A spring-exclusive dessert is now being served at Hakone Emoa Terrace by Onko Chishin (箱根エモア・テラス by 温故知新) in Sengokuhara, Hakone. The dessert, "Sakura Chiffon" (桜シフォン), has been created in collaboration with the Hakone Lalique Museum and marks the first installment in a series of seasonal sweets tied to the museum's exhibition program.
Collaboration Sweet: "Sakura Chiffon"
The "Sakura Chiffon" is offered to coincide with the Hakone Lalique Museum's new exhibition "The 'Kawaii' Cultural Exchange Between Japan and France as Seen Through René Lalique," which opens on March 20, 2026. Inspired by the sensibilities of René Lalique — who had a deep admiration for Japanese culture — the dessert incorporates Japanese-inspired ingredients. Conceived by female staff members at the facility, its soft cherry-blossom pink color and delicate design express the "kawaii" (cute) aesthetic that lies at the heart of the exhibition.
The sweet is available during Hakone's cherry blossom season. Nearby spots such as the lone cherry tree by Lake Ashi and the tree-lined banks of the Miyagino River are within about 10 to 20 minutes by car from Hakone Emoa Terrace, making this dessert a natural companion to spring sightseeing in the area.
- Price: ¥660 (tax included)
- Available: Spring season only, through Wednesday, April 15, 2026
- Location: Hakone Emoa Terrace by Onko Chishin
- Service hours: 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM (Last order 4:30 PM)
Exhibition: "The 'Kawaii' Cultural Exchange Between Japan and France as Seen Through René Lalique"
The Hakone Lalique Museum is holding this exhibition from March 20, 2026 (Friday/national holiday) through December 6, 2026 (Sunday). The show presents jewelry and glasswork by René Lalique — a central figure of both Art Nouveau and Art Deco — exploring the aesthetic connections between Japan and France through the lens of "kawaii."
In the late 19th century, "Japonisme," the European fascination with Japanese ukiyo-e prints and crafts, swept across Europe and left a significant mark on French decorative arts. Lalique's works, featuring motifs of nature, plants, insects, and female figures, reflect a sensibility that resonates closely with Japanese aesthetics.
The exhibition also traces how these artistic movements reached Japan, shaping Taisho Romanticism and the development of girls' culture ("shōjo bunka"). Among the artists featured, painter and poet Yumeji Takehisa — considered a pioneer of "kawaii" culture — shows clear influences of Art Nouveau and Art Deco that blossomed into a distinctly Japanese aesthetic expression.
Exhibition Details
- Dates: March 20 – December 6, 2026
- Venue: Hakone Lalique Museum, 2nd floor exhibition gallery
- Opening hours: 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (last admission 3:30 PM)
- Admission: Adults ¥1,500 / University students, high school students, and seniors (65+) ¥1,300 / Middle and elementary school students ¥800
- Note: Restaurants, patisserie, and museum shop are free to enter
- Address: 186-1 Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa 250-0631
- Official website: https://www.lalique-museum.com/
About Hakone Emoa Terrace by Onko Chishin
Hakone Emoa Terrace is a multi-facility complex attached to the Hakone Lalique Museum, comprising a restaurant, cafe, and patisserie.
Restaurant Emoa (レストラン・エモア) is a casual French restaurant with large windows opening onto a lush terrace. It offers a lunch set with a choice of main dish plus a semi-buffet of salads, deli items, and sweets. A "Jewelry Sweets Buffet" is also available.
Emoa Patisserie (エモア・パティスリー) offers handmade sweets and is available for takeout as well. A separate space — the Orient Express salon car, which René Lalique designed the interior of in 1928 — provides a unique setting for a relaxed afternoon tea.
- Address: 186-1 Sengokuhara, Hakone-machi, Ashigarashimo-gun, Kanagawa 250-0631 (attached to Hakone Lalique Museum)
- Phone: 0460-84-2262
- Access:
- Train + Bus: From Hakone-Yumoto Station (Hakone Tozan Railway), take the Hakone Tozan Bus toward Togendai and ride approximately 30 minutes; alight at the "Sengoku Annai-jo Mae" stop
- Highway bus: Approximately 120 minutes from Shinjuku Station (Odakyu Highway Bus); alight at "Hakone Sengoku Annai-jo"
- By car: Approximately 20 minutes from Tomei Gotemba IC via Otome Pass to Sengokuhara (Parking: 70 standard vehicles / 2 large buses)
- Official website: https://emoa.by-onko-chishin.com/
- Official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/okcs_hakone_emoaterrace
