I visited Naoshima last March 26 2025. The Chichu Art Museum designed by Tadao Ando was one of my priority destinations. It can be accessed by the Benesse shuttle bus, by bicycle or thru walking. It is located along side a hill. The atructure is embedded perfectly into the surrounding nature. They have a very strict no photographs and videos inside the art spaces. It is by far one of the most beautiful museum experiences ive ever had. The Monet Waterlilies with the perfectly cut white mosaic tiles around together with the daylight is very beautiful. Walter Di Maria's Granite garden and the Granite Sphere was a very mysterious experience. Finally the James Turrel Sky window space along with the purple rectangle was very fun. If you love art, i highly recommend visiting this in very good sunny weather.

Wow – an extraordinary place. The museum is a masterpiece of architecture, with a perfect play of space, natural and artificial light, and materiality. Every corner feels carefully crafted to create a unique spatial and emotional experience. The attention to detail is incredible – the precision of the surfaces and the subtle design elements are executed at the highest level. Even the restrooms are designed as an architectural experience, showing how much thought went into every part of the museum. A must-visit for anyone coming to Naoshima, and an absolute highlight for architecture and art lovers alike.

Don't skip this one! We were quite moved by some of the rooms. Incredible. Photos are only permitted in the beginning few rooms/spaces, so you will not see the best of it until you visit :)

What an incredible place! One of the best art galleries I've ever been to, and I've seen quite a few! It felt so refreshing that you can’t take photos inside (except in a small area near the entrance). Without cameras, you’re free to just wander, take it all in, and really feel the space. That sense of wonder stays with you long after you leave. I booked my ticket online about a month in advance and chose the first morning slot, just to be sure I had enough time to get there — with the ferry and art bus, it takes a bit of coordination. It’s also nice that there aren’t any official photos of the interior online. A few people have shared some anyway, breaking the rules, but mostly what you see stays in your memory — and that makes the experience even more personal and powerful. In some rooms, you have to take off your shoes, but they provide foot covers, so it’s handy to bring socks with you. There’s a lovely little restaurant too, with great food. You find a seat first, then order — and if you can, grab a table with a view of the Seto Inland Sea. It’s the perfect way to wrap up your visit. And the museum shop is nice too.

I love this place. I first visited shortly after it opened 20 years ago, and this year marked my third visit. I’m glad they recently opened a new museum nearby, since this gem itself hasn’t changed much over the years. That said, my first visit felt extra special - there was a real sense of excitement with something brand new. That feeling has faded, but the place still holds its charm.

Buy all your tickets online on Naoshima to get a discount. For Chichu you need to book a time slot since only a certain number of visitors is allowed at a time. It is a small but charming museum housing three major sections. No photo is allowed inside so google it. They look amazing.

Without a doubt one of the best art museums I have ever visited - and I’ve seen a lot. Amazing architecture, amazing collection. Very minimalistic curated and in perfect balance with Tadao Ando’s design. DeMaria and Turrell as absolute highlights

A museum resulting from the collaboration between artist Lee Ufan and architect Tadao Ando. Created from the bare minimum of elements, Lee Ufan’s works are deeply intertwined with the museum itself, which gently connects the inside and the outside.

Nice museum with both indoor and outdoor exhibitions. You can cycle to within 200 m of the entrance, then park your bike and continue on foot. The Valley Gallery is located right next door.

Impressive architecture made by TADAO ANDO and inspiring, almost mystical pieces of art by LEE UFAN. The size of the museum is small, but this only adds more to the unique atmosphere. The entrance fee might appear over-priced, but if you are looking for a calming experience rather than a big exibition, you should visit the LEE UFAN MUSEUM!

The Lee Ufan Museum is a serene and striking space that blends minimalist art, architecture and nature. Designed by Tadao Ando, the building is partially embedded into the hillside, creating a calm, almost meditative atmosphere as you move through it. You can buy tickets online beforehand (which saves time) or scan the QR code at the welcome desk. Lee Ufan’s works—spare sculptures and subtle brushstroke paintings—are thoughtfully arranged to encourage slow, reflective viewing. The standout moment for me was encountering the archway sculpture outside, perfectly framing the sea and sky. It’s simple but breathtaking, and captures the spirit of the whole museum: still, spacious, and deeply connected to its surroundings. The museum isn’t huge (about 30 minutes to see), but it leaves a lasting impression. A must-visit on Naoshima for anyone who enjoys contemplative spaces and minimalist beauty.

Great little art museum. Not much in the way of exhibits but worthwhile seeing for the architecture alone

The reviews don't rate this museum highly, but I liked it here. It looked magnificent and majestic to me. So I recommend to visit. It is not necessary to buy tickets in advance, perhaps only because online they are with a smaller discount.

My favorite museum in setouchi triennalle. The integration of architecture and the art is just perfect. Sequence of experiences are well thought out. I highly recommend it. No reason to skip this if you’re in Naoshima already.

