Japan | Naoshima Art and Entertainment

The Setouchi Triennale invites art lovers to go on an island-hopping trip! After leaving Inujima, the previous stop, we jumped onto Naoshima. It and Teshima are the two key exhibition areas of the art festival, so the art tourism atmosphere on Naoshima is very strong and there are a lot of people. After landing, there are already several art installations at the Miyaura Port Pier. The first one is the pier, which is called "Sea Station". Next to it is a red pumpkin by the famous artist Yayoi Kusama. The artist's imaginary world is full of dots, and the dot art installation is his symbol. This hollow red pumpkin and "Sea Station" are called "Naoshima Gateway" and are the landmarks of Naoshima. In Naoshima, it is very enjoyable to take an art tour by bicycle. Only by cycling or walking can you have more opportunities to appreciate art and scenery without being restricted by bus time. So as soon as we landed, we saw many people riding bicycles back and forth. Naoshima became known internationally as an art mecca for the "Benesse House" designed by the famous architect Tadao Ando 20 years ago and the "House Project" that revitalized old houses in the village area. The Setouchi Triennale, which began in 2010, further enhanced Naoshima's reputation. When you come to Naoshima, you must visit Honmura. In 1998, the Fukutake Group's "Benesse" company started the Art House Project. Through the creativity of artists, the local old houses were revitalized and turned into seven art attractions. Another must-visit place when you come to Naoshima is the Chichu Art Museum. We took a special bus to the museum early in the morning. When we arrived, the museum was not open yet, but there was already a long queue. Everyone was given a ticket with an estimated entry time. Looking at the time, there was still an hour left, so we went to the beach near the Lee Ufan Art Museum, where we could see the blue ocean and the white sand beach. The name of the Chichu Art Museum means an art museum in the middle of the earth. In order not to affect the natural environment and vision, architect Tadao Ando developed the art museum in the middle of the earth. From the bird's eye view, we can see that there are no protruding buildings that affect the surrounding scenery, only trapezoids, squares and triangles. Tadao Ando's architectural aesthetics are famous for their extreme simplicity. He built the three-story art museum here with cement. This extremely simple cement building makes me feel like I am in a prison. The art of Naoshima is in harmony with the natural scenery. You can feel the artistic scenery more deeply by strolling or cycling on Naoshima. #Japan #Naoshima #Seto Inland Sea #Art Journey #Art Festival #Return to the Countryside