Naoshima is a small Seto Inland Sea island that Benesse Corporation and architect Tadao Ando turned into a concentration of contemporary art museums and outdoor sculpture, reached by ferry from Uno port. It works as a day trip only if timed against the ferry and shuttle-bus schedules, since the museums are spread across the island rather than clustered within walking distance. The appeal is architectural as much as it is the art itself — several museums are built partly underground.
| Distance | 80 km (including ferry) |
|---|---|
| Travel time | 1.5 hours |
| Getting there | JR Seto-Ohashi Line to Chayamachi, transfer to Shimoden Uno Line to Uno Station (55 min from Okayama, ¥850 / ~$5.70 total), then Uno Ferry to Naoshima (30 min, ¥570 / ~$3.80 one-way). Total each way: ~¥1,420 (~$9.50), 1.5 hours |
| Address | Naoshima-cho, Kagawa 761-3110 |
How to get there
- Mode
- JR + ferry
- Duration
- 1.5 hours each way
- Cost
- ¥1,420 (~$9.50) each way
Location
Naoshima-cho, Kagawa 761-3110
34.4618, 133.9891 View on map
Highlights
- Chichu Art Museum — a mostly underground Ando building holding a room of Monet water-lily paintings lit only by daylight, plus a James Turrell light installation
- Benesse House Museum — the original museum-hotel hybrid, with works by Richard Long, Jenny Holzer and others set against sea views
- Yellow Pumpkin — Yayoi Kusama's polka-dot pumpkin sculpture on the pier at Miyanoura, the island's most photographed landmark
- Art House Project — several traditional houses in Honmura village converted into individual art installations you walk between
- Lee Ufan Museum — a quieter Ando-designed space dedicated to the minimalist artist's paintings and stone-and-steel sculptures