Justin Dobbs
2025-2026 MIKAN BLOG Editor
Justin is a third year JET based on the edge of Ehime in Shikokuchuo. He enjoys hiking, cycling, coffee, and getting lost exploring the island.
It has been a great experience writing about all the weird and wonderful places/experiences Shikoku has to offer for the past two years. This island may not seem like much, but step outside the major cities a bit and you’ll find more than enough exciting places to explore for your time on JET and beyond.
They say imitation is the finest form of flattery. If that’s true then nearly all of Europe would be happy with Tokushima Prefecture. Amongst the verdant sudachi trees and raging Naruto Whirlpools lies an art collection so great you’d hardly believe it’s real – because it isn’t. Unlike the Louvre or the British Museum, the Otsuka Museum of Art is famous not for its authenticity, but its sheer audacity. Featuring thousands of carefully recreated favorites from nearly every era of art, this museum is as impressive as it is peculiar.
Just a stone’s throw from the Onaruto Bridge that connects Shikoku to Awaji Island, the Otsuka Museum of Art has been built into the hillside. With a half-moon design, tall pillars, and twenty-seven country flags proudly waving in the coastal breeze, it looks less like a museum and more like a presidential bunker. It’s an unmistakably gaudy appearance that would feel a bit tasteless if the show stopped there. Luckily, it doesn’t. After paying the 3,300-yen entrance fee, the larger-than-life feeling continues as a long escalator takes visitors up a wide corridor that goes all the way from Japan to the Vatican City.
Pulling no punches, Otsuka shows off its main attraction right from the start. Directly after entering the museum proper, visitors are struck with a near full-scale replica of the Sistine Chapel. Complete with recreated windows, stonework, and the famous ceiling/back wall paintings down to the brushstroke, Michelangelo’s masterpiece looks surprisingly stunning even in imitation form. From Adam and Eve to Noah and everything in between, nearly the entire creation story is represented here in vivid color. At certain times throughout the day there is even a guide who explains each piece in careful detail as if it were the real thing. It may be missing the side wall paintings and other details, but the sheer whiplash of going from beachside Tokushima to Europe really helps bring the illusion of the museum to life.
This alone would be worth a visit, but the illusion doesn’t stop there. Across five labyrinthine floors separated by art era are thousands more pieces on display. Floors B3 through B1 are underground and are dedicated to antiquity, the middle ages, the Renaissance, the Baroque, and some modern periods. Floors 1F and 2F, on the other hand, are above ground and are fully dedicated to 20th century and themed exhibitions. It is a lot of art to digest all at once. Normally, it takes visitors anywhere from three to five hours to get through the entire thing, even just by following the dedicated route.
In fact, this writer got legitimately lost about halfway through after taking a wrong elevator and ending up in the art equivalent of The Backrooms. Blue-faced Picasso paintings, Marilyn Monroe heads, and Greek mythological figures all watched as every turn of a corner led to yet more art pieces with no exit in sight. It took about 20 minutes of wandering through these disorienting (albeit beautiful) branching galleries before finally reconnecting with the correct path. That said, the fact that it’s even possible to get lost in such a place really makes the steep cost of admission feel worth it.
With thousands of years’ worth of art on display it guarantees there will be something for everyone. From Jan Vermeer’s masterpiece of the Baroque era the “Girl with a Pearl Earring” to the world famous “Mona Lisa” by Leonardo da Vinci from the Italian Renaissance, everything is accounted for. It’s not just the well-known ones either. One of the best aspects of Otsuka’s vast collection is the chance to discover so many different artists and styles, many of whom don’t get as much limelight. Some of my favorites were “Man with a Glove” by Tiziano Vecellio for its focus on a more grounded figure, and the “Masks of Death” by James Ensor for its surrealist take on death. There really is no shortage of new art pieces to become enamored with.
This wide collection is admittedly a tonal roller coaster. One-minute Emperor Justinian is standing proudly with his royal retainers on an ancient fresco, while the next couples in fancy dress are dancing at a ball in France. It’s all helped by the museum itself which goes beyond a simple gallery, and becomes more of an experience. Rather than just sterile white walls, Otsuka fully leans into the emotional side of the art by its use of dramatic lighting and even music. For example, the Renaissance and Baroque sections are dimly lit with dark burgundy walls. Spotlights shine on the artwork to create dramatic contrasts while choral and Gregorian musical arrangements softly play in the background. On the other hand, areas dedicated to modern art eras are often much brighter. There, you’ll find yellow striped wallpaper, plush furniture pieces, and lighter use of color, especially with the impressionist pieces. It feels as if you’ve suddenly walked into a wealthy person’s living room from the 1800s to have noonday tea. Like the entryway it’s all a bit showy. But that clever use of design is what really sets Otsuka apart.
