Naoshima Attractions: An Open-Air Museum in the Seto Inland Sea
Naoshima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, off the northern tip of Kagawa Prefecture. The main island covers about 8 sq km (about 14 sq km for Naoshima Town including surrounding islets), and fewer than about 3,000 people live there. Thirty-odd years ago it was an industrial island known for its smelter; today art travelers from around the world make pilgrimages here thanks to the “Benesse Art Site Naoshima” project, which began in the late 1980s and set museums, a hotel and artworks into the island’s terrain and villages.
Naoshima has three areas: Miyanoura Port, where ferries land; Honmura, the old-house cluster; and the Benesse area on the southern hillside. Slopes and distances separate them, so your trip depends almost entirely on reservations and transport booked beforehand.
Chichu Art Museum: Tadao Ando’s Underground Museum Lit Only by Natural Light
Tadao Ando designed the Chichu Art Museum, Naoshima’s most iconic building, which opened in 2004. To protect the Seto Inland Sea view, it is buried in the hillside, with only geometric openings above ground. You only grasp its size from the air.
The permanent collection includes Monet’s Water Lilies, plus works by James Turrell and Walter De Maria, all lit by natural light alone. The same piece changes with the time and weather. Entry is timed, so book on the official website in advance.
Yayoi Kusama’s Red and Yellow Pumpkins: Naoshima’s Two Most Famous Landmarks
Naoshima has two Yayoi Kusama pumpkins. The Red Pumpkin stands at the ferry landing at Miyanoura Port; it is large, some of its black dots are cut-outs, and you can walk inside and look out. The Yellow Pumpkin stands alone at the end of a seaside pier in the Benesse area and is the most widely shared photo of Naoshima.
Large waves from a 2021 typhoon swept the Yellow Pumpkin away and damaged it. Repaired and reinforced, it returned to its original pier in 2022. Both pumpkins are free to view outdoors. The Yellow one sits in Benesse, so check access and bicycle rules first.
Art House Project (Ie Project): Turning a Whole Old Village into Artworks
The Art House Project is Naoshima’s most distinctive feature. Artists transform entire century-old houses, a shrine and a former dental clinic in Honmura. The works grow with the buildings and residents’ daily lives.
Open sites include Kadoya, Minamidera, Go’o Shrine, Ishibashi, Gokaisho, Haisha and Kinza, which needs a separate reservation. They lie in Honmura’s narrow lanes. A combination ticket covers them; walking the full loop takes you through the village.
Miyanoura Port and Honmura Port: Where Naoshima’s Two Gateways Lead
Naoshima has two ports. Miyanoura Port is the main entrance, where ferries from both Takamatsu Port and Uno Port dock. Around it you will find the Red Pumpkin, the SANAA-designed Naoshima Ferry Terminal, the Naoshima Bath “I♥YU” and car rental shops,
Honmura Port sits on the east side. Passenger boats leave Uno Port; high-speed boats leave Takamatsu Port. You step into the old village where the Art House Project sits. From Okayama, if you focus on Honmura, a direct boat saves the most time.
How to Get to Naoshima: Takamatsu Port and Uno Port Ferries Compared, Plus Electric Bikes on the Island
There is no bridge to Naoshima, so you have to take a boat. How you get there depends on whether you start from Shikoku or Honshu, and getting around the island is the key to a smooth trip.
From Takamatsu Port: Ferry About 50 Minutes, High-Speed Boat About 30 Minutes
From Shikoku, sail from Takamatsu Port to Miyanoura Port. The ferry takes about 50 minutes to an hour. It is cheap, carries vehicles, and has a roomy cabin and deck. The high-speed boat takes about 30 minutes but costs clearly more, with fewer sailings.
Most travelers take the ferry; the crossing is scenery, with the whole Seto Inland Sea visible from the deck. Extra sailings run in peak season and at art festivals; weekdays and winter are sparser. Check that day’s timetable and note the last boat time.
Takamatsu Port to Naoshima: Ferry and High-Speed Boat Fares and Pier Locations
The Shikoku Kisen ferry from Takamatsu Port to Miyanoura Port takes about 50 minutes and costs ¥680 one way for adults. It carries bicycles and cars. The high-speed passenger boat takes about 30 minutes and costs ¥1,590 one way for adults, but it cannot carry vehicles. The two piers are about a 3-minute walk apart. Tickets go on sale 40 and 30 minutes before departure, respectively. Reservations are not accepted, and boarding is first come, first served.
