Hakone Open-Air Museum with Kids: Complete Family Guide & Review

10/15/2025

In August 2025, our family (two adults and our 5-year-old daughter) spent a summer afternoon at the Hakone Open-Air Museum in Kanagawa, Japan. This beautiful outdoor art museum offers plenty of open space for kids to explore, featuring the colorful “Net Forest” playground, a fun maze area, and even a relaxing foot bath with mountain views.
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Pros & Cons

Pros:
The museum blends art, nature, and play perfectly. Our daughter couldn’t get enough of the Net Forest, climbing and bouncing with pure joy. The maze-like area was also a hit—it felt like a mini adventure for the whole family. After exploring, soaking our tired feet in the outdoor hot spring foot bath with a view of the Hakone mountains was the perfect way to unwind.

Cons:
The museum grounds are large and hilly, which makes stroller use a bit challenging. The café gets crowded around lunchtime, and while the soft-serve ice cream, hot dogs, and muffins are tasty, it’s best to visit during off-peak hours.

Access

Whether you are traveling by public transport or car, the museum is conveniently located in the central Hakone area.

By Train/Bus: The museum boasts an excellent location, just a two-minute walk from the Hakone Tozan Railway’s Chokoku no Mori Station. You can also reach the museum via the Hakone Tozan Bus from Hakone-Yumoto Station.
By Car: From the Tomei Expressway, head toward the Hakone-guchi Interchange via the Odawara-Atsugi Road. Parking is available, but since it was a weekend and high season, we highly recommend arriving early to secure a spot.

Activity Experience

We arrived after lunch, greeted by lush greenery and sculptures set against the bright summer sky. Our daughter immediately ran toward the open lawn, full of excitement and curiosity.

The highlight for her was definitely the Net Forest, a giant colorful play structure where kids can climb, jump, and explore freely. After plenty of laughter and playtime, we wandered into a maze-like area that turned into an unexpected family adventure—lots of giggles and “Let’s try this way!” moments.

To wrap up our visit, we stopped by the museum’s famous foot bath. With the Hakone mountains spreading out before us, it was the perfect way to relax tired legs. There’s even a towel vending machine nearby where you can buy one for just 100 yen, so you can enjoy the bath even if you didn’t bring a towel. Our daughter sighed happily, saying, “This feels so nice!” It was the perfect balance of art, play, and relaxation.

Family Tips

Visit early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid crowds.
A baby carrier works better than a stroller due to the slopes.
Bring a small towel for the foot bath (or buy one from the 100-yen vending machine on-site).
Pack some snacks or drinks if visiting during peak lunch hours.
Buying tickets online in advance made our entry super smooth and stress-free.

Overall Impression

The Hakone Open-Air Museum is one of the best family-friendly attractions in Japan, combining art, nature, and play in a truly unique way. Watching our daughter laugh and explore made the day unforgettable. We’d love to come back again—perhaps in another season to see how the scenery changes.

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