Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum
Takarazuka, Japan's Shrine to the God of Manga and Anime
Child-friendly gallery celebrates key figure in 20th century pop culture, creator of Astro Boy, Kimba, Unico and a host of other characters. Essential stop in Japan!
Osamu Tezuka transformed Japan's comics and animation industry and created many of Japan's best-loved characters. He died in 1989, but his legacy lives on in Takarazuka, the small town near Osaka where he moved aged four and lived for 20 years.
The Tezuka Osamu Manga Museum holds an astonishing collection of Tezuka originals, first editions, and memorabilia. Its permanent exhibits devoted to his life and work are supplemented by three special exhibitions a year. Opened in 1994, it's very child-friendly and will keep the whole family entertained for hours. Entrance is Y500; the museum is open every day except Wednesday, 9.30 am-5 pm, with late opening until 7 p.m. in summer.
Getting There
Foreign visitors can use a Japan Rail Pass for the short train ride from Osaka. For travel information see Japan National Tourist Organisation.
The multi-coloured glass dome on top of the building and the giant golden Phoenix statue outside are visible from a distance, and the entrance pathway is lined with bronze images of Tezuka's best-loved characters. Look out for the hand (and in some cases paw and claw) prints of Astro Boy (Tetsuwan Atom in Japanese) and Kimba the White Lion (Leo). The Phoenix was placed at the head of the path to commemorate the reconstruction of the Kobe region after the Hanshin-Awaji earthquake of 1995; the reconstruction plan was named the "Phoenix Plan."
Inside Story
Every inch of the museum is packed with interest - even the floors are set with how-to diagrams showing Tezuka's guidelines for drawing eyes, faces and emotions, while the elevator doors are 'opened' by different characters on each level. The entrance hall has a mosaic image of Tezuka's self-portrait, smiling up at a stained glass ceiling showing more character portraits. Time capsules tell the story of his life, with school photos and notebooks full of early drawings. Cases show off merchandise from the 50s and 60s, including an adorable pair of Atom skis.
Upstairs there's a gallery of jaw-dropping original art and displays of rare first editions, along with a cinema where you can watch episodes and specially-made films. There's a café and a shop, and down in the basement is a manga studio, complete with an animatronic cartoon-style model of the master at work in a reproduction of his workspace. Here children can learn about animation and make Tezuka's characters move on workstations to which, unfortunately, unaccompanied adults are not allowed access.
Grand Design
The quirky design of every aspect of the building makes visitors feel they've stepped into a Tezuka anime show. The entrance hall was intended to resemble a European castle, and feels like something out of a shojo romance, while the basement has a steampunk feel. It's rare to find a museum where the building itself is part of the creator's world, but with something to see on every door, wall and staircase, the museum itself is a visual treat.