Benesse House is by far one of the most beautiful hotels I have ever stayed in, and without a doubt the best place to stay in the Seto Inland Sea. Our room featured artwork by world-class artists, and just stepping outside the door, we were surrounded by even more incredible pieces. On top of that, the breakfast and dinner were both delightful and refined. Every detail of the stay was truly perfect—an unforgettable experience for anyone who loves art, nature, and comfort.

The museum and hotel look nice from outside, but really not worth the money. Hard to get there – cannot use bike up the hill, and walking in the heat is terrible. Shuttle bus comes only every 20 minutes, always full, so we wait long time, while hotel guest bus goes empty. Feels unfair. Inside the museum there is not so much to see, very small compared to the price you pay. Other museums on the island are cheaper, more friendly and better experience. Honestly, greedy and disappointing. Would not recommend.

A wonderful museum housing a modest but significant collection of modern art. A beautifully designed space gives life to the works. Don’t miss the outdoor works dotted around the site as these are all a joy. A lovely experience exploring the whole site.

We stayed in the hotel in the museum and it was one of the coolest experiences we’ve ever done. Spent 1 month in Japan in loads of nice hotels and this beat all of them given how unique it was. It was like living night at the museum

This is an amazing house museum by Tadao Ando. If has a nice collection of great artists too. Couple with the view, this is a great visit. Book ahead to confirm it will be open.

Benesse House Museum is a beautiful space. The architecture and the way natural light is used make it a perfect setting for the artworks on display. It feels like both the building and the art are in conversation with the landscape around them. One room that stood out to me in particular was the central cylindrical space, which I found absolutely striking. I highly recommend sitting there for a while and just taking it all in. If you go at 08:00, you might have the entire museum to yourself, which makes the experience even more special. 19:00 is also a great time to visit, as most hotel guests are having dinner and the place is nearly empty. I had the whole museum for myself and as it was getting darker, I felt like a curious wanderer, sneaking quietly through the museum while seeing the wealthy dine nearby.

Naoshima is a beautiful place for a day trip but I recommend avoiding a hotel stay overnight-particularly at the Benesse House. The rooms are extremely average and, while the staff members are professional and polite, they are not helpful-which is the exact opposite of every other experience I've had in Japan. There are virtually no food options, outside of the Japanese restaurant, Issen, and the hotels French restaurant. Neither are open for lunch, and there is no food or drinks on the property - including bottled water or vending machines. The island is stunning but I suggest making it a day trip.

Unfortunately the exposition was closed due to weather conditions so my review is slightly influenced by this misfortune. At least there were not many people and the static sculptures near the pumpkin were quite nice. But the view to the sea was spectacular.

An alright pumpkin. It's cool enough as an art piece, but I don't get its placement. It doesn't really feel relevant to the surroundings, and it seems any sculpture could have been there in its place. What I found more intriguing than the artwork itself was how people behave around it. The patient and curious visitors queuing up to take photos, and the variety of fun and silly poses. In my eyes, it was therefore the liveliness of the people visiting the pumpkin that made this an interesting art piece.

It felt surreal to see the Yellow Pumpkin on a hot August day! People patiently queued to take photos, each respecting others’ personal time with the artwork. One of my favourite moments in Japan. Loved the contrast of colours and the sky and sea as the backrop for the Pumpkin. It is quite tall!

Yellow pumpkin is the icon of Naoshima! An unique and powerful presence at the southern shore of the island. Why not come and take a look while you’re waiting for the free shuttle to the museums?

The pumpkin looks really cool during sunsets. The sea around is calm and beautiful which makes the entire view very scenic.

I’m impressive pumpkin but a HARD cycle - even on e-bikes - to get there as u can’t go around the side of the island when coming from the west/Miyanoura. I got sworn at a lot from my family in the process of making them do it but I think it was worth it, especially near sunset when we went. NOTE: when we visited you couldn’t go down the pier - access was closed so could only look from a distance

I loved this structure - wanted to buy a mini version of it. Also beautiful is the setting against the backdrop of the sea.

Seeing this in person was surreal. It was beautiful and with backdrop of the sea it was so lovely. Love how people can just freely take a picture with it.

Always so much joy and fun to see the wonderful Yayoi Kusama pieces ❤️🖤💛🖤🧚 See the pumpkin when it gets dark, its a hell of a pumpkin 🎃 Visit the yellow pumpkin on the other side of Naoshima, enjoy the beautiful beach there. The local bus will take your from one pumpkin to another:D

The red pumpkin is just as magnificent as the yellow pumpkin. If you’re a fan of Kusama Yayoi, it’s a pilgrimage to visit both pumpkins.

Both Yayoi Kusama and ginger ale are very special to me and so it was a pleasure to enjoy my favourite beverage in front of my favourite artist. I haven’t seen the pumpkins in person before and so it was wonderful to see while drinking simulated gourd in the form of the melon flavoured ginger ale. Spectacular experience

Travelled from Okayama Station. takes about 1.5hr in total. If you have a tight schedule like me cos I reserved tickets at Chichu Museum, suggest you keep to the right of the ferry at disembarkation so you can make it to the town bus stop quickly especially if it's a crowded day. The bus is small and I had to take the 2nd bus as it was crowded. The red pumpkin is at the ferry terminal whilst the yellow pumpkin is at the last stop on the town bus - Tsutsuji-so.

