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Naoshima Island is Japan’s art sanctuary! This small island, nestled between Hiroshima and Kyoto, is a global sensation thanks to its incredible collection of modern art museums, unique architecture, and striking sculptures (including the iconic yellow pumpkin!). You might have even seen the island featured in Condé Nast Traveler as a “must-visit” destination! And after the buzz surrounding the 2019 Setouchi Triennale Contemporary Art Festival, Naoshima’s popularity exploded.
Some of Noashima’s most famous art includes the instantly recognizable Red and Yellow Pumpkins by the legendary Yayoi Kusama. Beyond these well-known pieces, you’ll find fascinating museums like the Chichu Art Museum and the Benesse House Museum. But Naoshima offers more than just art; it’s a place of natural beauty, with stunning beaches, rolling mountains, and a charming town.
Getting to this island paradise in Japan is an adventure in itself! Since Naoshima doesn’t have an airport, your journey begins with a scenic ferry ride. Ferries depart from several ports, carrying you to one of Naoshima’s two harbors. In this article, we’ll guide you through the various ways to reach this captivating island, so let’s go!
How to get to Naoshima Island
There are two main ways to get to Naoshima: by taking the train to Okayama and then by boat, or by taking a flight or train to Takamatsu and then by boat. Both options have pros and cons depending on how you prioritize budget, time, and scenic views.
The most popular way is from Okayama and taking the ferry from Uno Port. Regular ferry service is available from the Uno Port to the Miyanoura Port, the main gateway on Naoshima. From Uno Port, it only takes 20 minutes by ferry to get to Naoshima Island.
But keep reading because we’ll outline all the options so you can choose the best one for you!
Via Okayama Station – The Cheapest Option
1. How to get to Okayama Station
From Kobe, Osaka, Kyoto, Nagoya or Tokyo (cities east of Okayama)
All aboard the Shinkansen (bullet train)! Unless you travel directly from Osaka, you must switch trains at Shin-Osaka. From Shin-Osaka Station, you can travel to Okayama Station, and it will take about 50 minutes by Nozomi, Mizuho, or Sakura and 70 minutes by Hikari.
You can check estimated route times in the table below for the different bullet trains you can take from the cities east of Okayama:
| Bullet Train Routes | Time |
| From Shin-Osaka to Okayama | -about 50 minutes (Nozomi, Mizuho, or Sakura) -about 70 minutes (Hikari or Kodama) |
| From Kyoto to Okayama | -about 60 minutes (Nozomi) -more than 60 minutes (Hikari to Shin-Osaka and Sakura from Shin-Osaka/Shin-Kobe) -about 90 minutes (Hikari) |
| From Nagoya to Okayama | -about 100 minutes (Nozomi) -more than 110 minutes (Hikari to Shin-Osaka and Sakura from Shin-Osaka/Shin-Kobe) -about 130 minutes (Hikari) |
| From Shin-Yokohama to Okayama | -about 180 minutes (Nozomi) -more than 220 minutes (Hikari to Shin-Osaka and Sakura from Shin-Osaka/Shin-Kobe) -about 250 minutes (Hikari) |
| From Tokyo to Okayama | -about 200 minutes (Nozomi) -more than 230 minutes (Hikari to Shin-Osaka and Sakura from Shin-Osaka/Shin-Kobe) -about 260 minutes (by Hikari) |
From Hiroshima or Hakata (cities west of Okayama)
If you come from Hiroshima or any area west from Okayama, your best bet is also taking a bullet train.
You can check estimated route times in the table below for the different bullet trains you can take from the cities west of Okayama:
| Bullet Train Routes | Time |
| From Hiroshima to Okayama | -about 40 minutes (Nozomi, Mizuho, or Sakura) -more than 70 minutes (Hikari or Kodama) |
| From Hakata to Okayama | -about 110 minutes (Nozomi, Mizuho, or Sakura) -more than 160 minutes (Hikari or Kodama) |
2. Okayama station to Uno Port
There are two ways to get to Uno Port:
Take the JR train to Uno Station and walk to Uno Port
Want to save a little money getting to Uno Port? The JR train is your best bet, especially if you have a Japan Rail Pass! From Okayama Station, hop on the JR Uno Line. Sometimes it’s a direct ride to Uno Station, but other times you might need to transfer at Chayamachi Station so make sure to check the schedule. Once you arrive at Uno Station, it’s an easy 5-minute walk to the port.
Costs ¥590
Travel time approx. 50-60 min.
Take Ryobi Express Bus from Okayama to Uno Port
The other way is taking the Ryobi Express Bus from Okayama Station to Uno Port. Just head to bus stop number 2 at the station and hop on!
A quick tip: these buses can fill up, so arriving a little early to snag a seat is a good idea. And super important – make sure you’re getting on the express bus. There is a regular bus that also goes to Uno Port, but it takes a much longer route, adding about 30 minutes to your travel time.
Costs ¥660
Travel time approx. 60 min.
3. Uno Port to Naoshima Island
Naoshima has two public ferry ports on the island: Miyanoura and Honmura. The main port for tourists in Naoshima is Miyanoura. From Uno Port, you can take a 20 minute ferry ride or a 15 minute speed boat ride operated by Shikoku Kisen. The best thing is that they are both priced the same, so you can take whichever one you prefer!
Costs ¥300 (one way)
Travelling time approx. 15-20 min.
Check the ferry and speed boat timetable here
Extra information:
- On the speed boat, sometimes you might struggle to find enough space for your luggage.
