Hakone Venetian Glass Museum Marks Its 30th Anniversary With Roses, Hydrangeas, and Crystal Glass Garden Installations

Hakone Glass no Mori Resort Co., Ltd., a group company of Daikoku Denki Co., Ltd. headquartered in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and led by President Yukio Taniguchi, announced that roses and hydrangeas will soon reach their peak at the Hakone Venetian Glass Museum, whose fresh green garden overlooks Owakudani. In this milestone 30th anniversary year, the museum will present “Ortensia,” a hydrangea installation decorated with 15,000 crystal glass pieces, at the center of the garden. A new “Venetian Rose Garden” has also been created along the corridor. From late May, fragrant roses named after noblewomen, including “Marie Antoinette,” will bloom one after another. From June, visitors can enjoy hydrangeas whose colors change day by day, presented both through crystal glass and 4,500 live plants. Set against Hakone’s natural landscape, the seasonal scenery shines with light, wind, and even raindrops. Highlights include the museum’s original “Glass Hydrangea Ortensia,” made with 15,000 crystal glass pieces measuring 1.4 cm in diameter. Seven colors of glass are combined to express the changing hues of hydrangeas, reflecting light at the center of the garden and creating a dreamlike atmosphere. The installation will be on view from June 1 to August 16. The new “Venetian Rose Garden,” located in the corridor connecting the Venetian Glass Museum and the museum shop building, features 1,000 Venetian roses crafted by burner-work artisans and 200 handwoven crystal roses, offering a romantic photo spot. The hydrangea garden will feature around 70 varieties and 4,500 plants, including rare cultivars such as the legendary “Shichidanka,” climbing hydrangeas that turn the stone walls white, and, from late July, large Annabelle hydrangeas that transform the slope into a striking white “hydrangea waterfall.” The museum is also holding the collection exhibition “A Cabinet of Wonders Shown Through Venetian Glass,” themed around the “cabinet of curiosities,” regarded as the prototype of modern museums. The exhibition introduces glass treasures that fascinated royalty and aristocrats from the 15th century onward. It runs through July 12. During the exhibition period, visitors will receive a 30th anniversary commemorative bookmark that sparkles when held up to the light. The museum will be temporarily closed from July 13 to 17, 2026, for exhibition changes. The Hakone Venetian Glass Museum is operated and managed by Hakone Glass no Mori Resort Co., Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Daikoku Denki Co., Ltd. It is located at 940-48 Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa 250-0631. Facilities include the Venetian Glass Museum, the Contemporary Glass Museum, a hands-on workshop, and a cafe restaurant. Opening hours are 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with last admission at 5:00 p.m. Admission is 1,800 yen for adults, 1,300 yen for university and high school students, and 600 yen for elementary and junior high school students.