for souvenirs too.
I was able to purchase ‘limited edition’ Fuji-san chocolate Alfort biscuits at the gift shop too.
Omg! I can’t even begin to describe just how yummy these are. It is the perfect amount of chocolate on the perfect amount of cookie.
They are sold in all convenience stores and supermarkets with the pirate ships on the front. But these are the special addition Mt Fuji Version
And we also bought these at the gift shop (camera slide projector thingies and sticker paper doll set ) and my kids love them.
And if you’re looking to have lunch here- the buffet restaurant Bella Foresta in the main building, just by the entrance worked for us.
It was NOT fancy but was great value for kids (although a bit pricey for adults.) Kids under school age eat for 880 yen and then it goes up with each school stage. Adults are 2600 yen – all you can eat.
Once again though, it’s very “group tour” type food. But it did the job and we would eat there again.
HAKONE OPEN AIR MUSEUM
神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町ニノ平1121
1121 NINOTAIRA, HAKONE, ASHIGARASHIMO, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE
OPEN: EVERYDAY 9AM-5PM
ADMISSION IS FREE FOR HAKONE FREE PASS HOLDERS
WEBSITE
Just 6 mins walk from the Hakone Open Air Museum is a restaurant called Gyoza Center. Please note that this restaurant is cash only. The whole venue is non-smoking.
GYOZA CENTER
足柄下郡箱根町強羅1300
OPEN FOR LUNCH 11:30AM-2:30PM
OPEN FOR DINNER 5PM-7:30PM
CLOSED THURSDAYS
Oh, and I have almost 2 full days of Hakone things to do in my post here.
Just 15 mins walk from the Hakone Open Air Museum (or 3 mins in a cab) is the Gora Brewery. They welcome kids and have good pizza. They have a gluten free menu. The caesar salad here is exceptional. They also have a footbath here. The entire venue is non-smoking. Best to make a reservation. Budget for 3000 yen per adult at lunch and more like 5000 yen at dinner time. There is a 500 yen table charge when you dine here. They accept most major credit cards. This restaurant is 8 mins walk from Gora Station. They have a beautiful view over a private garden (lots of ginko trees in Autumn.)
GORA BREWERY
足柄下郡箱根町強羅1300-72
OPEN EVERYDAY 1PM-8:30PM
*Please note that children can only dine here before 5pm.
Please note that Hakone dinner options (and especially with kids) are extremely limited. This is because the idea is you stay at a ryokan that has dinner included in the room rate (and is seen as one of the most special parts of the stay). If you choose to not eat at your accommodation you will need to make alternative arrangements such as dining at a restaurant at another hotel (which will require a reservation and can be expensive.) OR you can have a convenience store meal that evening OR you can go to Box Burger (open until 8pm) or to Burger King back at Odawara Station (open until 9pm.)
Box Burger is a burger joint but it’s in a traditional Japanese house where you take off your shoes etc. Three burger options are gluten free (burger buns included.) The fries here are gluten free but are cooked in the same fryer as the non-gluten free options.
Buy tickets to the Hakone Open Air Museum here.
