Naoshima, Kagawa · Things to do
Things to Do in Naoshima: 12 Art Sites with Hours, Tickets and Closing Days
12 things to do · checked October 22, 2026
12 things to do on Naoshima, from the Benesse area to the port, plus Teshima
Hours, prices and access checked against each place's own page on October 22, 2026. They change; check before you go.
1Chichu Art Museum地中美術館
Art museum · Benesse area
A Tadao Ando building with permanent works by Claude Monet, James Turrell and Walter De Maria, and the Chichu Garden of nearly 200 kinds of flowers and trees. Entry needs a ticket booked online for a set date and time; if online tickets sell out, none are sold on the day. No photography inside.
Timed tickets online only once sold out. Night Program on Fridays and Saturdays.
- Access
- Free Benesse Art Site shuttle from Tsutsuji-so, the last stop of the town bus from Miyanoura Port (¥100). The shuttle does not run on Mondays, when the museums close.
- Hours
- 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00). Night Program for Turrell's Open Sky on Fridays and Saturdays, start time set by sunset, by reservation.
- Closed on
- Mondays (open on a national-holiday Monday, closed the next day); see the Open Days Calendar
- Price
- Weekdays ¥2,500 online / ¥2,800 on site; Saturdays, Sundays and holidays ¥2,700 online / ¥3,000 on site; 15 and under free. Night Program ¥3,700 including entry
2Benesse House Museumベネッセハウス ミュージアム
Art museum and hotel · Benesse area
The museum inside the Benesse House hotel, designed by Tadao Ando, with outdoor works set around it. The ticket includes Valley Gallery; hotel guests enter free and can stay in the galleries until 23:00.
- Access
- The free shuttle from Tsutsuji-so stops at Benesse House Museum; or walk in from Tsutsuji-so. Cars, motorbikes and bicycles are asked to stay out of the area unless staying at Benesse House.
- Hours
- 8:00–21:00 (last entry 20:00)
- Closed on
- Open year-round; see the Open Days Calendar
- Price
- ¥1,300 online / ¥1,500 on site; 15 and under free; free for Benesse House guests
3Valley Galleryヴァレーギャラリー
Art gallery · Benesse area
Part of Benesse House Museum, showing Yayoi Kusama's Narcissus Garden and Tsuyoshi Ozawa's Slag Buddha 88, made with slag from industrial waste on Teshima. Entry is included in the Benesse House Museum ticket, which is also sold at the gallery.
- Access
- In the Benesse area; the free shuttle from Tsutsuji-so stops at Benesse House Museum.
- Hours
- 9:30–16:00 (last entry 15:30)
- Price
- Included in the Benesse House Museum ticket (¥1,300 online / ¥1,500 on site); 15 and under free
4Pumpkin (Yayoi Kusama, yellow)草間彌生「南瓜」
Outdoor artwork · Benesse area
Yayoi Kusama's yellow Pumpkin (2022), listed among the outdoor works of Benesse House Museum.
- Access
- In the Benesse area, between the east gate near Tsutsuji-so and the north gate near Lee Ufan Museum. Walk in from Tsutsuji-so or take the free shuttle; the area is private and closed to cars, motorbikes and bicycles except for Benesse House guests.
5Lee Ufan Museum李禹煥美術館
Art museum · Benesse area
A museum of works by the artist Lee Ufan. Private tours for one group of up to 8 can be booked from two months ahead, at ¥2,160 per group on top of entry.
- Access
- The free shuttle between Tsutsuji-so and Chichu Art Museum stops here.
- Hours
- 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays (open on a national-holiday Monday, closed the next day)
- Price
- ¥1,200 online / ¥1,400 on site; 15 and under free
6Naoshima New Museum of Art直島新美術館
Art museum · Honmura
Opened in spring 2025 on a hilltop near Honmura, Tadao Ando's tenth building for Benesse Art Site. It shows major and commissioned works by artists from Asia, including Japan; the current exhibition runs 7 June–23 November 2026.
Current exhibition until 23 November 2026.
- Access
- On a hilltop near Honmura. The town bus between Miyanoura Port and Tsutsuji-so stops in Honmura (¥100).
- Hours
- 10:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)
- Closed on
- Mondays (open on a national-holiday Monday, closed the next day)
- Price
- ¥1,500 online / ¥1,700 on site; 15 and under free
7Art House Project家プロジェクト
Artworks in old houses · Honmura
Seven houses and buildings in Honmura made into artworks: Kadoya, Minamidera (James Turrell), Kinza (Rei Naito), Go'o Shrine (Hiroshi Sugimoto), Ishibashi, Gokaisho and Haisha. Minamidera and Kinza are by date-and-time reservation only; for the others, buy a ticket first at Honmura Lounge & Archive or online.
Minamidera and Kinza by date-and-time reservation only.
- Access
- Honmura, a stop on the town bus from Miyanoura Port (¥100). Passenger boats from Uno also land at Honmura port (about 20 min, ¥370).
