HIRAKU Project Vol. 16

The Pola Museum of Art opened in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture in 2002 with the concept of "the symbiosis of Hakone's nature and art." The collection of the Pola Museum of Art was collected over 40 years by Suzuki Tsuneji, the second generation of the Pola founding family, and includes a total of 10,000 pieces, including Western paintings, Japanese Western paintings, Japanese paintings, prints, Oriental ceramics, glass crafts, and cosmetics from all over the world. The building, which takes into consideration the nature and scenery of Hakone, is kept to a height of 8m above ground and most of the building is located underground, blending into the forest. In addition, to allow visitors to enjoy the rich nature of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, a promenade was grandly opened in July 2013. In addition to the art works, you can also enjoy nature walks in the forest where beech and Japanese stewartia grow in clusters.



The museum has one of the largest collections of Western paintings in Japan, focusing on impressionist paintings by artists such as Monet and Renoir. Even though it is located in the tourist destination of Hakone, you can enjoy authentic art works at your leisure. As one of the museum's special features, the lighting in the exhibition rooms is set to "July dusk in Paris" so that impressionist works can be beautifully viewed. In addition, original goods and restaurant course menus are renewed according to the theme of each exhibition, so you can enjoy it every time you visit with each exhibition or season. In an architectural space filled with light, you can spend time experiencing the rich collection and works by modern artists who are active at the forefront of their field.