This one hurts - imagine 120 sculptures just chilling in the open air with Mount Hakone as their backdrop! The Hakone Open-Air Museum sounds like one of those perfect combinations of art and nature that Japan does so well. That "Symphonic Sculpture" alone sounds incredible - a walk-in kaleidoscope of stained glass that transforms the sunlight into something magical.

What really makes us sad about missing it is how they seem to understand that art doesn't have to be stuffy. They've got a forest footbath (because why not soak your feet while contemplating modern art?), and this new rest area called PockeT. It's like they're saying "Hey, take your time, make yourself comfortable, let the art and nature sink in."

For anyone with better planning skills than us: this seems like one of those places where you could easily spend half a day just wandering around, discovering new sculptures around every corner, and taking breaks to soak your feet while gazing at the mountains. Definitely going on our "must-visit" list for next time!