- Hours
- Kadoya, Ishibashi, Haisha 10:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:30; Go'o Shrine, Gokaisho 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–16:30; Minamidera 10:00–16:30 (last entry 16:05); Kinza Oct–Feb 10:00–13:00 and 14:30–16:00, Mar–Sep 10:30–13:00 and 14:30–16:30
- Closed on
- Mondays (open on a national-holiday Monday, closed the next day); Kinza keeps its own schedule
- Price
- Five-house ticket ¥1,200 online / ¥1,400 on site; one house ¥600 / ¥700; Minamidera and Kinza ¥600 / ¥700 each; 15 and under free
8ANDO MUSEUMANDO MUSEUM
Architecture museum · Honmura
A Tadao Ando interior of bare concrete walls built inside a wooden house about 100 years old in Honmura.
- Access
- Honmura, a stop on the town bus from Miyanoura Port (¥100).
- Hours
- 10:00–13:00 and 14:00–16:30 (last entry 16:00)
- Closed on
- Mondays (open on a national-holiday Monday, closed the next day)
- Price
- ¥600 online / ¥700 on site; 15 and under free
9Naoshima Bath "I♥湯"直島銭湯「I♥湯」
Public bath and artwork · Miyanoura
A working public bath designed by the artist Shinro Ohtake, run by the Town-Naoshima Tourism Association. It gets crowded around ferry arrivals and departures.
- Access
- Miyanoura, where the Takamatsu and Uno ferries arrive. No parking on site; the municipal lot near Miyanoura Port is ¥200 a day.
- Hours
- 13:00–21:00 (last entry 20:30)
- Closed on
- Mondays (open on a national-holiday Monday, closed the next day); occasional maintenance closures
- Price
- Adults ¥660; 15 and under ¥310; under 3 free
10Red Pumpkin (Yayoi Kusama)草間彌生「赤かぼちゃ」
Outdoor artwork · Miyanoura
Yayoi Kusama's red pumpkin in the Miyanoura area. Some of its dots are cut through, so you can step inside.
- Access
- Miyanoura, where the Takamatsu and Uno ferries arrive.
11Naoshima Pavilion直島パヴィリオン
Outdoor artwork · Miyanoura
Sou Fujimoto's structure of about 250 stainless steel nets, made for the 60th anniversary of Naoshima's town status. You can go inside it.
- Access
- Miyanoura, where the Takamatsu and Uno ferries arrive.
12Teshima Art Museum豊島美術館
Art museum (island day trip) · Teshima (Karato)
On Teshima: Rei Naito's Matrix in a building by the architect Ryue Nishizawa. Entry needs a ticket booked online for a set date and time; if online tickets sell out, none are sold on the day.
Closed Tuesdays (Mar–Nov), so it is the one museum here open on a Monday.
- Access
- Shikoku Kisen boat Miyanoura–Ieura (¥820), running Mon and Wed–Sun Mar–Nov, Mon and Fri–Sun Dec–Feb; or Teshima Ferry Honmura–Ieura (¥620). The museum is in Karato.
- Hours
- 1 Mar–30 Sep 10:00–17:00 (last entry 16:30); 1 Oct–end Feb 10:00–16:00 (last entry 15:30)
- Closed on
- Tuesdays (1 Mar–30 Nov); Tuesday–Thursday (1 Dec–end Feb). Open on national holidays, closed the next day
- Price
- ¥1,800 online / ¥2,000 on site; 15 and under free
Good to know
Book Chichu Art Museum before anything else. Entry is by an online ticket for a set date and time, and when those sell out nothing is sold on the day. Minamidera and Kinza in the Art House Project, and Teshima Art Museum, also need a timed booking; the other Benesse Art Site museums sell tickets online and on site, with online cheaper by ¥200–300 and under-16s free.
The island has three clusters. Miyanoura is the ferry port, with the I♥湯 bath, the Red Pumpkin and Naoshima Pavilion. Honmura has the Art House Project, ANDO MUSEUM and the Naoshima New Museum of Art. The Benesse area, past Tsutsuji-so, has Chichu, Benesse House Museum, Valley Gallery, Lee Ufan Museum and the yellow Pumpkin. The town bus (¥100) links Miyanoura, Honmura and Tsutsuji-so; a free shuttle runs from Tsutsuji-so to Chichu.
Mondays: Chichu, Lee Ufan, the New Museum of Art, the Art House Project, ANDO MUSEUM and I♥湯 close (a holiday Monday opens and the next day closes), and the free shuttle does not run. Benesse House Museum is open year-round, and Teshima Art Museum closes on Tuesdays instead from March to November.
