Ever heard of a whole island dedicated to art? Naoshima is tiny on the map, but it looms large in the art world. Once a quiet, industrial island in Kagawa Prefecture, it has become one of the most talked‑about art destinations on the planet.
The shift came from a single, ambitious idea: use art to save a fading island.
From copper to contemporary art
Naoshima is one of several islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Once upon a time (i.e., early 1900s), it specialized in copper smelting, but the industry faded as people aged or moved away.
Then, in the 1990s, Fukutake Soichiro, the chairman of Benesse Holdings and the Fukutake Foundation, started the “Naoshima Project” as a regional revitalization strategy meant to fight depopulation.
Over the next three decades, the island grew into the core of the Benesse Art Site Naoshima network, even wrapping nearby islands Teshima and Inujima into the fold.
It also caught the attention of international media. Condé Nast Traveler named Naoshima one of the best Asian destinations in 2026, and the BBC listed it among its “25 Best Places to Travel” in 2025.
The Setouchi Triennale, celebrating art across islands
One of the most notable attractions on these islands is the Setouchi Triennale. This is not a museum or landmark, but an art festival held every three years, spread across three seasons (spring, summer, and autumn). It began in 2010, and the most recent one in 2025 attracted 320,000 visitors over the 38-day spring season alone.
The festival scatters installations across the islands, turning old houses, fields, and even abandoned buildings into stages for site‑specific work. The event creates both a unique artistic experience and a chance to revitalize small local businesses.
For visitors, the Triennale is a kind of treasure hunt: you hop between islands by ferry, moving from one masterpiece to the next, marveling at the creativity as you go. In 2025, a three-season passport went for 4,500 yen (28 USD) per adult, but this may change for the 2028 Triennale.
Benesse House Museum: a sprawling complex of art, both indoors and out
The first major art complex on Naoshima was the Benesse House Museum, designed by Tadao Ando and opened in 1992. It distinguished itself by not just having gallery spaces, but also hotel rooms to attract art-loving tourists.
It’s not just a simple two-story building, either. It has multiple components scattered throughout, from its seaside gallery and outdoor works to the house park. For what you get, the admission fee of 1,300 yen (8 USD) per adult is a steal; plus, it’s free for kids.
You can also find the famous Yayoi Kusama’s Yellow Pumpkin in the Outdoor Works section of Benesse House. Though the two-meter-tall fiberglass sculpture was swept away during a 2021 typhoon, it was carefully reconstructed and put back on display in October 2022.
Address: Gotanji, Naoshima, Kagawa 761-3110
Viewing the light from underground at the Chichu Art Museum
The Chichu Art Museum was designed by Tadao Ando and built entirely underground. Not only does it host art, but the building itself is a study in how light affects space, with uniquely shaped skylights controlling the way natural light seeps inside.
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Chichu is usually closed on Mondays, and the online admission fee varies: 2,500 yen (16 USD) during weekdays and 2,700 yen (17 USD) on weekends and public holidays.
Address: 3449-1 Naoshima, Kagawa 761-3110
Art across Asia: the Naoshima New Museum of Art
Opened on May 31, 2025, the Naoshima New Museum of Art is the newest art museum on the island, and the tenth designed by Tadao Ando. Its opening exhibition, “From the Origin to the Future,” runs through May 17, 2026. It displays a new and unique perspective on contemporary art throughout Asia using a series of eye-catching sculptures and stylistic layouts.
Like Chichu, it makes use of underground space with two basement levels, though it also has an above-ground level with a café. Online tickets for the museum are 1,500 yen (9 USD) each for those 16 and up.
Address: 3299-73 Naoshima, Kagawa 761-3110
Treasures on other islands: the Teshima trifecta
On the neighboring island of Teshima lie further wonders. Teshima Art Museum is a concrete shell housing a single meditative space—manmade, but one with nature. Admission is 1,800 yen (11 USD) per person.
Address: 607 Teshimakarato, Tonosho, Shozu District, Kagawa 761-4662
Teshima Yokoo House, designed by artist‑designer Tadanori Yokoo, stacks fragments of his life and work into a surreal, walk‑through collage. Admission is 600 yen (4 USD) per person.
Address: 2359 Teshimaieura, Tonosho, Shozu District, Kagawa 761-4661
Finally, Christian Boltanski’s “Les Archives du Coeur,” also known as the Heartbeat Archive, captures heartbeat recordings from visitors and turns them into an audio archive: a quiet monument to the human experience. Admission is 600 yen per person.
Address: 2801-1 Teshimakarato, Tonosho, Shozu District, Kagawa 761-4662
Copper repurposing at Inujima Seirensho Art Museum
For those interested in the region’s history in the copper industry, Inujima Seirensho Art Museum is an absolute must-see. Located on yet another island, this museum transforms the ruins of a Meiji‑era copper refinery into a network of galleries and installations by architect Hiroshi Sambuichi and artist Yukinori Yanagi.
The online admission fee is 2,100 yen (13 USD) per adult, but is free for kids 15 and under.
Address: 327-4 Inujima, Higashi Ward, Okayama 704-8153
How to get to Naoshima and other art islands
Getting to the art islands requires just a boat trip: either a 50-minute ferry from Takamatsu, Kagawa, or a 20-minute one from Uno Port, Okayama. Most go straight to Naoshima, but a few run to Teshima as well. Meanwhile, a 10-minute ferry ride from Hoden Port, Okayama, can take you to Inujima.
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If you want to visit all the art islands in one go, there’s a ferry that runs from Naoshima to Teshima to Inujima and back again, specifically in line with the latter two islands’ main art museums.
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BBC Features Naoshima on 2025 Travel List. Japan Travel
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