The Shiki Museum is a huge edifice in Dogo. It seems ironic that a tiny, seventeen syllable poetic form could call into being such an imposing building, but there it is, squatting massively at the edge of Dogo Park. The displays are presented in a dull, old-fashioned way. Everything is behind glass, and all is dimly lit. Apart from a few explanations in English, the captions are all in Japanese making it hard to know what anything is.

Nevertheless, the character of Shiki emerges from all this ponderousness, just as his strikingly original poems came forth despite the debilitating pain of his various illnesses. Shiki’s paintings, whether reproductions or originals, are a testament to his powers of observation and his determination to produce art in the face of major obstacles.

Shiki’s heavy-looking baseball bat speaks for itself.