You will explore the magical art island of Naoshima! Even you are not so art lovers you will definitely enjoy this one-of-a-kind tour. First, you will be visiting the museum area including Chicyu art museum and meet the iconic yellow pumpkin along the coast of the Seto Inland Sea. At the Art House Project area, you will feel closer to Naoshima's life by strolling several installations in the historical castle town. You will surely become a fan of this magical island!
Miyanoura port on Naoshima
Outdoor art works welcome you at the port. The Marine Station “Naoshima”, Red Pumpkin, Naoshima Pavilion
The museum, designed by Tadao Ando, is itself an extraordinary art piece, built mostly underground to preserve the beautiful natural scenery. Claude Monet’s famous late works are displayed in natural light, allowing the view of the art to change with the weather and time of day—a truly unique way to appreciate these masterpieces. Artworks by James Turrell and Walter De Maria are also on permanent display. Tickets must be reserved through the museum's official website. We can take a break at Chichu Café, which offers stunning views of the Inland Sea. The itinerary will be adjusted based on the timing of your museum reservation; if it’s in the afternoon, we’ll visit other areas in the morning.
Benesse House Museum, built in 1992, was the first to combine accommodation with the concept of "coexistence of nature, art, and architecture." Staying here allows for a unique experience, including exploring the museum at night and using the free hotel shuttle. However, staying is not essential to enjoy Naoshima. If you do stay, we can skip Benesse House Museum and focus on the nearby Lee Ufan Museum, a serene, minimalist space where Lee Ufan’s works blend with Tadao Ando’s architecture and the Valley Gallery. The stylish café at Benesse House is also a great spot for lunch if we're lucky enough to find a table.
The old, vacant houses in the castle town, once home to local pirates, have been transformed into contemporary art installations. Walking around, you can experience the history of Naoshima up close, with creative installations inspired by the town's heritage. The ANDO MUSEUM, as well as a new museum currently under construction, are located in this area. There are also a few cozy cafés where we can stop for snacks and relax.
At the end of your journey, you can relax in the artistic public bath created by Shinro Ohtake. Some say it’s the best art experience on Naoshima—let’s find out for ourselves! If you’re feeling shy, we can still admire the unique building, which Ohtake designed using nostalgic elements and honoring what the original bathhouse meant to the people of Naoshima.
Miyanoura port
Miyanoura port on Naoshima
You will spend a rich time through the works of contemporary artists inspired by the picturesque Seto Inland Sea and the various charms of Naoshima. There are so many works on Naoshima that one day is not enough time to visit them all. Your itinerary will be affected by the reservation hours of the Chichu Art Museum and the time of transportation. Please let me know your priorities for visiting, if any.
(In 2025, the Setouchi International Art Festival will be held, attracting one million tourists and Naoshima and the other islands will be more crowded, so if you really want to enjoy Naoshima's beautiful nature and permanent exhibitions in a relaxed atmosphere, it is best to visit before then.)
guide fee
transportation fee
lunch (you and the guide)
entrance fee: we may not visit all of the following facilities.
・Chichu Art Museum: 2100 yen,
・Benesse House Museum:1,300 yen,
・Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery: Time Corridors 1,500 yen (Tea and sweets are included)
・Lee Ufan Museum:1,050 yen
・Art House Project: 1,050 yen for six houses
・ANDO MUSEUM: 520 yen
・Naoshima Bath:660 yen
This tour is not available on Mondays because many facilities are closed on Naoshima.
If you stay at the Benesse house hotels you can use their bus transportation freely. If you don't it is convenient to reserve a taxi for a big group to see more art sites. I highly recommend to book early because there aren't many taxis on Naoshima.
There are two ways to get to Naoshima, one from Uno Port in Okayama and the other from Takamatsu Port in Kagawa Prefecture, but for a taste of island travel, I recommend taking the lovely ferry from Takamatsu Port. Takamatsu Station and Takamatsu Port are very close, and there are many accommodation facilities. To come to Takamatsu station, transfer to the Marine Liner at Okayama station and travel one hour through the Seto-ohashi Bridge.
From Okayama station to Uno Port, you can ride a local train but if you have luggage and more than one person, it is more convenient to take a taxi, which costs about 8,000 yen.
If you stay at Benesse House on Naoshima, you can enjoy the night views of art works. You also have the privilege of riding the hotel bus connecting the other sightseeing area, which is more convenient.
If we use a town bus it costs 100-yen a ride.
Electric bicycle is 1500-yen a day.
Taxi is available if we can reserve and they have a few taxes. (Miyanoura port to Chicyu museum about 1000-yen, Benesse museum to Art House Project around 1500-yen, Art House Project to the port around 1300-yen)
Please send me a message to see if I am available or not. I recommend weekdays to visit Naoshima when it is not relatively crowded but I will do my best to maximize your joy on Naoshima.
Mika went above and beyond to help us prepare for this trip, and was a wealth of information on culture and history while we traveled together. I only wish I could give 10 stars. This tour covered a huge amount of our wishlist, and Mika helped us to coordinate our free day on the island. Thank you
Thank you so much for your heartwarming review! I was thrilled by your interest in authentic soy sauce, which inspired me to create this special Shodoshima tour Last February. What a lucky day it was when we met three masters of soy sauce breweries and the female priest at the shrine! This tour wouldn't have happened without your request, and I am so happy that your family enjoyed Shodoshima. Please come back to the islands in the Seto Inland Sea.
I spent a wonderful day with Mika. She put a lot of effort into preparing, planning and customising the tour based on my interests. She is friendly, knowledgeable and was very generous with her time. Even though the weather wasn't the best it didn't dampen the experience and actually added to it times. Mika also took this into account and adjusted accordingly. Communication before during and after was excellent and very easy. I greatly enjoyed her company and would highly recommend anyone visiting Takamatsu to consider spending the day with Mika. There is no substitute for local knowledge and experience, it really adds another dimension to sightseeing. Many thanks again Mika!
Thank you so much for your heartwarming review! I thoroughly enjoyed our time strolling through Ritsurin Garden, taking in the ink painting-like view from the summit of Yashima, and experiencing the solemn atmosphere of Yashima Temple. If you have any questions while exploring Kagawa, please don't hesitate to reach out anytime. Wishing you safe and enriching journeys ahead!