Hakone is already a lovely place to visit for its hot springs, mountain scenery, and art attractions, but there's a new reason to make time for the area's famous Open-Air Museum this winter. The museum will host “Atmos”, a new light-art exhibition by Japanese artist Kyota Takahashi, from November 28, 2026, to January 11, 2027.
Rather than being an all-day installation, the exhibition is designed to be experienced during the transition from daylight to evening. The artworks will be on display for approximately one hour each day, from around 4pm until the museum closes at 5pm.
The exhibition will appear in three locations around the museum: the plaza in front of the Forest Footbath, Gabriel Loire's colorful “Symphonic Sculpture”, and the museum café.
At the center of the exhibition is a new work featuring colored plates and lighting arranged around a circular concrete area. As light passes through the plates, it creates shifting patterns of color across the surface, gradually changing as the plates move. The concept takes inspiration from the way sunlight interacts with the atmosphere to create natural colors such as rainbows and sunsets.
The museum's much-loved Symphonic Sculpture will also receive special lighting, allowing visitors to appreciate its stained-glass-like colors from outside, while another installation will transform the café wall into a vibrant light artwork. It's an interesting opportunity to see a familiar art destination in a different way, with the changing evening light becoming part of the experience.
The exhibition is included in the museum's regular admission fee. Entry costs 2,000 JPY for adults, 1,600 JPY for university and high school students, and 800 JPY for children aged 6 to 15.
