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Town in Shikoku, Japan
Photo: Bakkai, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Naoshima (直島) is an island and town in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. Naoshima is famous for its contemporary art museums as well as outdoor contemporary art installations throughout the island.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
地中美術館
Designed by the architect Tadao Ando and entirely underground, this museum integrates art and architecture. The museum only has a few exhibits: 5 paintings by Claude Monet, a room with a giant sphere and 27 wooden sculptures designed by Walter de Maria, and 3 works by James Turrell, including one where you walk into a room with variable lighting that changes your perception. The James Turrell work is certainly best appreciated with as few people around as possible, so visit early in the day before the crowds arrive. Tickets must be purchased at the ticket center approximately 50 m down the road. Next to the entrance is a garden modeled after the scenery that inspired Claude Monet. A special night program on Friday and Saturday is offered to view Turrell's 'Open Sky' work at sunset for additional fee of ¥500. Advance online reservations are required.
ベネッセハウス
The first contemporary art museum on the island remains one of the best. A superb fusion of nature, art and architecture that displays the works of Andy Warhol, Richard Long, Bruce Nauman, and others. The Museum building, now one of 4 buildings in the complex, was designed by world famous Japanese architect Tadao Ando. There are also numerous outdoor exhibits nearby.
李禹煥美術館
Also designed by Tadao Ando, this museum displays only the works of Lee Ufan 李禹煥.
A small museum featuring the works of architect Tadao Ando, designer of most of the museums on Naoshima Island. Ando was born in 1941 in Osaka. Ando has received many international awards.
家プロジェクト
The Art House Project began in 1998 with Tatsuo Miyajima's Kadoya, and comprises 7 vacant houses, which were converted into works of art, weaving in the history and memories of the period when the houses were homes.
家プロジェクト 南寺 ジェームズ・タレル
“Backside of the Moon” by James Turrell. Architecture by Tadao Ando. Walk into a building in complete darkness and feel the sensation after the lights are eventually slowly turned on.
家プロジェクト 角屋
“Sea of Time '98”, “Naoshima’s Counter Window”, “Changing Landscape” by Tatsuo Miyajima. Watch a "sea" of LED numbers counting up and down.
家プロジェクト 護王神社
“Appropriate Proportion” by Hiroshi Sugimoto. You can get into the shrine by taking the little path to the right, i.e. the seaside. It's quite simply incredible so don't miss it.
家プロジェクト「石橋」
“The Falls” and “The Garden of Kū” by Hiroshi Senju. The former large expansive home of the Ishibashi family, a successful salt producer during the Meiji Period.
家プロジェクト はいしゃ
“Dreaming Tongue/Bokkon-Nozoki” by Shinro Ohtake. Haisha means "dentist" and this was once the house of a dentist.
家プロジェクト 碁会所
“Gokaisho” by Yoshihiro Suda. Gokaisho means "place to play go" and this was a gathering place for people to play the game of Go
家プロジェクト・きんざ
“Being Given” by Rei Naito. Reservations must be made in advance online.
Mitsubishi Materials is the major employer on the island. Most of the north side of the island is taken up with material processing facilities. A tour of these facilities can be organized if reservations are made at least a week in advance. Tours must be booked in and are conducted in Japanese only. Security procedures are strict.
直島銭湯「I♥湯」
A fully functional art installation with Japanese traditional public bath. Designed by Shinro Ohtake collaborated with graf. Naming "I ♥ Yu" is a pun, word playing on you and yu means hot water in Japanese.
No lifeguards.
Make pottery and have it shipped to you when it dries!
あいすなお
Literally "Brown Rice Hearty Eatery". Vegetarian restaurant.
Cafe with a couch and colorful stools.
コンニチハ
中奥
島食Do みやんだ
つつじ荘
The closest cafe to the sea on the island.
おうぎや
Japanese food railway-style, one of tenants in the ferry terminal. Standard udon, curry & rice, etc. Bicycle rental is available.
なごみ（福祉センター内）
Table d'hote (set meal), has udon etc. There's a public pool and fitness center in this complex as well.
