From viewing art to experiencing art.
This is a place that transforms your relationship with art.
Countless masterpieces unfold across your entire field of vision.
In an instant, you are immersed in the world within the paintings.
And the masterpieces come to life, moving through the ages.
This means the stories that painters like Van Gogh, Seurat, and Cรฉzanne saw and wanted to capture are now coming to life.
Would you like to experience the world as they saw it?
The Immersive Museum OSAKA, located at the Dojima River Forum, was one of the must-visit stops in Osaka. As a fan of Yoshinori Masakado (Ae! group), it was a given that I would seize the opportunity to visit an event where he served as the ambassador.
As a former art student with a deep interest in art, I found the concept of an immersive museum particularly intriguing. How would they bring classical art to life? And to what extent was Yoshinori involved in the actual exhibit?
Over 100,000 people visited the event during its 83-day run. People from all walks of life came to witness classical pieces come to life in a way they had never experienced before.
As the ambassador for the event, Yoshinori left a farewell message on the official X account: “My term ends today โจ
Thank you for making this event exciting as an ambassador!
We look forward to the possibility of meeting you again somewhere.
Thank you so much!“
Throughout the event’s run, various photos of Yoshinori enjoying and experiencing the museum were posted on the official accounts, showing his genuine engagement with the exhibit.
Upon entering the venue, there was a wall with general information about post-impressionism and the artists Georges Seurat, Paul Cรฉzanne, Paul Gauguin, and Vincent Van Gogh.
Having portrayed the young Van Gogh in a stage play, Yoshinori shared his excitement about the ambassador role, saying that his perception of Van Gogh’s works had significantly broadened after the play. This role as the ambassador came with a personal connection to the works displayed.
โI am truly happy to be involved as an ambassador in such a wonderful entertainment experience.” He also shared that by feeling the paintings with your whole body, as you do at the Immersive Museum, he believes you will discover new insights and emotions that can only be experienced there. Whether youโre a lover of paintings or someone who is not usually familiar with art, if youโre interested, he encouraged everyone to Dive into this new world of art.
The information was available in both English and Japanese, and to my delight, the audio commentary was done by Yoshinori throughout the exhibition, although only in Japanese.
The exhibition was roughly 40-60 minutes long, looping constantly. There was no time limit so there was plenty of time to immerse yourself in the vibrant world of post-impressionism art. No matter what time you entered the exhibition, you were able to enjoy it from the get-go.
I found it worth sitting through the exhibition twice, as the walls around you show different arts and one viewing was not enough to take in all the details they’ve put into breathing life into all the works.
With Yoshinori’s audio guide in my ears, it was a pleasant experience to sit and follow the commentary as the vast history of art came to life. With his soft and enchanting voice, Yoshinori helps you get immersed in the history and beauty of the art in front of you, and the audio guide definitely helped take the “immersive experience” to another level than just watching the exhibition.
With today’s bustling environment and constant need to be on the go, going to the Immersive Museum OSAKA was a nice change of pace. It reminded you to take a break and relish in the beauty of the moment.
Art has always been a form of expression and a way to communicate a perspective or a feeling. However, in our modern times, it has become increasingly rare to stop and truly immerse oneself in art. If something doesnโt catch oneโs attention within a few seconds, itโs often dismissed. This mindset isnโt necessarily wrong, but it does create a subconscious pressure to always stay up to date, in my opinion.
By allowing us to experience classic art through this immersive medium, we breathe new life into the old. Newer generations can experience the classics in a way that resonates with them, while older generations can see their beloved art appreciated anew.
At the end of the exhibit, Yoshinori’s voice echoed, encouraging guests to take lots of photos to create lasting memories. It was fun seeing so many different interpretations of this. Families took turns taking photos together or individually by the immersive renditions of classics like Sunflowers and The Starry Night. People of various ages took their time to create memories together, engaging with the art both visually and audibly.
Just like me, plenty of fellow Ae! group and Yoshinori fans whipped out their acrylic stands and nuis to take photos of and with. It wasn’t obvious at first who was there because of Yoshinori’s involvement as the ambassador, but once the photo time started, fans emerged one by one.
Having Yoshinori as the ambassador undoubtedly attracted many who might not have attended otherwise, particularly younger fans. Aside from being the face of the exhibition, it also served as a treat for fans. As the exhibition was active, fans eagerly anticipated new uploads and photos from the official Immersive Museum OSAKA accounts, like Instagram, creating a lot of engagement and excitement around the event.
Experiencing the exhibit, guided by Yoshinoriโs voice as if he were beside me, was well worth it. While taking a moment in time to just enjoy my surroundings on this immersive date with him.
It was a delightful moment, even going alone, to experience, and if the chance comes again, I would love to visit with a friend or as a group. An event like this is great as a small outing for friends to hang out and enjoy themselves, while also taking the chance to engage in oshikatsu-related activities.
Just like Yoshinori encouraged, plenty of wonderful memories were created during this experience, and in the summer heat, I was able to Dive into this new world of art.
