Japan is home to a wide variety of special interest museums, and one of them is the New York Lamp Museum in Ito, Shizuoka Prefecture. The venue exhibits approximately 70 items, including ornate Tiffany's stained glass lamps made over a century ago. The designs on the lamps include flowers, creatures like dragonflies and butterflies, and geometric patterns, among others.
Aside from the lamps on display, one of the best reasons for planning a visit here is the stunning gardens that can be enjoyed at the same time. Spring is regarded as the most colorful season, with the likes of geraniums, roses, snapdragons, and lupines looking their best. There is plenty to appreciate throughout other seasons, though, including hydrangeas and sunflowers during summer, dahlias and cassia in autumn, and nanohana (rape blossoms) and winter cherry blossoms around January and February.
Another nicety of visiting here is the on-site cafe which offers ocean views and a variety of main dishes and desserts to choose from. The main meal options include a beef cheek Bolognese, butter chicken curry, or a clam and shirasu (whitebait) peperoncino pasta, and the dessert lineup boasts offerings such as a vanilla-scented crème brulée, a chocolate tart served with sweet and sour berries, or a Basque cheesecake with orange sorbet.
At the time of writing, admission to the museum and garden is priced at ¥1400 for adults, ¥700 for children, and ¥400 for infants.
