Naoshima is the anchor island of the Benesse Art Site Setouchi project, where contemporary art museums and installations are set directly into the island's hills and coastline rather than in a conventional gallery district. The draw is walking or cycling between Tadao Ando's concrete museum buildings, Yayoi Kusama's outdoor pumpkin sculptures, and the converted houses of the Art House Project in Honmura, with the Seto Inland Sea as a constant backdrop. A full day lets you cover the Miyanoura port area, the museum cluster, and Honmura without rushing between ferries.
| Distance | 50 km from Takamatsu |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 50 minutes by direct ferry |
| Getting there | Ferry from Takamatsu Port Pier 4 |
| Cost | ¥1,050–2,100 per venue (~$7–$14 USD) |
| Address | Miyanoura Port, Naoshima-cho, Kagawa-gun, Kagawa 761-3110 |
How to get there
- Mode
- Ferry
- Duration
- 50 min
- Cost
- ¥1,220 (~$8.10 USD)
- Frequency
- 6 ferries daily from Takamatsu Port; check current timetable at shikokuferry.co.jp
- Mode
- Ferry via Uno (Okayama)
- Duration
- 20 min from Uno Port
- Cost
- ¥520 (~$3.45 USD)
- Frequency
- Frequent; take Shinkansen + local train to Uno then ferry
Location
Miyanoura Port, Naoshima-cho, Kagawa-gun, Kagawa 761-3110
34.4617, 133.9955 View on map
Highlights
- Chichu Art Museum - built mostly underground by Tadao Ando, with a room permanently housing Monet water lily paintings lit only by daylight
- Benesse House Museum - the original art-hotel-museum hybrid that started the island's transformation, mixing guest rooms with a permanent collection
- Yayoi Kusama's Pumpkin sculptures - the yellow polka-dot pumpkin on the pier is the island's most photographed landmark
- Art House Project, Honmura - a cluster of old houses and a former dentist's home converted into individual art installations you walk between
- Lee Ufan Museum - a quiet, minimalist Ando building dedicated to the Korean minimalist's stone-and-steel works