Upon arrival on the island, it's the first artwork you'll spot! Often, it has a crowd trying to take photos with it. If you're patient, let those crowd finish first while you look at other things. I promise by then you can almost have the whole pumpkin to yourself!

Kind of like the “home base” piece of art on the island, being by the boat pier and all. Still, very iconic and a must visit, especially as it’s the easiest to get to. Be sure to catch this place at sunset, it’s beautiful!

After a morning of visiting museums, we stopped here for lunch The view was incredible! And the bento box lunch was really a experience, a very complete meal, the food was great only the wagyu beef was a little dry to my liking

Had lunch and dinner here. Food is passable but not for the price they charged. Service was disorganised, had to wait for at least fifteen minutes (from our reserved time) for the first seating to finish. Then our dinner was sped through... the fastest kaiseki ever, completed in 1.25 hours as it was near closing time.

While the presentation of the food is nice, the food itself is passable at most. While some will enjoy the lavish seafood tastes, I did not. The menu is fixed and the whole service takes about 2 hours. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone with this kind of pricetag... Will note that the service itself was good

Three course options to pick from, around 3k yen each. Frankly speaking, you're paying for the ambience rather than the food. The food is just ok.. I'd have hoped the sashimi is fresher and of better quality/types of fish, given that it's an upscale place. There's not many options for food around the Benesse Museum (there's a cafe which is more affordable), unless you don't mind paying more than you should for food, and want to take instagrammable shots, I wouldn't recommend. You can eat around the two ports where there are more food spots. That said, the service is really good!

Wonderful cafe with the cutest bento box we ever had. Three stories of pure cuteness and delicious food. Super!

Sublime Kaiseki menu- it's all well prepared and very delicious. The dessert could have been better but still 5* i would give.

Great setting and service - the food though I expected more from for the price

Don’t understand the bad reviews : guy is just normal. If you act well, he’ll treat you well I guess. And the udon is great !

Home made udon noodles, really delicious! The restaurant itself it‘s simple and authentic. The cook was very friendly and helpful. The beer was so cold!!

Handmade udon, the guy seemed to be working alone so he was a little busy. The udon tasted incredible, so springy and chewy. The tempura was also delicious and I am so glad we went here. The local working men use this restaurant a lot, there were lots of construction workers in there when I went and the food us so hearty that i can see why. I trusted the restaurant more because of the local clientele.

Udon were okay. The Chef was very impolite and not very welcoming!

A hearty udon at a fair price. It’s cafeteria style with some interesting tempura options, including sea bream which was great. They stock the Naoshima beer which goes nicely with the soup.

Best stumbled-upon ever. Legit and authentic food. My travel companions and I were literally fighting over the add-ons. Fortunately the add-ons were the only negatively impacted participants. This is the kind of place one wishes one could pack up and relocate in one’s home base.

Fantastic Fresh udon in the cafe. Made fresh every day and open until udon is finished ! ✨

The service was okay and the atmosphere was good, but the food was unfortunately mediocre. It did not impress me at all and is quite disappointing. If you prioritize dining experience over culinary thrills, this could be an option. Anyway, we dun have much options in this small island.

Very good service The lam chops are devine The rest are ok

Arguably the restaurant with the best vistas on the island. We caught the sunset over the beach from our table. Highlights of the degustation being the tempura fish and surprisingly — the chilled corn soup.

Had a great dinner with view to the sea and a clever menu designed by chef Moriya, very balanced combinations with fresh ingredients and artistic presentation. Early Summer Hors d’ oeuvre from Naoshima Chef’s special Plate Seasonal Soup Fish with vegetables Meat of the Day Pre Dessert Dessert

Sadly one of my worst reviews. The food is overpriced and average. It's one good point is that it is well presented. But the portions are small and we all left feeling hungry. With small portions, the food has to be inventive, complex and the taste out of this world. It was none of these. Lovely space though.

Well, either here or Issen, it is a captured market. Food was alright but not for the price. Service, could be improved. Seemed to be short of service staff, took a while to get their attention to order.

This restaurant has a nice setting and the meals are enjoyable, but not more. For the prices charged, the service and food quality is simply not up to par. They lack inspiration and are poorly executed. For example, the corn mousse served had been prepared too long in advance, so that there was a little bit of mousse on top of lots of liquid. The wine list is very limited. For example, the only three white wines are a Bergerac, a Sancerre, and a California Chardonnay (Bogle)... and they’re served too cold. But, it’s a captive market, you’re on a beautiful island, so forget about the price and enjoy!

The plates of food are carefully presented, but the taste is ordinary. It tastes like they are just tossing pasta with ready-made sauce in a large kitchen. It is a shame that it is just another cafe attached to a museum, although the young women working there are very efficient and clean, and the nice view is an element that attracts customers. I only wish they would put more effort into the food.

