# Naoshima

> A small island in the Seto Inland Sea given over almost entirely to contemporary art, with museums and outdoor works.

- Prefecture: Kagawa
- Type: Attraction
- Address: Naoshima, Kagawa, Japan
- Official site: https://naoshima.net/en/

Naoshima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, given over since the 1990s to museums and outdoor works. Several of the museums were designed by Tadao Ando, including the Chichu Art Museum, which houses works by Claude Monet, Walter De Maria, and James Turrell in underground galleries lit by natural light. The Benesse House Museum combines a hotel with a gallery, and the Naoshima New Museum of Art, Ando's tenth building on the island, opened in May 2025 with a focus on contemporary Asian art. The Art House Project turns abandoned houses in the village of Honmura into permanent art installations. Yayoi Kusama's yellow pumpkin sculpture on a pier has become an icon of the island. Naoshima is a main venue for the Setouchi Triennale art festival. The island is accessible by ferry from Takamatsu Port in about 50 minutes or from Uno Port in Okayama in about 20 minutes.

## FAQ

### How much do the museums cost and which need reservations?

**Every Benesse Art Site museum now needs a dated reservation** — the old walk-in option is gone, so book before you book the ferry. Online prices (on-site is a few hundred yen more): **Chichu Art Museum** ¥2,500 weekdays / ¥2,700 weekends and holidays (¥2,800 / ¥3,000 on site) — the one that genuinely sells out, so book 1 to 2 months ahead for spring and autumn weekends. **Naoshima New Museum of Art** ¥1,500 (¥1,700), opened May 2025 and the newest reason to come. **Benesse House Museum** ¥1,300 (¥1,500), free for overnight guests, and Valley Gallery is included in that ticket. **Lee Ufan Museum** ¥1,200 (¥1,400). **Art House Project combined ticket** ¥1,200 (¥1,400) for 5 houses. **ANDO MUSEUM**, **Kinza** and **Minamidera** ¥600 each (¥700) and are booked individually; Kinza admits one person per slot. Children 15 and under are free everywhere but still need a reservation. **All island museums close Mondays** (Tuesday instead when Monday is a holiday). Budget ¥7,000 to 9,000 in entries for a serious day. Photography is forbidden inside Chichu, Lee Ufan, Benesse House and Kinza; phones go in pouches at the door.

### How do I get to and around the island, and should I day-trip or stay overnight?

**Ferries**: from **Uno Port** (Okayama side; JR Uno Line from Okayama Station, 50 min), Shikoku Kisen ferry to Miyanoura, **20 min, ¥370** (fare raised from ¥300 on 1 February 2026), with a faster passenger boat on the same route in 15 min. From **Takamatsu Port** (Kagawa side), ferry to Miyanoura, **50 min, ¥680**, 5/day, or the high-speed boat in 30 min for ¥1,590. Bicycles ride free; cars/motorcycles pay extra. **Around the island**: rental bicycle at Miyanoura Port (¥500 to 1,500/day depending on e-bike; the hills between Miyanoura, Honmura and Benesse area are real, e-bike strongly recommended). Naoshima Town Bus runs the south loop (¥100/ride, infrequent, useful for Benesse House to Chichu to port). Walking is doable but slow. **Day-trip is workable for the Benesse area only** (Chichu + Lee Ufan + outdoor sculptures + Yayoi Kusama pumpkins); adding the Honmura Art House Project pushes you into 'one long rushed day'. **Stay overnight** if you want both areas plus dinner without rushing, either Benesse House (¥35,000+) or simpler guesthouses (¥6,000 to 12,000) in Honmura.

### Should I worry about Setouchi Triennale years, and what about Teshima and Inujima?

**The Setouchi Triennale** is a 100-day contemporary art festival held every 3 years across the Seto Inland Sea islands, typically split into spring + summer + autumn sessions. The next edition is **2028** (the 2025 edition was the most recent). During Triennale sessions, Naoshima sees doubled crowds: ferries sell out, museum reservations get harder, hotels triple their prices, and lines for the Chichu Museum can exceed 90 min even with reservations. If you're flexible, **avoid Triennale year sessions** unless you specifically want the festival experience. **Teshima and Inujima** are sister islands worth adding for a multi-day art trip: **Teshima** (~25 min ferry from Naoshima Miyanoura) houses the **Teshima Art Museum** (Rei Naito + Ryue Nishizawa, ¥1,800 online / ¥2,000 on site, a single Lacerated-concrete-shell building with water-drop installation, one of Japan's great single-room art experiences). **Inujima** (~25 min ferry from Naoshima Honmura) has the **Inujima Seirensho Art Museum** built into a Meiji-era copper refinery (¥2,100 online / ¥2,300 on site). Both islands have far less infrastructure than Naoshima, so bring water and snacks.

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Source: Naoshima — Japan Voyage