As the world’s only museum devoted to The Little Prince, The Little Prince Museum is filled with themed surprises that will let you relive fond memories of the novel cherished by many. Written by French pilot-turned-author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the story delves into friendship, loneliness, love, and loss as the titular Little Prince journeys through the galaxy.
See the world through the eyes of a child again – just like the Little Prince – as you explore the exhibition hall, French-themed garden, and streets. But move fast as the museum will be permanently shuttering its doors come 31st March 2023.
Image adapted from: hakone tourist association
The moment you enter the museum, you’ll pass through a life-sized replica of the Château de Saint-Maurice-de-Rémens – Saint-Exupéry’s aristocratic family mansion.
Image credit: lovemaple
Not only did the museum construct dioramas of Saint-Exupéry’s living quarters, but it also reproduced the very neighbourhood he lived in.
Image credit: Kazumi TORO
Stroll a little more and you’ll arrive at Lyons Street circa 1900, which is Saint-Exupéry’s birthplace and year.
Image adapted from: @yokan.m, @yokan.m
Look up when you step into this little chapel, which has stars and planets on its stained glass windows.
Image credit: Kanagawa Prefectural Government
There are lots of The Little Prince references at every corner. The most obvious of them all are the iconic Little Prince statues you’ll find everywhere.
Image credit: Odakyu Hakone Holdings Inc
Also known as Hoshi no Ōji-sama (星の王子さま; Prince of the Stars) in Japanese, these Little Princes are surrounded by motifs of outer space such as stars and planets.
Image adapted from: ronniel593, Mawaru, ECWorld
See if you can spot the characters who have sprung out of the storybook, such as the King, the Geographer, and the Businessman.
Take a leisurely stroll through the well-manicured garden nestled within Hakone’s lush mountain ranges.
Image credit: Kazumi TORO
Roses bloom in abundance in this garden, echoing the effort and love put in to maintain it, much like the Little Prince’s feelings for his rose.
Image credit: テティジェンヌ
In the word of the Fox, “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”
Image credit: @benebenerina
Even beyond the garden, various shops display floral arrangements adorned by a gradient of roses.
As if the garden and facades are not fairytale-like enough, the museum also holds a Romantic Starry Winter event each winter.
Image adapted from: Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc.
During the event, trees will sparkle with lights throughout Christmas and winter nights, as if it’s beckoning the Little Prince home.
Image credit: @benebenerina
In his novel, Saint-Exupéry wrote that he penned down his story of the Little Prince “to make sure that [he] shall not forget him”. The museum fulfils this wish, and more – it also displays the author’s experience as a pilot, which inspired The Little Prince.
Image credit: Wennie W
Created as part of the worldwide celebration of Saint-Exupéry’s birth centennial, the museum’s exhibit takes us through his tumultuous life as an aviator and journalist who turned his flight logs into poetic writing.
Image credit: ビア
Each room is designed to capture various milestones in Saint-Exupéry’s life and the places he had been to, including his childhood bedroom in France and the room in New York where he wrote his novel.
Image credit: Mawaru
The red aeroplane displayed in the museum is symbolic of the lifetime he’d dedicated to flying. Saint-Exupéry’s career began in the French Air Force and he mysteriously disappeared in 1944 in a plane crash.
Image credit: @benebenerina
After exploring Saint-Exupéry’s life in these rooms, you’ll arrive at the souvenir shop, which sells cute and quirky items inspired by the book. If you wish to reread the whimsical tales of the book in your own language, pick up one of the many translated copies of The Little Prince available at the shop.
Image adapted from: @benebenerina
In the magical world of The Little Prince, food is creatively interpreted. Satisfy your eyes and your stomach at the Restaurant Le Petit Prince, which serves French food with Japanese influence.
Image credit: Odakyu Hakone Holdings Inc
Discover unique dishes inspired by the characters and motifs from The Little Prince. If you’ve ever wondered what the snake that ate the elephant would taste like, now’s the time to find out via a hat-shaped omurice (omelette rice).
Image credit: hakone tourist association
There is no age limit for enjoying good food with fun and cute plating, especially when it’ll nourish both your palette and your soul.
Image adapted from: @benebenerina
The dishes on the menu are made with fresh local ingredients, including organic vegetables, meat from Hakone ranches, and fish from the nearby Odawara harbour. The restaurant is open 11am-6pm, with last orders closing at 5pm.
Image credit: hakone tourist association
The Little Prince Museum is located just downhill from the Hakone Glass Forest Museum, so a trip to the area will yield you 2 picturesque checkpoints.
Image adapted from: Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc.
If you’re still studying, bring your student ID for verification to purchase discounted tickets. You’re advised to book your tickets in advance for a discounted adult, elementary, and middle school student tickets.
The museum’s last day is on 31st March 2023, so do head down before then.
Getting there:
Admission: ¥1,400 (~USD9.42)/adults | ¥1,100 (~USD7.40)/high schoolers, university students & seniors aged 65 and over | ¥600 (~USD4.04)/elementary & middle school students | Free for babies & children under 6
Address: 909 Sengokuhara, Hakone, Ashigarashimo, 250-0631, Kanagawa
Opening hours:
Contact: 0460-86-3700 | Website | Official Blog
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Cover image adapted from: Tomoko Kamishima, Kazumi TORO, Odakyu Hakone Holdings Inc
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