Naoshima, Art island in Kagawa Prefecture, Japan
Naoshima is an island in the Seto Inland Sea that belongs to the Kagawa administrative district and is known for its museums and outdoor sculptures. The landscape combines wooded hills with flat coastal sections where residential areas and ferry ports are located.
The settlement gained official town status in 1954 after centuries as a remote fishing village. The transformation into an art destination began in the late 1980s with the construction of the first museum buildings.
The ferry terminal and narrow streets preserve the feel of a fishing village, while contemporary artworks appear inside wooden houses in the old quarter. Residents share daily life with visitors who walk between galleries and buy Japanese dishes at small shops.
Several ferry connections run daily from mainland ports, with crossings taking between 20 and 50 minutes depending on the departure point. Bicycles can be rented locally to reach galleries and installations spread across the island.
Yellow pumpkin sculptures by artist Yayoi Kusama stand on the beaches and can be photographed at sunrise and sunset. These large objects have become landmarks that visitors often walk around to view the dot pattern from different angles.
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