- It is a 5 min. walk from ticket center to boarding piers for the speed boat.
- There are two ports in Naoshima. Miyanoura Port and Honmura Port.
Honmura Port is much smaller port than Miyanoura Port and is located in Honmura, the center of Naoshima, close to Art House Project. However, the port itself is so small and mainly for residents. We recommend you take the boat to Miyanoura Port, especially if it’s your first time in Naoshima.
Via Takamatsu – The Comfortable Way
1. Fly to Takamatsu Airport
From Tokyo: You can catch a plane from Haneda or Narita Airport to Takamatsu Airport and go to Takamatsu Port from there directly. There are more than 10 flights operating on a daily basis from Haneda and a few more from Narita. The flight takes about 1 hour and will set you back anywhere from ¥5,000-¥20,000 one-way.
From Okinawa: there is just one flight from Okinawa’s Naha Airport to Takamatsu Airport per day. The flight takes approximately 2 hours.
From Abroad: There are a few direct international flights to Takamatsu Airport too, these include cities like Hong Kong, Taipei, or Seoul.
2. Takamatsu Airport to Takamatsu Port
After getting off the airplane, you can take an Airport Limousine Bus (operated by Kotoden Bus) to Takamatsu Station and from there walk a few minutes to Takamatsu Port.
Costs ¥1000
Travelling time approx. 65 min.
Check the timetable here
Alternative: Travel to Takamatsu Port by train
Another option for reaching Takamatsu Port from Tokyo, Kyoto or other cities, is taking the train. This is probably your best option when you hold a Japan Rail Pass or when you travel from Kyoto. Believe it or not, many people enjoy this way the most because of the amazing sea views. However, it takes a bit longer. Your travel plan would look like this:
- Take the bullet train to Okayama.
- From Okayama take the Marine Liner express bound for Takamatsu.
- From Takamatsu station walk a few minutes to Takamutsu Port.
3. Takamatsu Port to Naoshima Island
There are fewer services operating from Takamatsu Port compared to Uno Port, but you can take a ferry or speed boat operated by Shikoku Kisen to go to Miyanoura Port in Naoshima.
Ferry costs ¥520 (one way)
Travel time approx. 50 min.
Speedboat costs ¥1,220 (one way)
Travel time approx. 25 min.
Travelling Around on Naoshima Island
To enjoy all the good that Naoshima Island has to offer, we recommend you spend at least 1 night on the island. Even though the island is only 5 km across, there is a lot to see and in this way you are able to see everything and explore the island on a relaxed pace. There are multiple ways of getting around the island, there are busses, taxi’s, or you can rent a bicycle or make your way around on foot. As mentioned before Naoshima is only about 5 km across so it is relatively easy to explore.
By Bus
Naoshima’s museums and art installations are located on the southern part of the island. From Miyanoura Port one or two buses per hour depart for Tsutsuji-so (the museum area), making a short stop at Nokyo-mae, where the Art House Project / ANDO MUSEUM are located. The drive from Miyanoura Port to Tsutsuji-so takes about 15 minutes and the ticket will costs you ¥100.
From Tsutsuji-so bus stop you can catch a free shuttle bus to the Benesse House, the Lee Ufan Museum and the Chichu Art Museum.
By Bicycle
Our recommendation is to rent a bicycle, this way you can cover a lot more ground easily. There are many rental shops just across from Miyanoura ferry pier, renting out both pedal bicycles as well as electric bicycles. Rental costs will be approximately ¥500 (pedal bicycle) to ¥1,500 (electric bicycle) for the full day. There are a few hills you will encounter during your trip to Naoshima, so we suggest splurging for an electric bike!
By now you have a good idea of how to plan you trip to the special contemporary art island of Naoshima. Will you add a trip to this special island to your travel plans? If you have any inquiry about Naoshima, please contact us. We are happy to help you make your trip to Japan even better!
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Comments
What would it cost for us to book a train trip from tokyo to Naoshima on April 18… early on the 18th… there are four of us 2 adults. 1 16 year old. 1 10 year old. Admission to the musuem. AND possibly a room at Benesse house hotel for that night?
Thanks for your inquiry.
Please read the article. All information for the transport from Tokyo is there.
There are no direct train from Tokyo to Naoshima.
If you choose train trip, you need to go to Okayama Station from Tokyo by bullet train.
Then, go to Uno Station by local bus or local train.
Also, if you would like to stay the Benesse House, you can check the availability from their website.
http://benesse-artsite.jp/en/stay/benessehouse/
Information of admission fee is also there.
Since Benesse House is quite popular, basically we recommend booking the rooms more than 3 months before because the rooms will be sold out very soon.
We will be staying overnight in Okayama and the next night in Kobe. Is it doable to go to Naoshima to see some of what the island has to offer before continuing to Kobe for the night?
There is a convenient and smart train that is almost direct from Tokyo to Naoshima. It is the only affordable overnight train in Japan, called the Sunrise Seto that leaves from Tokyo and arrives at Takamatsu in Shikoku. From Takamatsu you can take the ferry directly to Naoshima. The Sunrise Seto departs from Tokyo at around 21:50 and arrives in Takamatsu at 7:27am. I recommend reserving a proper bed as the Nobi nobi seats looks uncomfortable. There are many websites and YouTube videos dedicated to the Sunrise Seto.
https://jprail.com/trains/sort-by-type/limited-express/sunrise-seto.html