From Uno Port in Okayama: The Crossing Takes Only About 20 Minutes
If you are coming from Honshu, especially from the Okayama side, Uno Port is the fastest way in. Take the JR Uno Line from JR Okayama Station to Uno Station, and the pier is right outside the exit. The ferry to Miyanoura Port takes about 20 minutes, and the fare is cheaper than from Takamatsu.
Uno Port also has a direct route to Honmura Port on the island’s east side, taking about 20 minutes. It suits visitors who want to see the Art House Project first. The two routes have different operators and piers, so check whether you are heading to Miyanoura or Honmura before you buy a ticket.
Uno Port to Naoshima: Miyanoura Route Schedule and Fares
The Shikoku Kisen ferry from Uno Port to Miyanoura Port takes about 20 minutes, and the passenger boat takes about 15 minutes. Both cost ¥370 one way for adults. The ferry runs 13 round trips a day, from about 6:10 to 20:25, and carries bicycles and cars. The passenger boat runs 3 times a day, in the afternoon and late at night. A separate passenger boat runs from Uno to Honmura. Schedules and fares are subject to Shikoku Kisen’s official announcements.
Getting Around the Island: Reserve an Electric-Assist Bicycle in Advance
The loop around Naoshima is over ten kilometers, but the island is hilly, with climbs on both the Miyanoura-to-Honmura and Honmura-to-Benesse routes. We strongly recommend renting an electric-assist bicycle over a regular one; a day’s rental costs roughly ¥1,000 or more.
Several rental shops sit right by Miyanoura Port, but bikes are limited. In peak season and on weekends, they are often all rented out by morning. Reserve online or by phone, and note your return time. Some shops close before the last boat, so ask when you pick up and return the bike.
Town Bus and the Free Benesse Shuttle: Alternatives If You Don’t Want to Cycle
If you would rather not cycle, a town-run bus links Miyanoura Port, Honmura and Tsutsuji-so for a single fare of just a coin or two. Service is regular but not frequent, and it fills up fast when boat passengers arrive. After the museums especially, reach the stop early if you need to catch a boat.
Different rules apply inside the Benesse area. Regular bicycles are not allowed in, so leave them around Tsutsuji-so. Then continue on foot, or take the free shuttle bus to and from the Chichu Art Museum, the Lee Ufan Museum and Benesse House. Know this part of the route before you go.
How to Plan a Day Trip: A Clockwise Route Through Miyanoura, Honmura and Benesse
The most common and least tiring plan goes like this. Arrive at Miyanoura Port in the morning, rent a bike, and take a photo of the Red Pumpkin and the Naoshima Pavilion. Ride to Honmura for the Art House Project and ANDO MUSEUM. Have lunch at a Honmura cafe. In the afternoon, enter the Benesse area to see the Chichu Art Museum, then walk to the Yellow Pumpkin.
The key is to treat your Chichu Art Museum reservation slot as the backbone of the whole day and fill in other items before and after it. Also note that most restaurants on the island close in the early evening, so dinner usually has to be eaten back in Takamatsu or Okayama.
What Are Naoshima’s Must-See Works? A Full Guide to the Museums and Outdoor Art in Three Areas
The sections below follow the three areas of Miyanoura Port, Honmura and the Benesse area; walking one loop in this order is the least tiring way to do it.
Chichu Art Museum: Monet’s Water Lilies and Rooms Lit Only by Natural Light
The core of the Chichu Art Museum is the permanent rooms of three artists. The Monet room displays the Water Lilies series on a floor of several hundred thousand small tiles. Visitors must remove their shoes to enter. The whole room uses no artificial lighting. Natural light comes through a skylight onto the paintings.
Walter De Maria’s space pairs a huge black granite sphere with gold-leaf wooden columns. James Turrell’s work uses light itself as its material. Entry needs an online reservation for a set date and time, and in peak season slots often fill weeks ahead, so book this first.
Lee Ufan Museum: A Semi-Underground Space of Stone, Iron Plate and Emptiness
Tadao Ando also designed the Lee Ufan Museum, which opened in 2010. It sits in the valley between the Chichu Art Museum and Benesse House. The building is half buried in the ground. The tall pillar and stones in the plaza in front of the entrance are already part of the work before you go in.
The museum shows paintings and sculptures by this Korean-born artist, known for the Mono-ha school. The works often consist of just a natural stone and an iron plate. The point is the emptiness and tension between them. Buy tickets online first, on the official website. Check the opening days before you visit.
Benesse House Museum: A Museum You Can Stay In
Benesse House opened in 1992 as the starting point of the Naoshima art project. It was Tadao Ando’s first work on the island. Its most distinctive concept is “museum and hotel in one”: overnight guests can view the works alone in the galleries at night, after the museum closes to the general public.