Wonderful cafe with the cutest bento box we ever had. Three stories of pure cuteness and delicious food. Super!

Awesome view eating in an architectural cool building. Food and drinks are ok... So come here for the view

The drinks iss ok. But icecream is next level. Plus the view. Voila!

Great space and friendly staff but the food quality is quite poor, especially for Japan. The Vegetables in the pasta were not well cooked and the sauce is not well seasoned. The matcha cake was dry and tasteless. The drinks and olive oil were the only redeeming items.

The view is amazing. One can also get a healthy lunch.

The rum cake was tasty and surprisingly strong. The ginger ale was sharp and spicy.

The tickets are not numbered, so the staff keep telling you that boarding is not guaranteed even after you bought them. You have to wait outside, on the docks, but there are two lines and the staff is unable (unwilling) to say which one was the right one. On top of that, there is only one ferry every two hours, old and rusty. Very bad service, I recommend to look for alternatives.

You will be greeted by the red pumpkin artwork of Yayoi Kusama in the port area which is an amazing sight. No increased ferry schedule during triennale. I waited for two hours in the port so as not to miss the last 5pm ferry. There was no clear signage for where to queue and when to queue. At around 4pm, I saw what seems to be a queue for Uno due to the signage, only to find out it was a queue for Takamatsu, and by the time I joined the queue, it was a long line already. I missed the 5pm ferry but luckily they have a standby ferry that took the 2nd batch of passengers. A bit frustrated and hoping management could improve on this especially during a long weekend or on an event where they expect a huge number of visitors to the Naoshima Island.

Visit the shops to find and bring back some local specialties. Shop closed at 6 so before the last ferry leaves

Beautiful view and cute area. Nice pumpkin sculpture for some fun pictures! Had trouble finding the bathroom (gave up)

It is the main port of Naoshima. We can feel a lot of exhilaration when we're using it. There is a bus service from the port to all areas of Naoshima, but basically it is one per hour.There are also temporary buses available during the busy season, but there are no timetable, and the service will depend on the driver. The traveling on Naoshima is planed for us.

Only 2 car rental co. Next to the pier. Better have online car rental reservation before. U can choose take bike for travelling this island, but it's really hot n heavy sunshine. Be careful get sun burnt

Lovely place to visit! Much fun, interesting art pieces & sculptures! Different angles, different perspective! Sure a place for all art lovers to enjoy!

White wiremesh structure that you can sit in. Fun for a photo - that's it ..

free outdoor sculpture best around sunset

Visit at night to get some beautiful pictures.

Such a cool structure - you can sit inside and get different perspectives too

This was amazing to view at night or day. It's an interactive art installation, you can climb around it and go inside, great for kids or a selfie or 2 !

It was created by architect Sousuke Fujimoto. It's about three minutes walk from the port. Experience art like athletic, so we can go inside and enjoy it. How about Taking pictures from inside or outside at various angles. It's especially popular with girls who like insta.

This place is super cool at night and also has the slowpoke manhole eighth beside it. Bring some bug spray if it’s hot.

Beautiful sento on Naoshima - only one hot bath (compared to most sentos which have four or five baths with varying temperatures), but it makes up for this with the lovely art within the bathhouse. Note you need to bathe to be able to see inside.

TATTOOS OK BATH ALERT!!! No tattoo cover stickers required. You can bare it all. I have lived in Japan for 8 years and this is my first sento (public bath) experience. I was always refused thanks to my tattoos. No need to worry. Mine are visible and nobody cared here! Very cool place and thankful I got to experience this after nearly a decade.

This has been the most beautiful sento I’ve ever visited. The decor is colorful, with plants, neon lights, and more. It’s worth taking a relaxing break to enjoy this place with so many lovely details. You can really see the care put into choosing each item. On top of that, the service is very kind and friendly. A wonderful experience!

The building has a unique charm and is a great stop after a long sweaty day. The staff is very enthusiastic and friendly. Inside, it's a regular sento/public bath (not onsen), with all the facilities you'd expect. The place is nicely decorated, with an elephant sculpture looking over the bathing area and a big room full of plants. The bath area is rather small and contains only one pool so it can get busy

Don’t come for the bath itself (small and square and just one), rather, come for the magnificent abstract art stained glass ceiling in bright red, green and yellow Pollock splotches, on top of a beautiful elephant sculpture splitting the men’s and women’s baths, visible through mystical steam. The bath itself has a bottom decorated beautifully with modern art and Kama sutra poses. Toilet room also has a beautifully tiled floor, but no washlet or heating. We were there on June 3rd (a Tuesday at 5:30PM) and was quite busy, mostly tourists, and one apparent local. Everything is square (the small bath, the rooms, etc), so shapes are uninteresting. Friendly service and clean. 660Y per person, towels extra (someone else said 400Y?).

