Hakone Open Air Museum makes the kids and the adults equally as happy!
ADMISSION TO THE HAKONE OPEN AIR MUSEUM IS FREE 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.
The most recent addition to the Hakone Open Air Museum (as of late 2017) is the ‘Forest of Nets’. It was around in 2009 – then vanished a little while afterwards, and now has been redone and 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 860 yen and then it goes up with each school stage. Adults are 1980 yen – all you can eat.
My kids were most excited by the chocolate fountain whereas I went crazy on the salad and the curry rice. 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
Oh, and I have almost 2 full days of Hakone things to do in my post here.
