By air
Takamatsu (TAK), then ~1 h by ferry
East Asia · Japan
Naoshima, Japan
An art island in the Seto Inland Sea
Getting there
Best time to visit
March to May and October to November — mild and dry
Don't miss
The Chichu Art Museum
Benesse House
The Yellow Pumpkin
The Teshima Art Museum
Things to do
Cycling between the museums
The Yellow Pumpkin
The Teshima Art Museum
Where to eat
What to pack
Comfortable shoes, cash
A quieter corner
The Art House Project in Honmura village
Questions travellers ask
How do I get to Naoshima?
Fly into Takamatsu (TAK), then take the ferry, about 1 hour.
How should I get around Naoshima?
Cycle between the museums. Comfortable shoes and some cash will help too.
Which art sites shouldn't I miss around Naoshima?
The Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House, the Yellow Pumpkin and the Teshima Art Museum. The Art House Project in Honmura village is a quieter find.
What time of year suits Naoshima?
March to May or October to November, when it's mild and dry.
About Naoshima
- Island
Where it is
Naoshima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, part of Kagawa Prefecture, Japan, reached by ferry from Uno in Okayama Prefecture or from Takamatsu on Shikoku; its neighbours Teshima and Inujima also hold art sites.
History
For much of the 20th century Naoshima was known for the copper refinery on its northern side, which still operates. From the late 1980s the Fukutake publishing company, now Benesse, began turning the island's south into an art site of museums, hotels and outdoor works, several of them designed by leading Japanese architects. Since 2010 it has been a main venue of the Setouchi Triennale, an art festival held across the islands.
People
Naoshima is home to a few thousand Japanese-speaking islanders, who live mainly in the port villages of Miyanoura and Honmura. Fishing, farming and the refinery were the old livelihoods, and many islanders now also run the guesthouses, cafés and galleries that came with the art site.
Known for
- The Chichu Art Museum, set largely underground
- The Yellow Pumpkin sculpture on a seaside pier
- Benesse House, a museum and hotel
- The Art House Project in Honmura
- Cycling between museums and beaches
Did you know?
The Chichu Art Museum is built mostly underground yet lit largely by daylight, and it was designed around a small group of works, including paintings from Claude Monet's Water Lilies series.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.