1. A tire appearance inspection apparatus for judging acceptability of an inspection tire by matching a model pattern representing conforming object data against an image captured of an appearance of the inspection tire, the apparatus comprising: a model pattern positioning means for positioning the model pattern in a position with a highest degree of agreement by matching the model pattern against the image captured; a model pattern dividing means for (i) dividing the model pattern into a plurality of elements in such a manner as to have mutually overlapping regions a plurality of times, and (ii) changing the number of divisions at each time of division so that positions of division boundaries of elements divided at each time of division are dislocated from the other; and a shape recognition means for recognizing a shape corresponding to the model pattern by positioning each of the plurality of elements divided by the model pattern dividing means in a position with a highest degree of agreement by performing pattern matching within a predetermined range with reference to the position where the model pattern has been positioned on the image.