What to know
The Otsuka Museum of Art (大塚国際美術館, Ōtsuka Kokusai Bijutsukan) was built in Naruto Park to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Otsuka Pharmaceutical Group. It is Japan's largest museum, showcasing life-size reproductions of nearly every major Western art masterpiece from antiquity to the 20th century, including works by Michelangelo, El Greco, Goya, Monet, and Picasso.
The museum is beautifully presented, allowing visitors to appreciate countless master artists under one roof. In addition to over a thousand paintings, it features reproductions of altars, tombs, and entire halls, such as the interior of the Sistine Chapel.
The reproductions are created by copying paintings onto ceramic plates, a technique said to preserve colors and shapes for up to 2,000 years. Beyond the art, the museum offers expansive terraces and lovely gardens, with a restaurant and café overlooking these areas.
The Otsuka Museum of Art is located in Naruto Park, several kilometers from central Naruto. Hourly city buses run between Naruto Station and Naruto Park, stopping in front of the museum (20 minutes, 350 yen one way). The museum is also about a ten-minute walk from the Naruto Koen bus stop, and a few highway buses between Osaka and Tokushima stop directly at the museum.
Visitor information
Practical details to check before planning this stop.
- Hours
- 9:30 to 17:00 (last entry at 16:00)
- Closed
- Mondays (or Tuesday if Monday is a national holiday) and a few irregular holidays; open every day in August
- Admission
- 3300 yen (~$21.12) (3160 yen (~$20.22) if purchased online or at Lawson or 7-Eleven convenience stores)
- English name
- Original name
- Otsuka Museum of Art
Verify details before visiting. Currency conversion is indicative and may vary over time.