30 May 2025

Naoshima Island and Takamatsu Highlights

With Heritage Adventurer sailing into the port of Takamatsu on Shikoku Island at dawn, we readied ourselves for a day of exploration. Our Takamatsu explorers began with the iconic Ritsurin Gardens where we strolled alongside koi ponds, marvelling at the purple iris displays in full bloom underneath expertly manicured bonsai. Continuing the bonsai theme, we then met a family of bonsai growers and heard them explain the process of growing from seed, and the intricate shaping that takes place before the final transplantation to a display garden. After lunch on board, we spent the afternoon exploring the ruins of Takamatsu Castle, a coastal castle stronghold which once boasted a unique saltwater moat.

For our art lovers on board, today’s adventure took us to one of Japan’s most unique and inspiring destinations — Naoshima Island. Renowned for its groundbreaking integration of contemporary art and architecture, this small island, with a population of just over 3,000, offered a full-day immersion in both natural beauty and creative expression.

After a scenic 30-minute ferry ride from Shikoku, we arrived on Naoshima’s quiet shores and were instantly charmed by the simplicity of Honmura’s residential streets. As we walked through the peaceful neighbourhood, we noticed the traditional use of Japanese cedar in home construction — a technique where the wood is lightly burned to increase durability and resist insects.

Our first stop was the Ishibashi Gallery, housed in a beautifully renovated traditional home where light and space transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. Next, we explored Haisha by Otake Shinro, part of the Art House Project — a collection of abandoned buildings repurposed into art installations. Once a dental clinic, Haisha now showcases large sculptures, including a replica of the Statue of Liberty, spread across its two eccentric floors.

Following our bento box lunch, we walked to nearby Yayoi Kusama’s vibrant, polka-dotted pumpkin sculpture. Her playful yet deeply personal work, shaped by her experiences with mental illness, adds emotional depth to her whimsical forms.

In the afternoon, we made our way to the Chichu Art Museum — a subterranean marvel designed by Tadao Ando. Built mostly below ground to preserve the natural scenery above, its vast, geometric concrete forms created a maze-like experience that felt like stepping into an alternate universe. Carefully curated natural light played across the museum’s stark surfaces, guiding us through installations by artists like James Turrell, Claude Monet, and Walter De Maria.

We then explored Benesse House Museum, also by Ando, where nature, art, and architecture seamlessly merge. With high ceilings, expansive windows, and site-specific works throughout, the building itself feels like a living artwork—offering constant surprises inside and stunning views of the Seto Inland Sea outside.

Images © C. Perry & G Payne, Heritage Expeditions