Japan / Hiroshima, Okayama & the Inland Sea / NaoshimaNaoshima
The Art Island of the Seto Inland Sea
A small island in the Seto Inland Sea turned into a gallery by the Benesse Art Site: Tadao Ando's underground Chichu Art Museum with its Monet water lilies and James Turrell rooms (timed tickets, booked online), the Lee Ufan Museum, Benesse House, Yayoi Kusama's yellow and red pumpkins by the sea, and the Art House Project, old houses in Honmura village turned into installations. Ferries take 20 minutes from Uno (an hour from Okayama by JR) or 50 minutes from Takamatsu on Shikoku, and boats go on to Teshima and its art museum. Most museums close on Mondays, and the island has few rooms: book early, or come for a long day from Okayama.
Highlights
- Monet's water lilies in the Chichu Art Museum
- James Turrell's light rooms
- Yayoi Kusama's Yellow Pumpkin on the pier
- Benesse House and its seaside sculptures
- Lee Ufan Museum and the Valley Gallery
- Art House Project in Honmura
- Naoshima Bath "I♥湯"
- Teshima Art Museum's water drops
- Cycling the island's coast road
Things to do
- Chichu Art Museum: Monet, Turrell and De Maria (timed ticket; closed Mondays)Morning · 2h
- Benesse House Museum & the seaside sculpturesAfternoon · 2h
- Lee Ufan Museum & the Valley GalleryAfternoon · 1h 30m
- Art House Project houses in HonmuraMorning · 2h 30m
- Cycle round the island on a hired e-bikeAfternoon · 2h
- Yellow Pumpkin on the pier at sunsetEvening · 1h
- Naoshima Bath "I♥湯" public bathEvening · 1h
- Day across to Teshima and the Teshima Art Museum (check its closing days)Morning · 5h
Tours & tickets
Tourisma may earn a small commission if you book — it never changes your price.
When to go
Best time: March – May, September – November
Heads up
Golden Week Crowds (29 April – 5 May)
Golden Week is a run of national holidays from 29 April to 5 May: shinkansen and domestic flights sell out, hotels raise prices, and sights are packed. Book transport and rooms early, or plan around those dates.
Heads up
Obon Holiday Rush (mid-August)
Around 13–16 August Japan travels home for Obon: trains and flights are full (Nozomi trains ran reserved seats only at Obon 2026), and resort hotels charge peak rates. Reserve seats for every long journey that week.
Heads up
Rainy Season (Tsuyu)
From early June to mid or late July it rains most days, often all day, on Honshu and Kyushu: carry an umbrella, keep outdoor plans flexible, and expect landslide warnings to close mountain roads and some railways after heavy downpours. Hydrangeas are in flower and the crowds are thinner.
Heads up
Typhoon Season
Typhoons reach Kyushu and Honshu from August to October, worst in September. A direct hit stops shinkansen, flights and ferries for a day and closes sights; most pass within 24-48 hours. Check forecasts in the days before travel and keep a spare day before an international flight.
- Golden Week — Four public holidays in a week, when much of Japan travels: shinkansen and domestic flights sell out, hotel prices rise, and sights are packed. Avoid travelling between cities on the first and last days.
- Obon — The festival of the ancestors, around 13-16 August: families travel home, shinkansen and flights sell out (Nozomi trains ran reserved seats only at Obon 2026), and there are Bon dances and lantern floats in towns across Japan.
- New Year (Shogatsu) · 31 Dec — Japan's biggest holiday: temples ring their bells 108 times at midnight on 31 December and millions make the first shrine visit (hatsumode), Meiji Jingu and Fushimi Inari above all. Many museums, restaurants and offices close from about 29 December to 3 January; trains run, but are full around the start and end.