The collection focuses on contemporary art. The building is arranged in tiers along the coastal hillside, with corridors and terraces that frame views of the Seto Inland Sea. Besides the Museum building, there are the Oval, Park and Beach areas. Many large outdoor sculptures are scattered around for free viewing.
Naoshima New Museum of Art: Opened in 2025, Tadao Ando’s Tenth Building on Naoshima
The Naoshima New Museum of Art opened on May 31, 2025, on a rise beside Honmura village. It is Tadao Ando’s tenth architectural work in Benesse Art Site Naoshima. The building has two floors below ground and one above. Its exterior is finished in black plaster with a charred-cedar-board texture, deliberately blending into the skyline of the village’s tiled roofs.
Inside are several galleries focused on contemporary art from Japan and across Asia. It sits right in Honmura, so you can walk straight over after the Art House Project. Opening hours are 10:00-16:30, with last entry at 16:00. It is closed on Mondays. If Monday is a national holiday, it opens that day and closes the next day.
Art House Project: Minamidera, a Work That Begins After You Enter a Pitch-Black Space
Minamidera is the Art House Project work most people recommend; the building was designed by Tadao Ando and the work is by James Turrell. Visitors are led into a space with no light at all, feel their way along the wall to sit down, and then wait quietly in the dark.
After a few minutes your eyes gradually adjust, and a faint glow slowly appears in front of you where you thought there was nothing: that is the work itself. Because it takes time for your vision to adapt, entry is in groups, with a queue when it is busy, so allow plenty of time.
Art House Project: Go’o Shrine, a Glass Staircase Linking Above and Below Ground
Go’o Shrine is Honmura’s local shrine, rebuilt by the photographer Hiroshi Sugimoto, and the work is titled Appropriate Proportion. A staircase made of optical glass runs between the main hall and the worship hall, and in sunlight it refracts a transparent blue.
More importantly, there is the underground. Go down through the narrow stone chamber beside the shrine, and you can see the glass staircase continue to the other end underground. The opening looks out over the sea. Above and below ground, the man-made and the natural meet here. It is the richest and most layered of the Art House Project works.
Art House Project: Haisha, the Statue of Liberty in a Former Dental Clinic
Haisha is Japanese for dentist. Honmura’s dental clinic and home was transformed by artist Shinro Ohtake into Dream/Boccon-Nozoki (Shin-Zetsu-Mu, “Dream on the Tongue”). Scrap materials, signs and collage cover it, visible from far away.
Found objects and graffiti fill the space. Its most outrageous feature, a giant Statue of Liberty replica, spans both floors. It contrasts with Minamidera’s minimalism and Go’o Shrine’s serenity. It is the liveliest, most memorable Art House work.
ANDO MUSEUM: A Full Set of Exposed Concrete Hidden in an Old Wooden House
The Ando Museum looks like a century-old wooden townhouse in a Honmura lane. Push the door open to find another world. Exposed concrete holds up the interior. A skylight cuts light across the concrete walls, turning your sense of space inside out.
The museum shows Tadao Ando’s sketches, models and photographs from more than thirty years on Naoshima. It condenses the island’s architectural history into one small house. Visit it after the Art House Project to see how those buildings relate.
Naoshima Bath “I♥YU”: An Art Bathhouse You Can Really Soak In
Naoshima Bath “I♥YU” is within walking distance of Miyanoura Port. Shinro Ohtake created it. Its exterior is covered in tiles, signboards and all kinds of found objects. The strong Showa-era collage feel is unforgettable at first sight. The name itself is also a pun, meaning “I love bath” (yu).
It is a real public bathhouse, not an exhibit. Buy a ticket, undress and soak. The bath bottom and walls are art; a stuffed elephant stands above the wall between the men’s and women’s baths. Hours and closing days follow the operator’s daily announcements.
Naoshima Pavilion: A White Floating Island by Miyanoura Port
The Naoshima Pavilion is a work by the architect Sou Fujimoto, installed in 2015 on the waterfront green space beside Miyanoura Port. Around two hundred stainless steel mesh pieces form a translucent white geometric mass, conceptually described as the “27th island of Naoshima Town.”
You can walk inside it, and from within the grid cuts the sea and sky into fine fragments; after dark it lights up and glows, making it the most photogenic night view at Miyanoura Port. It is right near the landing, so it is a good place to wander around while waiting for your boat.