A rather unique and special place that is a must in Naoshima. There’s nothing more relaxing than scrubbing up and soaking in a clean, large hot bath at the end of the day. Westerners (like me), please follow the Japanese custom of making sure you scrub your entire body carefully before you share the communal bath. For some reason there are no instructive signs here and the staff doesn’t alert you. I’ve witnessed several westerners just undress and jump in the water without washing. 🚫 We got some photos since nobody was there. The bath was designed (or redesigned) by the same artist, shinro ohtake, that did the Haisha house on the other side of the island. Bring your own towel to save 500¥. Cute souvenirs available

Unique and amazing experience. I've been to very few places where you can feel such a special experience: a mix between tradition, comfort/pleasing and art appreciation. In the end it is just a public bath renovated by Otaku Shinro.

The quietest town I’ve visited in Japan—so peaceful you can count the number of locals you see on the street with your fingers. Ironically, it’s the tourists that bring the noise and life to this otherwise calm and sleepy island. I’m really glad I made the trip. If you love art, this place—often dubbed the Art Island—should be on your list. It’s not your usual Japan itinerary, and that’s exactly what makes it special. Be sure to plan your day well though, as the museums have specific opening times and require tickets. I recommend staying the night and renting a bicycle to explore the island at your own pace. It’s quiet, inspiring, and truly one of a kind.

one of my favorite places in japan! the whole island is really beautiful! our homestay provided us with bicycles so we went around the island with bicycles. (except to go to the benesse museum). lots of nice museum and sculpture scattered around the island. (the famous yayoi kusama pumpkin!) we even stopped by the I♥︎湯 sento. it was small but they had nice decoration inside. you can visit it during the day for free without having to take a bath. a really nice place if you like to walk around and explore things in a leisurely pace. will definitely come again and visit the neighboring island.

Beautiful, peaceful, inspirational, exciting, artful(is that a word?)…. Just sublime…. Not easy to get to but so worth the journey if you are looking for something different on your Japan journey….. and if you can afford it, worth staying a couple of days!

Just spent a lovely day here. Alot of walking but we're big walkers, bikes for rent which makes things much quicker and there's bus service around the island as well. Highlight for us was the Chichu Museum...the Monet was beautiful and James Turrell was a trip! Also hit the Valley Garden, some great insta moments there. Great day trip if you're in Okayama.

Took the ferry from Uno and hired e-bikes for the day. So easy to get around the island and see all the sites. Check and book the museums beforehand as some may be booked out. There was a Yayoi Kusama exhibition in Melbourne just before we travelled so was a amazing to see some of her other works in person on the island

A must go excellent art filled island. Stay on the island if you can get a booking.

I'm not sure if I'm missing something but for a day trip this was kinda...meh. The museums were expensive to enter and sparsely furnished. The entry fee on some such as the art house project are just inexplicable. It honestly felt like a bit of a tourist trap given how expensive everything is on the island. We visited from Takamatsu and spent more time stressing about making the ferry times rather than enjoying the experience. Maybe if you stay on the island you have a better experience? The wolf thing was cool though.

It used to be a dental clinic. The building inside is like an old Japanese house and I couldn’t help but think about the past when people received dental care using old techniques and instruments. I don’t know why, but I felt like the house was trying to portray life in the past on this island.

This is the funkier one of the art houses, but worth it. Like most of them, you have to take off your shoes. Wonder around, inside, upstairs and around the back.

One of the less interesting houses in Naoshima. You can be in and out of there in 5 minutes. If you’re tight on time don’t worry about this one.

None of the other art houses on the 5-house ticket seemed worth the visit except this one: truly a work of art.

There are 6 art house venues, and for me, this was contemporary random and brilliant in equal measure. Must see. It will take 20 mins max but you will remember it for much longer

Nice to see, but a little bit all over the place. Exciting and very different from other art projects or even the great museums on Shikoku.

Anything in this island is a 5 star attraction. This one included even though it is not one of the most impressive ones. But always interesting even if I can't even explain it haha

Nothing went well unfortunately… Extremely slow, and almost unfriendly, service when we cancelled our last order because of our bad experience on previous dishes. All order came in complete different timing, we couldn’t eat all together (family of 4 person) and portion (grilled fish) was ridiculously small and not very well cooked. And extremely expensive for Japanese price. Disappointed and do not recommend that place at all.

Went to Little Plum for dinner when everywhere else was full or required reservations. Expectations were low but these were happily exceeded. Enjoyed the Bellini and a glass of wine alongside decent pasta dishes and the local fish carpaccio. Service was friendly and efficient.

Hungrily hunting food on a Thursday night after all day walking in the island, after being rejected by basically every other restaurant because of no reservation, thanks to Little Plum, let us had an incredibly delicious dinner. The food, drinks, staff were superb, especially grilled red grouper, oh my, that’s the best fish I’ve ever had, so fresh and juicy, I never eat fish skin, but I ate the whole fish here. Thanks to the chef! We had such a memory here in naoshima because of this restaurant. Will definitely come back next time.

Very nice restaurant with a simple, no-frills setting. The food is delicious, but portions are on the smaller side, so it’s a good idea to order one or two extra dishes—you can also order more as you go. Keep in mind that last orders are taken at 9 pm, which is a bit early.

