Seto Inland Sea: Naoshima, Teshima, Setoda

The Seto Inland Sea, between Honshu and Shikoku, takes three to five nights for its art islands and harbours: Naoshima and its museums by the architect Tadao Ando, Teshima and its museum built for a single work, Setoda on the island of Ikuchijima, and the Guntû cruise from Onomichi. The islands are reached by boat from Uno, Takamatsu, Mihara or Onomichi, one or two hours by Shinkansen (Japan's high-speed rail) from Kyoto and Osaka. People come for contemporary art and architecture, as couples or on a second trip to Japan.

Three islands, three rhythms

Naoshima and Teshima are neighbours and fit together in two nights. Setoda lies further west, on the Shimanami Kaido island route that links Onomichi to Shikoku by a chain of bridges; it pairs better with Hiroshima and Miyajima.

Naoshima, the island of Tadao Ando's museums

Chichu Art Museum

The Chichu Art Museum, opened in 2004, lies largely underground. Tadao Ando designed it around three artists: five of Claude Monet's Water Lilies, three works by James Turrell, including Open Sky, and a 2.2 m sphere by Walter De Maria. It opens from 10 am to 5 pm, last entry 4 pm, and closes on Mondays. Entry must be booked for a date and time slot: 2,500 ¥ (about 15 €) online on weekdays, 2,700 ¥ (about 16 €) at weekends, with no tickets sold on site once it is full.

The evening programme, on reservation, shows James Turrell's Open Sky at sunset: 45 minutes, museum entry included, for 3,700 ¥ (about 21 €) per person.

The Chichu Art Museum is closed from 12 January to 19 March 2027.

Naoshima New Museum of Art

Opened in spring 2025 near the Honmura district, it is Tadao Ando's tenth building on the island. It shows work by Asian artists and temporary exhibitions, from 10 am to 4.30 pm, last entry 4 pm, except on Mondays. Entry is 1,500 ¥ (about 9 €) online and 1,700 ¥ (about 10 €) on site.

Benesse House Museum and the Pumpkin

In the south of the island, the Benesse House Museum and the Valley Gallery bring together indoor and outdoor works, among them Yayoi Kusama's Pumpkin. They are closed from 12 to 18 January 2027, Pumpkin included. The museum is also a hotel, described below.

Teshima, a museum for one work

The Teshima Art Museum is a building by the architect Ryue Nishizawa that holds a single work, Rei Naito's Matrix, installed in 2010. It opens from 10 am to 5 pm from March to September and from 10 am to 4 pm from October to February. It closes on Tuesdays from March to November, and from Tuesday to Thursday from December to February. As at the Chichu, a date and time slot must be booked: 1,800 ¥ (about 11 €) online, 2,000 ¥ (about 12 €) on site.

The boat from Naoshima to Teshima takes 20 minutes and costs 820 ¥ (about 5 €). Two nights on Naoshima leave time for a day on Teshima, as long as you avoid Monday for Naoshima and Tuesday for Teshima.

Setoda, the harbour of Ikuchijima

Setoda is a harbour of shipowners and salt makers on the island of Ikuchijima, 35 minutes by fast boat from Onomichi. Three visits can be made on foot:

• Kosan-ji, a temple built by Kozo Kosanji, an Osaka businessman, in tribute to his mother; it has a museum registered since 1953 and, above it, the Miraishin no Oka hill. Open 9 am to 5 pm; the 1,800 ¥ (about 11 €) ticket covers the hill and the Kongo-kan pavilion;
• the three-storey pagoda of Kojo-ji, raised in 1432 by the Kobayakawa lords, a National Treasure that blends Japanese and Chinese styles; a ten-minute walk from the harbour;
• the Hirayama Ikuo Museum, devoted to the painter born in Setoda: early works, views of the island, full-size sketches. Open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, from 1,000 ¥ (about 6 €) depending on the exhibition, a ten-minute walk from the harbour.

Guntû, a ryokan that sails

Guntû is a boat with 17 suites designed by the architect Yasushi Horibe. It leaves Bella Vista Marina, in Onomichi, at 3 pm and returns around 11 am on the last day, after two or three nights; at night it anchors off the islands, without calling at another port. Meals, drinks, shore excursions and a car transfer from Hiroshima Airport or JR Fukuyama Station are included; the Terrace Suite for two starts at 625,000 ¥ (about 3,525 €) per person for the December 2026 to May 2027 season.

From December 2026 to May 2027, the two-night routes head west as far as Kaminoseki and Miyajima, through the centre along the old routes of the Murakami pirates, or east by way of Naoshima, Teshima and Shodoshima; three-night drifting routes complete the programme. The ship sails on fixed dates: in April 2027, two-night cruises leave on the 6th (central), the 23rd (westward) and the 26th (eastward), with a special five-day route on the 14th. Passengers must be at least 15.

Getting to the Inland Sea

JR stands for Japan Railways, the national railway companies; our guide to trains and the Japan Rail Pass explains which journeys the pass covers.

When to go

The 1991-2020 normals of the JMA (Japan Meteorological Agency) for Takamatsu, across from Naoshima, give average highs of 19.8 °C in April, 24.8 °C in May, 23.2 °C in October and 17.5 °C in November. July and August exceed 31 °C; January stays at 9.7 °C. Walking between the outdoor works and catching boats is easier in spring and autumn.

Winter 2027 calls for a look at the calendar:

Where to stay: three addresses in our selection

Benesse House, on Naoshima

Benesse House is Tadao Ando's museum hotel, opened in 1992 in the south of the island. Its 65 rooms are spread across four buildings: Museum (10 rooms, inside the museum), Oval (6, on the hill, reached by monorail), Park (41) and Beach (8, by the water). Guests can visit the Benesse House Museum and the Valley Gallery until 11 pm, and from 1 April 2027 the art sites concerned without a ticket or reservation. Children are accepted from the age of 6 in Museum and Oval. When we checked at the end of October 2026, the hotel had no rooms left for sale in April 2027: book as soon as sales open, 180 days ahead.

Azumi Setoda, in Setoda

Azumi Setoda occupies the house built in 1876 by the Horiuchi family, shipowners and salt makers of the harbour, restored by the architect Shiro Miura. The rooms of 50 to 70 m², around a courtyard enclosed by fences, all have a hinoki (Japanese cypress) bath. The yubune public bath opposite, with hot baths and a sauna, is free for guests. Dinner, on reservation, is not served on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Guntû, from Onomichi

Guntû, described above, counts as accommodation: it replaces two or three hotel nights, with meals and excursions.

These three addresses make up our idea Kyoto, Miyajima and the art islands in 10 days; Guntû ends the 11-day honeymoon. The Japan page covers all the regions.