Admission is free for elementary school children and younger during summer vacation! Enjoy Hakone Okada Museum of Art with your family.

The long, long summer vacation is a time when many parents may be struggling to find places to take their children.
So, I'd like to introduce a place where you can experience both nature and art, and where admission is free for elementary school children and younger!

The Okada Museum of Art is located in Kowakidani, Hakone. It's about an hour's drive from Atsugi Interchange, or about 40 minutes by train and bus from Hakone-Yumoto Station. While Hakone might sound like a place for a short trip, it's perfectly possible to visit on a day trip from within Kanagawa Prefecture.

Built on the site of the vast Meiji-era hotel "Kaika-tei," this complex brings together an art museum, gardens, restaurants, and even a footbath, offering plenty to enjoy for a full day.

The museum and special exhibitions are so vast that you can't see everything in one day.

The museum is a five-story building with a total floor area of approximately 7,700 square meters, and boasts one of the largest permanent art collections in Hakone!
The collection is diverse, featuring paintings from the Edo period onward, primarily from Japan and East Asia, as well as ceramics, lacquerware, Chinese metalwork, and religious art. While the overall atmosphere is calm and serene, there are also numerous works on display that will leave you mesmerized by their splendor, including pieces from the Rinpa school. If you take your time to look around, you could easily spend an entire day just in the museum.

During the summer holidays, an exhibition titled "Gold, Silver, and Mica Sparkle - The Shining Art of Japan" is being held, featuring works using gold, silver, and mica, which are symbols of Japan's refined aesthetic sense. (The exhibition runs from June 14th (Sun), 2026 to December 6th (Sun), 2026.) Also, every Friday (until November 27th), there will be a gallery talk by a curator at 11:00 AM, where they will explain the appeal of the works.

A garden space where you can feel the blessings of nature and a "cooling hot spring" footbath.

The museum might be a little too quiet for very young children, but outside there's a garden spanning approximately 15,000 square meters where they can run around and enjoy the springs and plants. (*Some areas are currently closed.)

Based on the concept of "~The vitality of spring water and trees~ A garden space where you can feel the blessings of nature," the garden was designed with an emphasis on harmony with nature. Seasonal flowers and trees, combined with water features such as waterfalls and ponds fed by spring water, create the ultimate healing space.

The children will surely enjoy the different atmosphere compared to the parks they usually play in.

And when you get tired from running, you can relax in the footbath in front of the museum (which uses free-flowing hot spring water!) while gazing at the gigantic "Fujin Raijin" (Wind God and Thunder God) mural (Fukui Kotaro's large mural "Kaze Toki") painted on 640 gold-leaf panels. However, in the hot summer, you might hesitate to soak in a hot spring. So, for a limited time during the summer (July 1st (Wed) to August 31st (Mon)), they will be offering a "cooled hot spring" with a lower temperature than usual! In addition, the adjoining cafe is offering a special cold menu item called the "Raijin Yogurt Parfait" (900 yen, tax included). It is said to be topped with popping candy that represents lightning. Since it is a limited menu item, you should definitely enjoy it while looking at the "Fujin Raijin" mural!

There are also art events for children during the summer holidays.

Several events unique to the summer holidays will be held, mainly at art museums.

Summer vacation means "independent research projects." Every year, many families rack their brains trying to decide what to do. The "Summer Vacation Art Experience for Parents and Children" event, held during the summer vacation period (July 18th (Sat) to August 31st (Mon), 2026), can help with this.

"Children's Art Sheets" are perfect for independent research projects.
This interactive event takes you on a journey through a vast museum spanning five floors, exploring quizzes and interacting with artworks along the way. The difficulty levels are divided into lower and upper elementary school grades, allowing you to enjoy "researching artworks" at a level appropriate for your age.
The art sheet also comes with postcard-sized coloring pages featuring motifs from the museum's collection, so you can send them to someone special to share your summer memories. Of course, you can also use it as a free-form assignment.

In addition, there are other events such as the ongoing special exhibition "Gold, Silver, and Mica Sparkle," and a "Chatty Viewing Session" (July 25th (Sat) and August 22nd (Sat), 11:00-12:00, advance registration required) where you can freely tour the exhibition rooms with museum staff. Parents and children can talk about their impressions of the artwork and ask questions to the staff. Even just summarizing that interaction can make a great independent research project.

And best of all, during the summer holidays, the usual admission fee of 1,800 yen (for elementary, middle, and high school students) is waived for elementary school students! While middle and high school students (1,800 yen) and adults (2,800 yen) still need to pay the admission fee, one elementary school student's admission is enough to enjoy two "Raijin Yogurt Parfaits." This is a welcome relief during the often expensive summer holidays.

Yoga at an art museum?! A yoga event for parents and children.

Furthermore, on August 2nd (Sun) and 23rd (Sun), 2026, from 7:15 to 8:15 (reception: 6:40 to 7:10), morning yoga will be held in front of the large mural "Wind and Time." Adults and children (elementary school age and older) can participate, and as a special perk, participants will receive a discounted price on a breakfast and day-trip hot spring plan at "Hakone Kowakien Tenyu," located right next to the museum. It sounds like it will be a truly luxurious day, starting with yoga to free your mind and body, filling your stomach with a breakfast buffet, and then relaxing in the large public bath.

*Evening yoga classes will also be held on September 5th (Sat) and 12th (Sat), 2026, from 17:15 to 18:15 (reception: 9:00 to 16:30).

The Okada Museum of Art is especially great for families with children during the summer. It's a highly recommended summer outing plan!

For further details, please check the Okada Museum of Art website.
Official website is here