Nowhere is this better seen than in the re-created spaces scattered throughout the museum. Far from a one-trick pony, Otsuka doesn’t just stop at the Sistine Chapel. In fact, there are at least seven other reconstructions that are equally as impressive. From the Church of Saint Nicholas Orphanos in Greece, the Tomb of Auguri in Italy, to the Banquet Hall of Mysteries from Pompeii, going to an art museum never felt so much like a literal European tour. My personal favorite was Scrovegni Chapel which has a tall blue ceiling made to look like the night sky, and plenty of religious iconography like the crucifixion scene. Additionally, there are beautiful glass pane windows with backlighting to further the illusion of authenticity. Strolling through all these spaces makes it clear that Otsuka doesn’t just want you to see the art, it wants you to experience it.
While Scrovegni Chapel is a recreated church, Otsuka as a whole can start to feel like a real one. One of the most unexpected ways this museum lets visitors experience its art is via the heavy emphasis on religious imagery. Of course, religion plays a big role in art history. However, after seeing “Crucifixion 32” and two full scale replications of “The Last Supper” it becomes clear just how much biblical material is represented throughout the museum. In fact, many of the biggest, most dramatic pieces come in the form of these towering religious displays. One particular standout was “The High Altar of El Greco.” Originally from the late 1500s, it commands the room with a collection of six religious paintings featuring angels, saints, and another crucifixion scene high at the top. These are all set in an ornate golden altar piece against a dark burgundy wall with a soft choral arrangement for atmosphere. Walking into a room and being suddenly presented with something like this is a powerful feeling that happens over and over again. It is especially impressive for Japan – a country where western religious themes are often few and far between.
Unfortunately, not every aspect of Otsuka is quite as powerful. One significant disappointment comes in the form of the food. Nobody goes to a big museum and expects a 5-star meal (at least not that I’m aware of). However, for a place that in every other aspect celebrates cultures and history from around the world it is somewhat surprising to find that the on-site Café de Giverny serves up the same Japanese curry, seafood, and desserts you can find all over the country. Delicious as these may be, they feel somewhat out of place. This is especially so since the café itself is themed after the famous French commune (Giverny) with an outdoor seating area that features a stunning Monet garden scene. Were there even just a few signature dishes whose flavor matched the diverse setting, it would be a much more cohesive experience. It’s a feast for the eyes, but culinarily speaking it’s fairly one note.
Food complaints aside, Otsuka is still incredibly impressive for a museum that essentially says, “We have Europe at home”. While Japan is renowned for its unique culture, it’s somewhat endearing to visit a place that’s trying so hard to be somewhere else. Of course, this isn’t exactly unique. From Hokkaido to Kyushu you’ll find evidence of this country’s uncanny love for imitation. There is the Sweden Hills village in Hokkaido, Porto Europe in Wakayama, Huis Ten Bosch in Nagasaki, and many more. If you’ve ever walked around the Dogo area in Matsuyama you may have seen the Old England Dogo Yamanote Hotel. It’s exactly what it sounds like and even features a trench-coat-and-top-hat-wearing doorman who looks like he just got done filming “A Christmas Carol”. Despite how abundant and gimmicky some of these can be, when done correctly they can still be worth much more than the price of entry.
Amongst the sea of themed attractions Japan has to offer The Otsuka Museum of Art proves that it isn’t just some cheap imitation. It’s a love letter to art past, present, and future. With so much variety all put on grand display, this peculiar museum adds a lot more emotional weight to these pieces than the real ones might normally have. For art purists it probably feels like a sin. For everyone else, though, it makes for an opportunity to discover and appreciate thousands of amazing art pieces from throughout history. Otsuka will never replace authentic art, but it’s still a worthwhile experience for anyone visiting Tokushima Prefecture. Illusion or not, the sheer love for art this museum has is undoubtedly real.
Hey everyone! Thanks for checking out this month’s travel article. If there is a story, experience, or idea you’d like to share please reach out to us at themikanblog@gmail.com. We’d love to hear from you!
Best, Justin
