Otsuka Museum of Art 大塚国際美術館
Reproduction of masterpieces
With more than 1,000 life-size reproductions of masterpieces of Western art from antiquity to the 20th century, the Otsuka Art Museum is Japan's largest museum. It is located at the eastern tip of the island of Shikoku and brings together classics by Michelangelo, Monet and even Picasso.
Conservation objective
The Otsuka Museum is the premier museum of full-size ceramic art reproductions . More than 1,000 classics of Western art are exhibited in a huge space of almost 30,000 m 2 .
It is in Naruto , in Tokushima prefecture, that you can admire the greatest masterpieces from Antiquity to the 20th century . The essentials of Western art have been selected from almost 200 museums in 26 different countries .
The primary purpose of the museum is conversation . While original works are subject to the test of time and may deteriorate, reproductions remain intact for over 2,000 years ! Ceramics make it possible to keep vibrant colors and to have an exact copy if something bad happens to our cultural treasures.
An incredible collection
The works are divided according to the eras . The visit begins in the third basement and you will travel through the centuries going up the floors.
- First of all, pieces from Antiquity and the Middle Ages are brought together, as well as a life-size reproduction of the Sistine Chapel !
- The second basement is dedicated to Renaissance and Baroque artists. The Mona Lisa is obviously there, but it is above all the outdoor exhibition of Claude Monet's "Water Lilies" that makes an impression. It is advisable to settle down at the "Café de Giverny", named in homage to the French painter, to fully appreciate the artist's universe.
- In the first basement, you will find the end of the Baroque, Romanticism with the famous work of Eugène Delacroix "Liberty guides the peoples" (1830), but also modern art represented by the Impressionists . France is therefore well represented. Among the French artists exhibited, we obviously find Édouard Manet and Auguste Renoir , symbols of the Impressionist movement. The famous painting "Le cri" (1893) is also present.
- The last two floors bring together the classics of the 20th century and the thematic exhibitions . This is also where you can eat and you will also have direct access to the park for walking. Monuments that have marked the History of Art will conclude your visit, among them Guernica by Picasso and an entire room of self-portraits by Rembrandt .
An incredible setting
To enjoy all the reproductions on display at the Otsuka Museum, you will have to travel more than 4 kilometers ! But it's not just the works to admire, since Naruto offers a magnificent setting to its visitors.
Naruto Park overlooks the strait of the same name that separates Shikoku and Awaji Island . Viewpoints offer a panorama of the whirlpools between the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean and the bridge that overlooks them. A walk that allows you to fully appreciate the beauties of the region .
Address, timetable & access
Address
Phone
+81-88-687-3737Timetable
Bus from Naturo Station towards Naruto Koen, get off at Otsuka Museum of Art stopPrice
Adult: 3,240 yen (25.50€) Students: 2,160 yen (17€)Children (primary, middle school, high school students): 540 yen (4€)Access
9.30am-5pm (closed on Mondays and the first days of January)Website
http://o-museum.or.jp/english/