Everything was delicious today, but it seemed like one of the new staff members wasn’t very confident in English. Some items were ordered incorrectly, and we didn’t get the lamb we asked for. I’d suggest letting them practice more before having them take customer orders.

The pasta is ok and everything is overpriced but the marinated pumpkin may as well be one of the damn best things I've ever eaten. The basil sherbet also has a very interesting taste; tastes like basil but also nicely sweet, no taste interrupts any other taste. Peak place.

Everything here was overwhelmingly delicious!!! I tried the marinated pumpkin, lamb stew, and peach compote for dessert. I can’t stop thinking about the lamb… seriously so good.

One of my top meals in Japan, the fried flounder was delicious and the service was excellent. If you are around and like fish I can't recommend this place enough.

We went for dinner with our teen children and the food is fresh. It’s a limited menu. Everyone enjoyed their meals. It has a nice local ambience.

Nose to tail use of flounder nothing wasted! Bones in soup, you can have your fish sashimi, pickled, fried broiled! Fish skin deep fried great with beer. Their own farm to dish! Definitely worth it!

Convenient when your coming off the ferry but they had limited options (sold out of a number of items) and the fried food was very ‘industrial’.

The fried fish set is good and sashimi is OK too. OK for a nutritious and OK meal.

Underwhelming. The fish is fresh but the portion size and side dishes leave a lot to be desired. They also have no seasoning. When they bring you the fried fish they literally hand you a salt shaker. The steamed fish and fried fish were okay, but I think the best option is the nanbanzuke. Do be aware that all the fish options come with bones.

A great seafood restaurant run by a wife and husband team. The fish is fresh and delicious. The dishes are well priced. We ate here every night of our three night stay, as we really enjoyed the dishes. The salmon with a raw egg on top was my favourite ❤️ yum

I was looking for a vegetarian-friendly spot on TripAdvisor as I was spending the night on beautiful Naoshima and stumbled across Aisunao. Located in an old house, this charming vegan restaurant offers a filling set lunch made with germinated brown rice, a hearty miso soup, and various preparations of vegetables including tomatoes, eggplant, burdock root, sweet potato, radish, and various kinds of pickles. As this is an 80-year-old house, it features tatami seating in several rooms, each with a unique character. They also offer vegan cakes and a variety of beverages, I tried the Yuzu sake on the rocks, and it was amazing! I have had Japanese temple food around Japan, and this is easily some of the most delicious I have had! Please note if you are looking for true vegan temple cuisine, this uses onions, which are not traditional in 精進料理. Many of the guests the day I visited were Taiwanese, many of whom are also Buddhist vegetarians.

Beautiful restaurant with lovely seating areas and great music too. The food was delicious, and lots of it! Traditional kaiseki style with lots of different dishes, you could tell everything was prepared with care and the ingredients were high quality. A must if you're vegan as the lunch set menu is default vegan it would seem!

The restaurant decor is very warm and emotional. Staff was very helpful and friendly. It’s just I didn’t really like the rice personally. Its more like sticky rice in my hometown. Other than that everything was good and reasonable price. I think any vegetarian should try.

Hip place with locally grown foods that complimented the artsy-ness of the island. The brown rice is grown locally and fermented for a few days to become macrobiotic. It was very tasty and I wouldn’t have known it was fermented if not for the sign. Our miso soup was a unique regional brew. Regional sides also included sweet beans and candied seaweed. Lastly, we ordered the olive soda made from olives grown at a nearby island. We were both very full by the end of our meal with the medium-sized rice, despite skipping breakfast before lunch. Local artists sold their crafts at this store, which could make for good unique souvenirs. The owners were committed to sustainability and encouraged customers to leave their naoshima maps in a corner for the store for others to reuse.

We're carnivores and we LOVED this vegan food! So many wonderful tastes. Lovely atmosphere. We enjoyed meeting other people from around the world at the shared table.

Very touristy, only one meal available which you have to choose at the entry and even then they forgot to bring our food. Group next to us had to wait very long to pay and their table stayed unclean even after they had left long ago. After waiting for ages until the coffee we ordered was ready we had to stand up and leave for our museum reservation. Here the owner was very unfriendly, he refused to acknowledge the bad service he had provided and even wanted us to pay for the filter coffee he had just made after making us wait so long. First and only bad experience in Japan.

Delicious vegan lunch menu set for only 1000yens. We came around 11:30 without reservation. Loved the aged organic brown rice.

We happened on the salon at lunchtime and had the lovely omelettes with potato salad and lemon cheesecake desert. Very reasonable price for lunch menus and wonderful house blend drip coffee. Also a gorgeous place with very helpful and lovely people, not to mention the pleasant music.

Delicious spot of Japanese food. Reservation required. I went for dinner, and the menu was izakaya style: Small portions to share, 4 additional options (not in the menu but in a blackboard) with the fish of the day, and all INCREDIBLY delicious.

