Naoshima, Japan
- More about your Oliver Guide: Kara Roche
- Trip type: Adult, Beach
- Activity level: high
- Ideal length of trip: 2-3 Days
to & from
The art islands are likely an add-on to an existing trip to Japan, so fly into either Tokyo or Osaka. The closest airports to the islands are Okayama (OKJ) and Takamatsu (TAK), but even with proximity it will still require multiple transportation methods to get there (train/bus + ferry).
We were in Hokkaido, so we flew directly to OKJ. From there we took a taxi to the Okayama train station that would take us to Uno Station where we overnighted before taking the first ferry out in the morning. This is slow travel, so be prepared!
Where to Stay
Book your hotels as soon as you book your flights. The island is small and can get crowded. Your housing options are limited to one luxury hotel, one mid-tier hotel and then a handful of AirBnbs.
1) Benesse House is the high-end option on the island and allows visitors to view some of the exhibits after hours.
2) MY LODGE – simple, cozy Inn – this is where we stayed. They have a great service where you drop your luggage at the ferry port and pick-up eBikes.
Where to Eat and Drink
Food options are extremely limited on Naoshima. I recommend booking the dinner option with your hotel. There will be places for lunch around the island.
If you happen to be overnighting in Uno Port as we did, there is actually a delicious pizza restaurant with wood burning oven called Voga Pizza. Super cozy with an excellent menu and wine list.
What to Do
Our preferred mode of travel was eBikes. These islands are not very big, so having the freedom to ride our bikes at our own pace was a blast.
These are long and active days – not necessarily getting a big workout, but you are constantly on the move going from exhibit to exhibit trying to squeeze them all in.
You will need to look at the calendar for your dates, as certain exhibits are closed on certain days. Here is how ours worked, and I thought it was perfect.
TESHIMA – early Shodoshima ferry from Uno Port to Ieura Port in Teshima. There are 2 ports on Teshima, but Ieura has more bike rental shops.
• “Place for sea dreamers” – cool photo opportunity
• “Les Archives du Cœur” – listen to heartbeats from around the world. Not profound, but I did like the building
• Teshima Art Museum – “The Matirx” by Rei Naito – subterranean with water drops coming up from the ground and portals to the sky. DO NOT MISS! BOOK EARLY! Incredible!!
We spent about 1/2 day on Teshima, then took the quick ferry to Naoshima where we sent our luggage to our hotel and hopped on our eBikes. Your route will depend on what time you arrive and what is open. Nothing can be done on a whim here. When tickets are gone, they are gone. You must spend time mapping out your itinerary and booking ahead.
NAOSHIMA
• Chichu Museum. Mostly subterranean. Architect: Tadao Ando, Works by: James Turrell, Claude Monet and Walter de Maria
• Lee U Fan Museum. South Korean artist. Architect: Ando
• Valley Gallery. Kusama Narcissus garden (silver balls) and 88 slag buddhas (Odawa)
• Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery (Time Corridor) at Benesse House Park Hotel
• Naoshima Pavilion by Sou Fujimoto (we did this at sunset)
Art House Projecs:
• Ando Museum
• Kadoya by Tatsuo Miyajima
• Minimadera by James Turrell. “Black out” room
• Kinza by Rei Naito
• Go’o Shrine by Hiroshi Sugimoto
• Ishibashi by Hiroshi Senju
• Gokaisho byYoshihiro Suda
• Haisha by Shinro Ohtake (dentist’s house)
Inside Scoop
You want to wear comfortable slip-on shoes. You will be taking your shoes on and off all day long, so having to tie your laces is a pain.
What to Pack
While this is a casual destination, some of the restaurants/museums – especially at Benesse House – are a little dressier. Bring a scarf or something to elevate your outfit for when you are going into the nicer museums.
More...
I can’t stress enough how important it is to book your tickets in advance. There is an app you can download that will have all of your reserved times.
Also, please do not skip the Matrix on Teshima. It was hands down the highlight of our time on the islands.
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