Hakone Open-Air Museum, Japan
Symphonic Sculpture, a tower made of stained glass by Gabriel Loire
Hakone, Japan’s burgeoning UNESCO-designated town, is famous for its hot springs and views of Mount Fuji across the serene Lake Ashinoko. However, its open-air museum—a first in Japan—is also a real draw by itself. Surrounded by enchanting views of mountains and green valleys, nature and art coexist in a harmonic balance. Start with a little fantasy: La Pleureuse (The Mourner) by François-Xavier and Claude Lalanne is a woman’s head made of Italian Trani stone. Her gaze is captivating, and some say you can spot drops of tears descending into the waters below. The museum’s iconic Symphonic Sculpture by Impressionist Gabriel Loire is an impressive tower of art made entirely of stained glass. The narrow and winding stairs take you to views of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, where blankets of blossoming flowers are sure to take your breath away. True to the words of English artist Henry Moore, “Sculpture is an art of the open air.”
Miss Black Power, 1968, Niki de Saint Phalle
One of Henry Moore’s reclining figures