Naoshima Ferry Terminal: The SANAA-Designed Big Roof at Miyanoura Port
The thin white-roofed building you see first on stepping off the ferry is Miyanoura Port’s passenger terminal, the Naoshima Ferry Terminal (Umi no Eki Naoshima), designed by the SANAA office of Pritzker Prize winners Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa and opened in 2006.
Its thin flat roof rests on slender steel columns and glass. Sea breezes pass straight through the almost wall-less space. Inside are a tourist information office, coin lockers, a shop and a waiting area. Most people leave their luggage here first.
Valley Gallery: Yayoi Kusama’s Mirror Balls by the Valley Pond
Valley Gallery is a newer exhibition space in the Benesse area, opened in 2022 and also by Tadao Ando. The building is not large, and its semi-open structure lets wind, light and rain into the interior, merging with the surrounding valley terrain.
Yayoi Kusama’s Narcissus Garden is the most famous work here. Hundreds of stainless steel mirror balls are scattered inside, outside, and on the water, reflecting distorted views as you move. It is near the Lee Ufan Museum and can be included in a walking route around the Benesse area.
Tsutsuji-so and the South Shore Beach: The Area Entrance and an Evening Sea View
Tsutsuji-so is the terminus of the town bus and the transfer point into the Benesse area: leave your bicycle here, leave your luggage here, then switch to the area’s free shuttle or simply walk along the coast to the Yellow Pumpkin and the museums.
The area itself is also worth a stop. The south shore has a gentle sandy beach and lawns, with large sculptures scattered outdoors, and in the evening the sea’s reflections overlapping with the silhouettes of the islands opposite are quite beautiful.
How Much Does Naoshima Cost? Tickets, Reservation System and Ferry Fares
Naoshima’s costs come down to three things: ferry fares, museum tickets and rentals. It is not cheap overall, but more than the ticket prices, what really needs to be handled in advance is the reservations.
Chichu Art Museum: The Timed Reservation to Handle First
The Chichu Art Museum uses online reservations for a specified date and time. Buy tickets in advance on the official website; day-of tickets may be unavailable. It often sells out weeks ahead in peak season, on long weekends and during art festivals.
Its ticket is on the high side among Naoshima facilities. Visitors 15 and under generally get free or discounted entry. Once you choose a slot, it usually cannot be changed freely, so plan ferry times and other activities before booking. Actual prices and rules are subject to the day’s announcement on the Benesse Art Site Naoshima official website (benesse-artsite.jp).
How to Buy Lee Ufan Museum Tickets: Online Tickets Are ¥200 Cheaper Than the Window
Unlike Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum has no per-slot visitor cap, but we still recommend buying a ticket online first on the official website. Tickets cost ¥1,200 online and ¥1,400 at the window, and visitors aged 15 and under enter free. The two museums are close together, so you can visit both in one afternoon, leaving time for walking and the shuttle between them.
Naoshima New Museum of Art Reservations and Ticket Prices
How do you reserve the Naoshima New Museum of Art? Since October 1, 2024, Benesse Art Site Naoshima has introduced online tickets for all its art facilities. Buy Naoshima New Museum of Art tickets on the “Museum Reservation” page of the official website: ¥1,500 online, ¥1,700 at the window. Ages 15 and under are free but still need an online ticket for each person. Opening hours are 10:00-16:30 (last entry 16:00), closed on Mondays. A new summer exhibition opens from June 7, 2026.
Art House Project Combination Ticket: One Ticket for the Old-House Works of Honmura
The Art House Project uses a combination ticket, so one ticket lets you visit several works, which is much better value than buying single tickets one by one. The ticket office is at a service point in Honmura, so buy your ticket first on arrival in Honmura and then start exploring, and your route will go much more smoothly.
The combination ticket (¥1,200 online) covers Kadoya, Go’o Shrine, Ishibashi, Gokaisho and Haisha. It does not include Minamidera and Kinza. Both have timed visitor limits and need separate timed tickets (¥600 each online). Kinza admits only one person at a time. Check the ticket price and coverage against the official announcement of the day.
Ferry Tickets and Cash: Pier Windows May Not Accept Credit Cards
The ferry from Takamatsu to Miyanoura costs ¥680 one way for adults, and the high-speed boat costs ¥1,590. From Uno, the ferry costs ¥370. Most tickets are bought at the pier window on the day. Some windows and small shops take cash only, so bring enough yen in notes and coins.
Vending machines, small eateries and some rental shops on the island may likewise not support credit cards or mobile payments, and Naoshima has very few ATMs. Withdrawing the cash you will need that day in Takamatsu or Okayama first is the least error-prone approach.
