Naoshima

Naoshima is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan, located in Kagawa Prefecture. It has gained international recognition as a center of contemporary art and architecture, largely through the Benesse Art Site Naoshima, a long-running collaboration between the Fukutake family and the Benesse Corporation that began in the late 1980s. The island blends art, nature, and rural village life, with pine forests, beaches, and traditional houses forming a backdrop for installations and museums.

Key sites on Naoshima include the Chichu Art Museum, designed by Tadao Ando and opened in 2004, which houses works by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria in a space oriented to natural light. The Benesse House complex combines museum space with hotel accommodations and was established as part of the broader art program. The Art House Project in the Honmura district converts former houses into site-specific works by various artists, creating an open-air collection integrated with the fabric of the village. The Lee Ufan Museum, another major venue on the island, presents works by the minimalist Korean-born artist in a building designed by Ando.

Access to Naoshima is by ferry from Uno Port in Okayama Prefecture or from Takamatsu in Kagawa Prefecture, with ports at Miyanoura and Honmura. Visitors commonly rent bicycles or use local buses to tour the island. Tourism is the principal economic activity, complemented by limited local services and accommodations, including the Benesse House hotel.

See also: Benesse Art Site Naoshima; Chichu Art Museum; Art House Project.