Hakone Open-Air Museum: Tickets, Best Time and What to See
By the BeatTheCrowd team · Updated 21 October 2026 · 3 min read
Quick answer
The Hakone Open-Air Museum costs ¥1,800 online or ¥2,000 on the day, with a small discount for Hakone Free Pass holders. It's open 9 am to 5 pm every day. Arrive at opening or in the late afternoon, when day-trippers have moved on to the ropeway and Lake Ashi. Don't miss the Picasso Pavilion, the Symphonic Sculpture tower and the free hot-spring footbath.
At a glance
- Adults
- ¥1,800 online, ¥2,000 on the day
- Hakone Free Pass
- Small discount
- Hours
- 9 am to 5 pm daily, last entry 4:30 pm
- Best time
- 9 am, or after 3 pm
- Busiest
- Late morning to mid-afternoon, weekends
- Don't miss
- Picasso Pavilion, Symphonic Sculpture, footbath
- Getting there
- Chōkoku-no-Mori Station, 2 minutes on foot
- Time to allow
- 2 hours
How busy is the Hakone Open-Air Museum?
Opened in 1969 as Japan's first open-air museum, it has over 100 sculptures across lawns and hills, from Henry Moore and Rodin to Niki de Saint Phalle, plus a pavilion with over 300 Picasso works. The grounds are large, so crowds spread out, but indoor spaces like the Picasso Pavilion and the Symphonic Sculpture tower get busy from late morning.