This tour explores Naoshima's celebrated contemporary art destinations with an English-speaking guide, available by public transport or private vehicle, meeting at Miyanoura Port.
Begin at the Chichu Art Museum, Tadao Ando's underground architectural landmark housing works by Claude Monet and James Turrell in ever-changing natural light. Continue to Benesse House Museum, where art is displayed both inside the gallery and across the surrounding seashore and forest.
Then explore the Art House Project in the Honmura district, where traditional houses have been transformed into contemporary art installations. Finish near Miyanoura Port for photos with Yayoi Kusama's iconic Red Pumpkin sculpture.
All four core stops sit within about 5km of each other on this small island, so the public-transport plan covers this same route.
The private-vehicle plan covers the same four sights and adds the Lee Ufan Museum, a short walk or free two-minute shuttle ride from the Chichu Art Museum. Another Tadao Ando-designed building, it is devoted to Korean contemporary artist Lee Ufan's large-scale stone, iron, and concrete installations. The private-vehicle option is available as a paid upgrade on request, and the itinerary can be adjusted within the tour's allotted time to suit your interests.