Naoshima

About Naoshima
Naoshima is an island in the Seto Inland Sea known for being full of art. Here are unique art museums, and in fact, the island itself is like a huge gallery, where sculptures here and there make creative use of the landscape.

An outstanding art experience
The island has a relaxed atmosphere and a rural feel with sandy beaches and green landscapes. A nice contrast to Japan's busy cities. The island's circulation bus runs between the main attractions at a 20-30 minute intervals, but if you want better flexibility, bicycle or car rental is recommended (remember international driving license). One must visit the absolutely stunning Chichu Art Museum, built in the ground so as not to ruin the landscape. Note that there may be some queues as visitors are let in at intervals to create the best experience. Both this and the island's other main museum, Benesse House, was designed by world-famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando. The Art House Project on the island's east coast is another must-see. It is a collection of houses, workshops and temples that have been converted into art installations. They are located among other houses in the city and do not always look like anything special from the outside – yet when you get inside, great experiences await! The houses have limited opening hours and require a ticket to be purchased in advance.

Other attractions in Naoshima
There are lots of other exciting experiences, such as Naoshima Bath I Love Yu, which is both a bathhouse and an art exhibition. The island also has a very good website in English with updated information about events, opening hours and prices: benesse-artsite.jp/en/