Hakone Museum of Art – Moss Garden（箱根美術館）
Moss Garden and Japanese Aesthetics in the Mountains
The Hakone Museum of Art’s Moss Garden is a lush, serene landscape tucked into the cool, misty mountains of Hakone. Beneath the canopy of around 200 maple trees, narrow stone paths weave through vibrant green moss, offering a peaceful stroll through nature. The unique climate of Hakone—cool, humid, and shaded—makes it an ideal environment for moss to thrive. Especially during the rainy season in June and July, the moss receives ample water while being protected from harsh summer sun by the momiji (Japanese maple trees). The garden contains over 130 varieties of moss, making it one of Japan’s most diverse and beautiful moss collections.
Beyond the moss garden, visitors can explore a small Chinese bamboo grove, a classic Japanese landscape garden, and enjoy matcha tea in the museum’s charming tea house, Shinwatei (真和亭).
Founded in 1952 by Okada Mokichi (岡田茂吉), a devoted collector of East Asian art, the Hakone Museum of Art also features a rich collection of earthenware and ceramics, spanning from the Jomon period (13,000 BC) to the Edo period (1603–1868).
Gallery
Directions
How to get to the garden
A fast and uncomplicated way to get to the Hakone area is to take the Odakyu Bus from Shinjuku station in Tokyo. It leaves every 30 minutes and it takes around 2 hours under good traffic conditions. Get off at Togendai and get on the Hakone Ropeway, go to the last stop, Sounzan and change to the cute red Hakone Tozan Cable car. You can choose to either get off at Koenkami station and walk three minutes or go to Gora Station and walk uphill for ten minutes.
Another nice option is to take the Odakyu Railway ‘Romance Car’ from Shinjuku station to Hakone-Yumoto station. It takes about 90 minutes and costs 2020 Yen. From Hakone-Yumoto, you can get on the Hakone Tozan cable car and to Gora station and walk from there.
Address
- EN: 1300 Gora, Hakone-machi Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa 〒250-0408
- JP: 〒250-0408 神奈川県足柄下郡箱根町強羅1300
Opening times
- April - November: 9:30 – 16:30
- December - March: 9:30 – 16:00
- Closed during the Year-end and New Year holidays.
- Tea House: 10:00 – 15:30
Admission fee
- Adults: 1,430 yen
- High School & University Students: 660 yen
- Children up to Junior High School Students: free
Facilities & Accessibility
- Museum Shop
- Tea House: Shinwatei (not completely barrierfree)
- Lockers
- The Museum is not barrier-free.
Best time to visit
- In early and late summer when the moss is green.
- End of November when the maple trees change color.
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