Oh my god what an amazing meal I think we ordered 50% of the dishes in the menu - the okra / grilled mackerel and yellow tail / beef / pork / karaage chicken / curry and rice and omelette was outstanding. A beautiful place on a little bit of a height - we went for dinner. You need to reserve! Super meal - the dessert wasn’t very nice though

A very beautiful place that is worth visiting. You may need to wait for a long time to get seated but the staff is really attentive and once you sit everything goes very fast. We had the lunch set and the main dish was delicious as well as the cake!

We had lunch here a few days ago. Beautiful interior. Short menu but the food was really excellent. Great spot to relax, in between museums.

Delicious omurice in a very charming restaurant. Eggs were runny, rice was well seasoned and tomato sauce had a perfect touch of acidity. It's popular and there will be a line so be patient :)

This dinner spot was recommended by our host and it was amazing ! Atmosphere felt authentic, staff spoke English and food was homey and super tasty. Our favorite was the omelette curry rice, don’t judge a book by its cover it tastes much better than it looks! Fish and seafood was great too. We ended up going there two nights in a row! Don’t forget to book, it was booked out every night.

If you are Ando's fan, this place is a must to visit. It is a small space that well reflects his concept of design.

This is a top place to visit in Naoshima! The little museum houses the art of Tadao Ando from drawings to concrete réalisation retracing the story of the artist and the island

I am almost late! The museum is close at 4 pm. I came around 15.45. I am definitely mesmerised by the architectural, but the staff is very strict and serious. Maybe he needs to go home ASAP, but because we are very late, he can't welcome us with friendly gestures. And the reservation is very tricky. You need to match it with ship departure time from uno port.

A very pleasant and thoughtfully designed space with fascinating architecture. The museum beautifully combines traditional Japanese elements with Tadao Ando’s signature modern concrete design, creating a striking contrast. Inside, you’ll find a clear and engaging explanation of Ando’s architectural works and philosophy, which makes the visit both inspiring and educational. A must-visit spot on Naoshima for architecture and design lovers.

Its focus on natural light is awesome. No photos allowed. If you're looking for a museum with many art work it is not the place, but what you will find is superb!

So happy they changed the no photo policy. Only through my viewfinder that I discovered that the concrete is actually curved. This is an absolute gem for anyone who are interested in architecture.

Nice museum for those who are into architecture and engineering. They display an array of unique buildings built by this designer. Not too much inside, some drawings, sketches and photos of his work. The building itself is more unique, with a great concrete aesthetic. Personally I wouldn't go again or recommend spending the money unless you're really interested in building, brutalism or architecture.

The free shrine is okay, but the paid bit is rubbish. The tunnel is very narrow (I am 150cm/4”11 and slim and I wasn’t sure I’d fit in…) I wouldn’t bother

Absolute masterpiece by Hiroshi Sugimoto, one of the most celebrated Japanese artists worldwide. Repurposing an old and decaying shrine into a contemporary artwork with minimal impact to the original environment just shows the level of attention to art in Naoshima. Must visit, as it is included with the general Art Site Ticket.

This is a part of the art House Project. We came with the five house ticket pass. It's a really nice retreat from the village and city... Green and a little home up a hill. It's an old shrine with a contemporary installation. Be sure to visit 'under' it for a fun surprise. Worth it.

Very special Shrine with contemporary elements…. The place under the stone needs ticket to enter!! Be careful the route of the entrance… There are 2 ways to approach here.

Great little art house by the legend Hiroshi Sugimoto. Seems like most people actually miss this one. Tip: when the the temple is “closed” you can still admire the building. You just can’t enter the basement.

A little underwhelming, and the experience feels rushed as you are instructed to be in and out in 2 minutes. I did not get what the flashlight was far, it is light enough and shallow enough inside.

Definitely goto the underground area - only source of light here is what gets through the glass staircase which you can see near the shrine

None of the Naoshima Art House projects struck me as must see sites. This was my favorite. Somehow it conveyed the different paces of life that we experience. I liked sitting in the dark watching the time pieces moving at different speeds. But I am a numbers person.

This house is after ando. There are also 2 ice cream shops nearby that you should definitely checkout. If the led water piece looks familiar it was at the national art center in Tokyo.

Nice and simple - liked the concept behind it there is no 0 - so no end game!

We only bought two single art house tickets and felt like this one was a waste. This is the third numbers-ticking-up exhibit we’ve seen in Japan, it’s nothing special. Disappointed we didn’t use the pass on something more unique or interesting.

This place is decorated with clock numbers and devices. Not very big space but it is quiet and calm to explore.

I don't know what this is. There are a lot of the devices with shining figure on the pool in the old house. We can feel coolness and calm. Wheelchair users can't enter but watch the art work from a little distance.

I loved the art houses. None of them take very long, but a really fun experience to hit them all. You can see them in a couple hours. I won't describe. Just come and see them.

