Hakone Glass no Mori Venetian Glass Museum takes a departure from most other museums in Japan by focusing its attention primarily on Venetian Glass works of art. The art exhibits are both indoors and out, using light and shadow to display the natural beauty of glass and playfulness of refraction. Mixing this with the vibrant garden and picturesque pond can easily make for a relaxing day in Hakone.
General Information
The creation of Venetian glass has a history going back hundreds of years. At one time the techniques of creating it was even a state secret punishable by death if you were caught exposing them to other people. During that time the glass products created in the rest of the world were often much less refined in beauty and design. So, it’s no wonder that Venetian glass products of the past still can captivate viewers today. Hakone Glass no Mori Venetian Glass Museum brings part of this beauty of glasswork to the heart of Japan to awe and inspire its guests. Some of the major works on exhibit are over 400-years old, and yet still shine with luster as if they were newly created, amazing for pieces made from such a fragile material. The museum also exhibits modern works that have been created using past techniques.
Hakone Glass no Mori Venetian Glass Museum is positioned next to the Hayakawa River in the wooded mountains of Hakone and would be nearly hidden away if not for the adjacent highway (its connection to busy city life). One part museum and one part garden has made this hideaway an interesting mix of art and nature. While it has been made somewhat accessible for wheelchair users, the nature of the mountainous area and older buildings makes much of the area only accessible by steps.
Admission cost is by age/grade: Seniors (65+) 1,700-yen, Adults 1,800-yen, University and High School student 1,300-yen, Junior High School students and younger 600-yen. Visitors with disabilities (proof required) and one attendant may be able to get admission at a discounted rate (read about disability IDs and discounts). Hours of operation are from 10:00 until 17:30 every day.
Getting There
From Odawara Station (JR Line, Odakyu Line, etc) or Hakone Yumoto Station (Odakyu Line), Take the Hakone Tozan Bus bound for “Togendai”, and get off at “Hyoseki/Hakone Garasu-no-Mori-Mae (Hakone Venetian Glass Museum)”.
Unlike the buses in the city, the buses in Hakone have a very steep ramp and most users will need assistance to get on and off. Additionally, the roads in the area have many ups and downs, as well as sharp curves so wheelchair users will need to be strapped down.
Accessibility
A lot of the museum can be difficult to access and travelers considering visiting should look at the facility map on the museum’s website.
The ticket window and main entrance can only be accessed by steps and wheelchair users will need to enter by a back entrance near one of the parking lots. There are parking staff in the parking lots who can contact the facility staff to open the door.
About two-thirds of the garden pathways are accessible, however the other areas (Acero, gift shop and lower Gardens) are only accessible via steps.
Some of the main museum building (accessible from a side entrance only) via ramps.
Hakone Glass no Mori Venetian Glass Museum has plenty of seating areas (inside and out) for those who need to rest between walking.
Service dogs (seeing-eye dogs, assistance dogs, and hearing dogs) are allowed in the museum but there is little to no tactile pavement.
There is a wheelchair accessible toilet available by the main museum building but the door faces the toilet and it is not wide enough to turn around inside.
Conclusion
If you’re a fan of museums and want to experience something not necessarily Japanese while you are in Japan, then you may want to check out Hakone Glass no Mori Venetian Glass Museum. Its Venetian glass artwork collection and well-kept garden is a treat for the eyes, but visitors may want take the limited accessibility when planning their trip.
