The Crystal Glass Tree displayed at the Hakone Glass Forest Museum has become such a popular sight-seeing attraction, which was ranked as “the second most-want-to-see Christmas tree during one’s whole life” on the Japanese portal site “goo”. (Ranking of Oct. 16, 2013)

Here I went to the Hakone Glass Forest Museum to actually see this attraction by myself.

This Christmas tree, which is made of approximately 75,000 crystal, beaming with shinning lights, is presenting the most fantastic atmosphere during the night time. Anyway I only had time during the day time, so all the of this blog is about my day-time visit. The general open time is from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. through out the year. However, during the Christmas season, the Museum was open until 8:30 p.m. on Dec 21, 22, 23 and 24. (The last admission time: 8:00 p.m.)

When I uploaded this article to the blog, the Christmas season already over, but I’m happy if I can provide some information for the next year’s Christmas season.

I went to the Hakone Glass Museum on the morning of Saturday, Dec 21, 2013. I went to the Hakone area at National highway No. 138 via Sengokuhara intersection from Gotemba IC of the Tomei Expressway and arrived at the art museum from the Gotemba exit for approximately 40 minutes. During Japan’s three-day holiday, the road was full of cars driving by people who goes to the Gotenba outlet shopping center, it cost me almost 20 minutes to get out of the traffic jam. However, it generally cost only 20 minutes from the Gotenba Exit to the Museum. From the Tokyo IC of Tomei Express way, It will be a 2-hour drive.

The weather was good, and I was rewarded with a spectacle view of Mt. Fuji landscape with snow white mountain top when I arrived at the Ashigara High-way Service Area.

When arrived at the Hakone Glass Forest Museum, if you are driving a standard-sized car, you will be guided to the parking lot located at the left side of the Museum. Because there is always several guide staff in the parking lot, it is very easy to find a parking space, and the security is very reliable. The first objects you will see is a crystal road ornamented by the crystals and a stone pavement when leaving the parking lot toward the Museum.

There is a ticket counter when I advance to the entrance hall along the signboard of the entrance. You can go to the first-floor rest room and locker room located at B1 from the entrance in the opposite side of the entrance under the ground. Locker room is free to use. The person having bulky baggage is recommended to use the locker room.

The whole Hakone Glass Museum Museum can be viewed from the terrace. On spring of courtyard or the other side, we can see the steam to go up to and fro from Owakudani put in small Tsukayama and Mt. dai ka.

Before entering the Museum, you have to pass through a crystal glass object called “corridor of light (Corridoio)”. According to the guidance of the Museum, the corridor is 10m in lentgh and 9m in height, made of approximately 160,000 piece of crystal glass.

When pass through the entrance hall, all facilities of the Museum including the courtyard, are in the style of Italian Venice which is known as “the city of water.” The sophisticated exhibit space inherited a atmosphere of the city of Venice, combined with the precious Venetian glass displayed in the Museum, together create a fantastic interesting space.

The Mesuem has two facilities, one is Venetian glass Museum and the other one is Modern Glass Museum. These two facilities exhibit many artworks according to each era and theme.

The Venetian Glass Museum remind us of the republic of Venice in ancient times once called “the noblest country” and “Queen of the Adriatic”, which was a marine nation prospered by east Mediterranean Sea trade. You can thoroughly enjoy many Venetian glasses which was once the favorite glasses of Europe aristocracies over the 15th to the 18th century.

On the other hand, the Modern Glass Museum, as described in the Museum brochure, displays many Venetian glasses with new and modern style which revive in the late 19th century. I really felt the displayed modern venetian glass in contrast with it past as there were many works of the design which was individual, and anything was original, and was bold.

Besides the two Museum described above, you can also visit the following facilities.

Experience-based Studio of Glass

In the experience-based studio of Glass, you can experience two different glass making processes.
The first one is sandblast experience studio. At this studio, you can use technique to spray sand (abrasives) on glass, and to reduce appearance on frosted glass, to make the unique glass with a choice of your favorite design.

The second museum is called “VETRO”, which is a fusing experience studio. You can use the method called “fusing” to heat and dissolve the glass, and experience the making of accessories.

Museum shop

Approximately 100,000 piece of glassware full of the art senses of all the countries of the world displayed here, and, in the shop handling glassware, they are sold not to mention a Venetian glass. On the three days of Jan. 1st, 2nd and 3rd, the first arrival of 300 visitors (900 visitors for three days in total) can get a present from the front desk, which is a piece of glass horse with unique design of the Museum in related with the Chinese astrology “horse” of the year 2014.

Achero is a building reflecting the image of the small watermill of the forest in the bank of the murmuring, and a wooden mechanism doll seems to tick away quiet time. In this shp, you can buy jam, wall nuts chocolate, bean sweets including Maple from Canada. At the time when I saw it, I was not able to watch the time signal with the mechanism doll, but please look at it by all means if the timing with the time signal is correct.

Cafe restaurant

Cafe Terrazza’s menu includes wine, soft drinks, fruit tea, Maple parfait, chiffon cake, a lunch set, pasta, sandwich of the roast beef as well as coffee and tea. Because some were waiting this time, I did not use it, but want to visit the slow time at an opportunity to be able to spend.

The live performance of the Canzone by the Italian singer are heard from the restaurant, which is scheduled 6 time per day. Having a meal while listen to the amazing Canzone of real Italia must be very fun.

Bell of Oath

There is a walk course located in the inner side of the courtyard. The bell of the oath said to that I open the door of the love before long is seen when I go ahead through the sidewalk becoming the steep slope on the way whether it may be said that it is a valley. I didn’t have anything to pray in particular, but it is a good place to pray here. Along the walk course, you can appreciate the art objects such as a hydrangea, the Japanese pampas grass made of fountain “Fontana” and the glass of the crystal glass, too.

Crystal Glass Tree “Abete”

After visiting various places at the Museum, finally, I arrived at the crystal glass tree called “Abete”. According to the guidance, the meaning of “Abete” is “fir tree” in Italian. The tree is 10m in height, and 8m in width, shining under the sunlight and emitted colorful light when fluttered in the wind during the day-time. This tree is so popular that many visitors tend to take pictures and videos in front of the tree. I left it while thinking that the evening performance would be a tree worth seeing because it was considerable one worth seeing in the daytime time. On the next time, we want to come again by evening performance by all means.

A short account was the degree of the congestion for the impression that turned around, but it had been daytime time and was able to park smoothly the parking lot without being kept waiting. the live performance of the Canzone by the Italian singer at the cafe Terrazza is very popular, there were several people awaiting at the entrance. An art museum and other facilities were not crowded that much and were the situation that I could see the display slowly.

Here are some information I got from the trip. Please take a look at the latest information on the official website before you visit the Museum.

Basic Information

* Please make sure the info you see is the latest in advance.