CAFE 清
This charming place is attached to the rear of a house. Café Saya serves excellent green tea lattes and sweets. They also serve tsukune-don (a ground-chicken patty on top of rice), Saya men (beef on top of noodles), etc.
木の崎うどん 直島店
Self-service udon noodle restaurant.
リトルプラム直島
Cafe and bar with a good local beer selection. Bicycle rental and accommodation are available.
海っ子
Okonomiyaki restaurant.
カフェいっぽ
Can prepare vegan food.
Cat cafe
Rice ball take-out, packed 3 rice balls, curry & rice, ice-cream cone
Eating house
Udon, tempura. Capacity 20.
Café
Café. Capacity 20.
Shaved ice for take out
Café. Naoshima burger, Locomoco etc.
Naoshima Fishing Garden
Sashimi of sea bream and a bowl of rice, curry and rice served on weekend, National holidays during May to September
ニューおりんぴあ
The best quality seafood you'll get outside of Benesse House. Try the Tempura, and don't worry about language barriers just point and smile and you'll be treated royally. The chef has a cheat sheet of English translations of his dishes behind the counter.
Terrace restaurant of the Bennesse House. French food with a great view of the water.
一扇
Large windows with a view of the Inland Sea.
14Bar
Bar.
直島バックパッカーズ ゲストハウス
ドミトリーin九龍
This hostel is a former Japanese snack bar. Facilities are basic.
路地と灯り
Women and couples only.
Bunk beds with curtains. Reservations can be made online.
ドミトリーin九龍
Reservation requests can be made online.
やど～セブンビーチ
Affiliated with the Dormitory Kowloon.
The renowned beach-side Mongolian yurts once on Benesse House's beach have been moved to Tsutsuji-so approximately 250 meters east from Benesse's east gate.
A few rooms. Pickup from the ferry terminal is available. Bicycle rental is available for ¥500/day. Reservations can be made via Facebook Messenger; see the website for details.
3 rooms. Reservation inquiries can be made via online form.
A few rooms. French speakers are especially welcomed because the owner has lived in Morocco and France.
おやじの海
Lodging in an old-fashioned wooden house.
Tatami mats or bunk beds. Reservations can be made online.
Yukiko-san, the innkeeper, does not speak much English but has been managing the ryokan for over 50 years and prepares great fish-based home-cooked meals. Advance reservations only by phone in Japanese.
Beach-side Mongolian yurts, caravans, and Japanese cottages. Cash only.
ベネッセハウス
This is the place to stay in Naoshima, if you have the money. Every room has its own individual design and art work, with 49 guest rooms in 4 buildings: Museum, Annex, Park and Beach, all designed by renowned architect Tadao Ando. The beauty of staying at the House is that you can wander the galleries late into the night after all the riff-raff have departed. There's also a monorail up to the rooms at the Oval, which also has a spectacular bar where one can watch the sun set. Dinner at the Museum itself is also an experience not to be missed as all the good tables face out onto the bay. Don't forget to book your slot for Cai Guo-Qiang's 'Cultural Melting Bath'. It's a huge hot tub surrounded by volcanic rocks brought in from China in a private cove not far from Park Building; it can be exclusively hired for an hour (¥1,000) for relaxing, stargazing, sunbathing or love making - in a piece of art. Most rooms must be booked individually; they book up several months in advance, particularly on weekends in the spring and autumn, but are well worth the cost. Off-season booking is far easier, and also easier to extend your stay. The website has a 6-month reservation schedule and detailed room descriptions.
To reach Naoshima from the main Japanese island of Honshu, take a train to Okayama, transfer to a local train to Uno Station in Tamano, walk across the street to the boat terminal, and then transfer to a boat to…
Read in the guideBy foot
The island is quite hilly but pleasant enough along the coasts for biking and walking, except for the road from Miyanoura to Chichu Art Museum, which is a climb.
By bicycle
Information on bicycle rental in Naoshima is available online. There are 6 shops on the island that offer bicycle rental. Fees are ¥300-500/day for a push bike or ¥1,000/day for an electric bicycle.
By bus
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Takamatsu · International · TAK
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