Benesse area, Honmura, Miyanoura or Teshima
How to get there, adult entry (online / on site) and the last entry of the day. Under-16s are free at every Benesse Art Site facility on this list.
| Where | Getting there | Entry (adult) | Last entry | Closed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benesse area: Chichu, Benesse House Museum, Valley Gallery, Lee Ufan, yellow Pumpkin | Town bus to Tsutsuji-so (¥100), then the free shuttle or on foot | Chichu ¥2,500–2,700 / ¥2,800–3,000 · Benesse House Museum ¥1,300 / ¥1,500 (Valley Gallery included) · Lee Ufan ¥1,200 / ¥1,400 | Chichu 16:00 · Lee Ufan 16:30 · Valley Gallery 15:30 · Benesse House Museum 20:00 | Chichu, Lee Ufan: Mondays · Benesse House Museum: open year-round |
| Honmura: Art House Project, ANDO MUSEUM, New Museum of Art | Town bus stop in Honmura; passenger boat from Uno to Honmura port | Five houses ¥1,200 / ¥1,400 · ANDO MUSEUM ¥600 / ¥700 · New Museum ¥1,500 / ¥1,700 | Minamidera 16:05 · ANDO MUSEUM 16:00 · New Museum 16:00 | Mondays |
| Miyanoura: I♥湯, Red Pumpkin, Naoshima Pavilion | The ferry port | I♥湯 ¥660 | I♥湯 20:30 | I♥湯: Mondays |
| Teshima Art Museum | Boat Miyanoura–Ieura (¥820) or Honmura–Ieura (¥620) | ¥1,800 / ¥2,000 | 16:30 (Mar–Sep) · 15:30 (Oct–Feb) | Tuesdays (Mar–Nov) · Tue–Thu (Dec–Feb) |
By kind of trip
First trip, one day
Book Chichu's timed ticket first, then fit Honmura around it. The Art House Project houses close for an hour at midday and Minamidera's last entry is 16:05; the yellow Pumpkin is in the Benesse area with the museums.
Chichu Art Museum · Art House Project · Pumpkin (Yayoi Kusama, yellow) · Benesse House Museum
On a Monday
Most museums and the free shuttle stop on Mondays. Benesse House Museum is open year-round, the pumpkins and the pavilion are outdoors, and the Miyanoura–Ieura boat runs on Mondays to Teshima, where the museum closes on Tuesdays instead.
Benesse House Museum · Red Pumpkin (Yayoi Kusama) · Naoshima Pavilion · Teshima Art Museum
After dark
I♥湯 is open until 21:00 and Benesse House Museum until 21:00 (last entry 20:00; until 23:00 for hotel guests). Chichu's Night Program for Turrell's Open Sky runs on Fridays and Saturdays from around sunset, by reservation.
Naoshima Bath "I♥湯" · Benesse House Museum · Chichu Art Museum
Rainy day
These are indoors. ANDO MUSEUM is in Honmura and the New Museum of Art on a hilltop near it, both on the town bus route from Miyanoura.
Chichu Art Museum · Naoshima New Museum of Art · ANDO MUSEUM · Lee Ufan Museum
With children
Benesse Art Site museums are free for 15 and under; I♥湯 is ¥310 for 15 and under and free under 3. Chichu asks visitors not to bring children under 6 to the Night Program.
Benesse House Museum · Naoshima New Museum of Art · Naoshima Bath "I♥湯" · Red Pumpkin (Yayoi Kusama)
Questions
Do I need to book Chichu Art Museum in advance?
Yes. Chichu needs an online ticket for a set date and time, and if online tickets sell out there are no on-site sales that day. Weekday tickets are ¥2,500 online (¥2,800 on site), weekends and holidays ¥2,700 (¥3,000); 15 and under free. Last entry is 16:00.
What is closed on Naoshima on Mondays?
Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, the Naoshima New Museum of Art, the Art House Project, ANDO MUSEUM and I♥湯 close on Mondays; on a national-holiday Monday they open and close the next day instead. The free art-site shuttle does not run on Mondays. Benesse House Museum is open year-round.
How do I get around Naoshima?
The town bus runs from Miyanoura Port through Honmura to Tsutsuji-so for ¥100 (children ¥50, coins only). From Tsutsuji-so a free shuttle runs to Chichu, stopping at Benesse House Museum and Lee Ufan Museum. Bicycles are rented in Miyanoura and Honmura, and the island has two taxis, so book ahead.
How do I get to Naoshima from Takamatsu or Okayama?
From Takamatsu, Shikoku Kisen runs ferries (about 50–60 min, ¥680) and high-speed boats (about 30 min, ¥1,590) to Miyanoura. From Uno, reached by JR from Okayama, ferries and passenger boats take about 15–20 min to Miyanoura (¥370), and five passenger boats a day go to Honmura.
Can I visit Teshima Art Museum from Naoshima?
Yes. Shikoku Kisen sails Miyanoura–Ieura (¥820) on Mondays and Wednesday–Sunday from March to November, and Teshima Ferry sails Honmura–Ieura (¥620). The museum is in Karato, closes on Tuesdays from March to November, and needs a timed online ticket (¥1,800).