Travel News Little Prince Museum in Hakone to close

[thomas]

The Little Prince Museum (星の王子さまミュージアム) in Hakone, Kanagawa, was founded in 1999 as part of a project to celebrate the 100th anniversary of "The Little Prince" by French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1900-1944), whose book is very popular in Japan. Many exhibits introduce the life of Saint-Exupéry and provide insights into his works. The museum depicts a typical French townscape with an elaborate European garden, all embedded in the beautiful scenery of Hakone.

The museum will close its doors on 31 March 2023 due to the decreasing number of visitors during the COVID-19 pandemic and the deterioration of the building.

Little Prince Museum in Japan's Hakone to close permanently due to pandemic, deterioration - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- The Hakone The Little Prince Museum in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo, will close its doors for the last time on March 31, 2023,

mainichi.jp

Link:

「星の王子さまミュージアム 箱根サン=テグジュペリ」

星の王子さまミュージアムは、サン=テグジュペリ生誕100年を祝した世界的記念事業の一環として作られた、『星の王子さま』をテーマにした世界で唯一のミュージアムです。

www.tbs.co.jp

 

[Majestic]

Did anyone else have to read "The Little Prince" in high school (or maybe junior high)? I recall having to read it, and very little of it stayed with me, except that it seemed a very bizarre and unlikeable book. I wonder if I would change my view of it now. Anyway, I was surprised to find that it was popular in Japan, because to me it was just annoyingly unlikeable. And then my surprise was renewed when I found out they were building a museum based on this book. It had the smell of commercial failure even before it opened. Another distant, location-based attraction that would perpetually be in financial arrears.

 

[Petaris]

Did anyone else have to read "The Little Prince" in high school (or maybe junior high)? I recall having to read it, and very little of it stayed with me, except that it seemed a very bizarre and unlikeable book. I wonder if I would change my view of it now. Anyway, I was surprised to find that it was popular in Japan, because to me it was just annoyingly unlikeable. And then my surprise was renewed when I found out they were building a museum based on this book. It had the smell of commercial failure even before it opened. Another distant, location-based attraction that would perpetually be in financial arrears.

Maybe the translation into Japanese made it better?

But people have different tastes. My 9th grade English teacher was a huge John Steinbeck fan, we read a few of his books that year. It sticks with me to this day as being the most depressing English class of all time. LoL

 

[Lothor]

Deterioration of the building after 23 years?!

 

[thomas]

Did anyone else have to read "The Little Prince" in high school (or maybe junior high)? I recall having to read it, and very little of it stayed with me, except that it seemed a very bizarre and unlikeable book. I wonder if I would change my view of it now. Anyway, I was surprised to find that it was popular in Japan, because to me it was just annoyingly unlikeable. And then my surprise was renewed when I found out they were building a museum based on this book. It had the smell of commercial failure even before it opened. Another distant, location-based attraction that would perpetually be in financial arrears.

It's quite a complex tale that has to be seen in its historical context. We had to read it in middle school (in French), and I remember I was most impressed by the author's illustrations. We also had to read the French existentialists (Camus, Sartre, Malraux), who probably left a more profound impression (and confusion) on our already confused teenage minds.

Deterioration of the building after 23 years?!

I assume they did not invest a lot in maintenance.

 

[Lothor]

I assume they did not invest a lot in maintenance.

Or even in building it!

 

[Petaris]

I assume they did not invest a lot in maintenance.

Or even in building it!

That seems to be the Japanese way unfortunately, with the exception of some historical buildings anyway.

I have always found it a bit odd that maintaining a structure wouldn't be a higher priority. Of course here a maintained building appreciates so that could be a big contributor to the difference.