What to Watch Out for on Naoshima: Accommodation Tips and Pre-Trip Reminders
Naoshima is an island with many rules. If you haven’t sorted out the following three things beforehand, your itinerary can easily get stuck on the spot.
Stay on Naoshima or in Takamatsu or Okayama? Accommodation Tips for Side Trips
Benesse House represents the island’s lodging, where guests can have the museum galleries to themselves after closing, Naoshima’s most luxurious experience. Rooms are few, prices are high, and you need to book very early. Guesthouses and small inns around Honmura and Miyanoura are also available, but choices are limited and they are likewise in demand in peak season.
Most travelers stay in Takamatsu or Okayama and take the boat back and forth during the day. This offers more dinner options and no need to move luggage, but you are tied to the last boat and miss seeing the island after dark. To see all the museums at a relaxed pace, staying one night is still the ideal option.
Monday Closures and the Reservation System: The Two Easiest Traps on Naoshima
Most Naoshima museums and Art House Project works close on Mondays, or the next day if Monday is a national holiday. If you visit on a Monday or the day after a holiday, indoor facilities across the island may be closed.
The second trap is reservations. The Chichu Art Museum uses timed reservations and often sells out weeks ahead. Minamidera and Kinza also need separate timed tickets. For the Lee Ufan Museum and the Naoshima New Museum of Art, we recommend buying online tickets first, since online tickets are ¥200 cheaper than tickets bought at the window. Treat your reservation slots as the fixed backbone of the itinerary: book first, then decide which boat to take.
Cash, Meal Times and the Last Boat: Life on the Island Starts Early
Many shops, ferry windows and vending machines accept cash only, and ATMs are few, so bring enough yen in cash before boarding. Restaurants and cafes mostly close in the early evening and are often full at lunch, so go early or check opening hours first.
Finally, catch the last boat. If you miss it, you will have to stay overnight on the island, since finding a room at short notice is nearly impossible. After your last sight, leave plenty of time for the ride back and for returning the bike, as Benesse is still a considerable distance from Miyanoura Port, and shuttles and buses are not frequent.
Naoshima FAQ
Q: Is one day enough for Naoshima?
A day trip is feasible if you focus only on the Chichu Art Museum, the Art House Project and the two pumpkins, but it will be tight, so follow the boat schedule exactly. To add the Lee Ufan Museum, the Naoshima New Museum of Art, Benesse House or a relaxed meal on the island, plan two days and one night.
Q: Do I have to reserve the Chichu Art Museum in advance?
Chichu Art Museum uses online reservations for a specified date and time, and tickets must be bought in advance on the official website, since on-site tickets are not guaranteed. In peak season it is often fully booked weeks ahead. For Lee Ufan Museum and Naoshima New Museum of Art, we also recommend buying tickets in advance on the official website. Ages 15 and under are free, but a ticket is still required for each person.
Q: Will there be nothing to see if I go to Naoshima on a Monday?
Most museums and Art House Project works close on Mondays, or the next day if it is a national holiday. The outdoor Red Pumpkin, Yellow Pumpkin and Naoshima Pavilion remain free to view, but the indoor facilities are basically all closed, so we strongly advise against visiting Naoshima on Mondays.
Q: Is Yayoi Kusama’s Yellow Pumpkin still there?
Yes. The Yellow Pumpkin was damaged and swept away by large typhoon waves in 2021, then repaired and more firmly secured, and in 2022 it was reinstalled at its original seaside pier in the Benesse area; it can still be viewed and photographed freely today.
Q: Is it better to go from Takamatsu Port or Uno Port?
It depends on your itinerary. If you focus on Shikoku, go from Takamatsu Port, where the ferry takes about 50 minutes. If you focus on Okayama or Kansai, go from Uno Port, which takes only about 20 minutes and has cheaper fares. Uno Port also has a direct route to Honmura Port, which suits seeing the Art House Project first.
Q: Do I have to rent a bicycle? Can I walk?
Walking alone is very tiring: there are slopes and distances from Miyanoura to Honmura and from Honmura to Benesse. Rent an electric-assist bicycle, or take the town bus plus the area’s free shuttle. Regular bicycles cannot enter Benesse, so walk or transfer for that part.
Q: Can I use credit cards on Naoshima? How much cash should I bring?
Many small shops, eateries, vending machines and ferry ticket windows on the island accept cash only, and ATMs are scarce. Withdraw the yen you need for the day’s meals, ferry fares, rentals and tickets in Takamatsu or Okayama beforehand rather than counting on cash on the island.