Japan, Day 15: Naoshima

Carol | August 20, 2015 | Japan, Travel | No Comments

Today we’re traveling from Okayama to Uno by train where we’ll take a ferry to the island of Naoshima (now-shi-ma). Taiki is planning to be our tour guide at several modern art museums and is also planning a traditional Japanese barbecue for us in the evening.

August 20th, 2015

8:30: Packed up and met our friend Taiki in our hotel lobby.

Our view of Okayama through our hotel room's window. I really like this image. The textures and colors, and even the raindrops sort of represent the quality I love about the city in both Tokyo. Okayama, and a few of the other cities we visited. — Our view of Okayama through our hotel room’s window. I really like this image. The textures and colors, and even the raindrops sort of represent the quality I love about many of the cities we visited in Japan.

Kooraku Hotel. We were only there for one night but it was very nice.

Seriously cool dandelion shaped fountain in front of Okayama Station.

Karl and I had breakfast with Taiki at the McDonalds in Okayama Station. I was disappointed in the breakfast menu. I was really hoping for another Ebi (shrimp) filet. I ended up ordering the only thing I didn’t recognize which was some sort of vegetable chicken muffin. Food from McDonalds seems to be much less greasy in Japan. It seems fresher, Karl’s eggs didn’t taste like the prepared garbage we’re served in the U.S.

Breakfast at McDonalds in Okayama Station.

Enjoying breakfast with our friend Taiki.

After breakfast we looked around the station for a bit before boarding a train to make our way to Uno where the ferry to Naoshima is located. To get to Uno Station, we took a train from Okayama Station to Chayamachi Station, and then from Chayamachi Station to Uno Station.

UNO STATION

Ferry from Uno to Naoshima

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Naoshima

We took the ‘Naoshima My Bus’ to from Miyanoura Port to Tsutsujiso Lodge

Checked our luggage and met some of Taiki’s coworkers.

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map1 — We arrived in Miyanoura Port via ferry and took the bus to Tsutsjui-so in the southeast.

Modern Art Time!

Naoshima, aka Art Island, is a mecca for modern art and architecture lovers. It’s a strange but beautiful combination of modern art and nature merging together on a remote island. The main attractions are museums and art installations owned by Benesse Corporation, hence the name Benesse House. The primary attractions are three museums designed by Japanese architect Tadao Ando: Benesse House Museum, Chichu Art Museum, and Lee Ufan Museum, and the Art House Project located in the Honmura District which is an ongoing and expanding collection of homes and shrines that have been turned into art spaces.

Benesse House Museum

DSC06910_1 — Gorgeous view from the bust stop for Benesse House Museum. The tiny yellow speck on the right beach is actually a boat sculpture relating to one of the works inside the Benesse House Museum.

Another gorgeous view despite the fuzziness.

Architectural design by Tadao Ando, a famous Japanese architect.

Taiki was an excellent tour guide. So proud of all my awesome friends, especially this one.

We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside so you’ll have to google the museum if you’d like to see it’s contents, some of which were quite exceptional.

Lunch at the Benesse Museum Cafe

Salad with pumpkin soup in an adorable little cup.

Squid Ink Curry — I’m hoping Squid Ink is just a name and that there is not in fact any squid ink in this dish. It was yummy, but squid ink doesn’t sound appealing. *The waiter said it was really squid ink! –Karl*

Karl’s tomato pasta. Yummy! *So was the curry! –Karl*

Chichu Art Museum – my personal favorite. An amazing space featuring beautiful work. The room filled with water lilly paintings by Monet was stunning and the installation by James Turrell was amazing. I felt like I stepped through a portal into another world.

Chichu Art Museum was constructed in 2004 as a site rethinking the relationship between nature and people. Artworks by Claude Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria are on permanent display in a building designed by Tadao Ando. Taking form as artists and architect bounced ideas off each other, the building in its entirety can be called a massive site-specific art work.

To ensure that the museum does not affect the beautiful scenery of Naoshima, the majority of the building is located underground. Despite its positioning, it receives an abundance of natural light, changing the appearance of the artworks and the ambience of the space itself with the passage of the days and the seasons. – Benesse

Chichu Art Museum Ticket Center – We purchased our tickets here and then walked up hill beside a beautiful garden to the museum location.

These buildings are mostly underground. Check out how cool they look from the air.

The Chichu Art Museum is home to several water lilly painting by Monet so the garden has a lovely Monet theme. — The Chichu Art Museum is home to several water lily painting by Monet so the garden has a lovely Monet theme.

Lee Ufan Museum

A museum resulting from collaboration between the internationally acclaimed artist Lee Ufan, presently based mainly in Europe, and the architect Tadao Ando.
The Ando-designed semi-underground structure houses paintings and sculptures by Lee spanning a period from the 1970s to the present day. Lee’s works resonate with Ando’s building, giving visitors an impression of both stillness and dynamism. Positioned in isolation in a valley surrounded by mountains and sea, the museum offers a harmony between nature, architecture, and art, where visitors will be offered an opportunity to return to their original natures and to find time for quiet reflection in a society overflowing with material goods. – Benesse / Lee Ufan Museum

I love my art friends. Art friends are very important because being an artist is often a very personal and lonely job. We need each other for support, inspiration, and to bounce ideas back and forth.

There are many outdoor art installations throughout Naoshima. Slag Buddha 88 is near the bust stop for the Lee Ufan Museum.

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Tsutsuji-so

Returned to Tsutsuji-so, checked in, and had a brief rest before dinner.

Our beach cottage. I wish we could have stayed for 2 nights instead of 1. This was such a cute accommodation in a magnificent setting.

Inside our Japanese beach cottage.

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View from Tsutsujiso Cafe -- so pretty! — View from Tsutsujiso Cafe — so pretty!

Japanese Barbecue dinner. Yum!

Getting ready to grill some meat. This is my first time cooking at the dinner table. I love it! *This is TRUE hibachi! –Karl*

Super impressed and blown away with Taiki's hospitality. Makes me realize I really need to up my own game. — Super impressed with Taiki’s hospitality. Makes me realize I really need to up my own game.

Taiki presented us with a feast! Salmon, shrimp, scallops, squid, beef, pork, chicken, sausages, and assorted veggies. #BlownAway

Too much yummy food! We are stuffed and happy. *Arguably the best meal we had the whole trip. –Karl*

The first thing I thought when I saw this picture was ‘dear lord, my hair!’ It was a mess the whole trip but I couldn’t do anything about it so please ignore my wild mane. This was a great day thanks to our friend Taiki. We would of been happy just spending time together but he went above and beyond and made our day very memorable. Thank you so much Taiki!

Karl and I said goodnight to Taiki after dinner and rested a bit before taking a walk along the beach to get our feet wet.

Magical (accidental) Karl Photo. We bought a new camera for this trip and I am still figuring the thing out.

We made our way to the giant pumpkin by well known avant-garde artist, Yayoi Kusama. This pumpkin is very famous and serves as a sort of icon for the island.