Naoshima (直島) (Naoshima Town, Kagawa District) | island

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Naoshima (直島) is an island located in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. It is renowned for its collection of contemporary art galleries and exhibits.

Naoshima is best known for the Benesse House complex. There has been extensive domestic attention to the recently (2006) completed radical Chichu Art Museum. The island itself has been settled as long as there have been Japanese. The original settlement is the now-diminuitive fishing port of Tsumuura. The most prominent settlement on the island is Honmura which was established as a coastal castle town (warring states) period (1467-1568). A number of houses in this town have been radically reformed in the Art House Project. Miyanoura - the port at which you will likely alight - is now the passenger and transport hub for the island, yet remains a sleepy coastal town.

The island can be quite hilly but pleasant enough along the coasts for biking and walking, except for the road from Miyanoura to Chichu Art Museum. It is entirely feasible for all sights on this island to be seen in one day but take a note from the locals and enjoy the island as a whole, in your own pace. There are beaches and mountains here, so pack swimming trunks, sunscreen and some good walking shoes if you are so inclined.

Though the island is much closer to Honshu, administratively it belongs to Shikoku's Kagawa prefecture. It has 3365 inhabitants (on 1st JAN 2009).

A detailed bilingual map can be obtained at the Marine Station Naoshima (designed by SANAA) just in the front of the Miyanoura ferry quay. This map has a list of all guesthouses, restaurants and major exhibits on the island. This map is also available for download from the Naoshima Tourism Association's official website.