Wonderful experience - when you eventually get in! We bought a multi site ticket only to be told this had a separate ticket. You can’t simply buy a ticket on site - you have to stand there, scan a QR code, register, set up payment and then buy a ticket that can’t be saved to a wallet. Instead you have to bookmark the website with the tickets - which is difficult to find once you go off it.

the art presented is very low level and poor. the island is beautiful, best was to explore is by renting a bicycle

The best art house currently on show in my opinion - immersive, unexpected, dream-like similar to immersive theatre. Worth following the staff instructions closely to get the full, unspoilt experience

An eerie, fascinating, one of its kind experience. James Turrell has done something incredible here. It takes just ~20 mins to check it out, so don't miss it. But, make sure to reserve a timeslot in advance if you can. Otherwise you may miss out.

One of the highlights of the art House projects. Don't miss it. It's not includes in the five art House ticket, but luckily we got a ticket at the end of the day! I don't want to say much, it's the mystery that makes it special.

Minamidera is very poetic project and absolutely worth a visit. Turrell is always surprising and for me, this experience exceeds his other installation on the island by far.

Interesting experience, but you're not missing out much even if you can't get tickets.

me and my husband rent bikes that we used to go around the island. the lady at the counter is so kind and explained to us the details and how-to thoroughly. very tourist/foreigner friendly place too, the lady can speak english and she has all sorts of instructions and signs in english. we can use the bike up until 6 pm which is plenty of time to go around the island whilst stopping at all the art space around the island, and occasionally cats.

Rented bikes today. Be early if you want an ebike without reservation. We were there at 9:45 and got the last two. The bikes were good and we had a lot of fun with it. The staff is very friendly. At the end you put the bike keys back in a small box, self checkout. Would recommend!

Cycling 🚴 around the Naoshima Island is much more fun than taking bus. 🚌 You must reserve online in advance. This bike rental shop is popular, staff are patient and helpful. Once ferry arrival, there is a long queue. Lots of uphill hence electric bike is a must. It isn’t hard to tour the Naoshima by cycling, check out my YouTube for details about how. Day trip to Naoshima Island is good enough. Taking return ferry from and to Takamatsu. E-bike rental for a day costs $1,200 yen for an adult. P.S. there is another bike rental shop nearby in case reservation is full at this shop.

Didn't accept my IDP that is exactly as it says on their website, wasn't able to explain. I think they just don't understand IDPs and can't be bothered to try to (I've driven with my IDPs in several countries before). Really bad service. Addition: when I got off the first ferry at 9 am everything except for electric motorcycle was sold out, so expect not to get anything without pre-reservation at least 2-3 days before you come, at least during the Triennale (but 7 years ago without an active Triennale everything was sold out after the second ferry as well)

Pics below are of the garage where you pick up your bike. I forgot to take a picture of the shop. There is a person who posted a long complaint about how difficult it was for her to find her bike in the garage, I don’t really understand that because the bikes are numbered quite clearly, and it took us about two seconds to find our bikes, so you can disregard that lengthy complaint. I reserved our bikes in advance online. The pick up process went fairly quickly, although if they are working with arrivals off the ferry, it can take a bit longer because they have to explain all of the details of how the bikes operate and fill out all the paperwork, etc. I unfortunately went to pick up my bike right after the ferry arrive so there were a few people ahead of me and I waited about 10 minutes. Do yourself a favor and reserve your bike online in advance. Pro tip, this is the only bike shop that appears to be open on Mondays. When much of everything else on the island is closed, so if you intend to have a bike on Monday and/or return it on Monday, this is the only option. The staff spoke quite decent English, and because we had filled out everything in advance. It took only a few minutes to pay the rental fee, collect the key and get directions to the garage, which is two minutes away. These are fairly basic three speed bikes with optional electric assist. You don’t really need more than this to get around the island, but I will say that there were a couple of hills for which I wished that I had a bit more power. I see below that there are people who complain about the batteries running out too quickly. I don’t know about their particular situation but if you use your battery intelligently and shut off the power assist when you don’t need it, you shouldn’t have a problem. We use the power assist for two days only when we needed it and when we returned the bike we still had 80% of our battery charge remaining. I have three minor complaints about these bikes, one is that it is true the brakes are not the best and you do have to use quite a bit of force. If you’re going downhill and try to stop and the other is that the seats do not really get high enough to accommodate taller people. I am 5‘,9“ or 175 cm and I put the seat at the maximum height and it was still too low for me. I guess these bikes are designed for smaller people. My third issue was that it was a little bit difficult for us to figure out the electric assist controller. It’s really not that complicated and we did fine but it’s all in Japanese and although they give you a picture and explain how it works before you leave, once you’re out riding and you need to operate it, we kind of forgot about it. So I was not really sure if I was using the appropriate amount of extra power to assist me on those hills, but in the end I got up there without too much trouble, so it’s not a major complaint. There are a handful of bike shops, right there when you get off the ferry across the road, and I think they all have relatively similar pricing, some of the bikes in the other shops, looked a little bit nicer, but they were not open on Monday when we needed to return our bikes.

Rented 2 e-bikes for ¥3000. Best way to see the whole island. It took us less than 3 hours to circle the southern half of the island, stopping once at a café and numerous times for photos. The gentleman who rented the bikes explained everything perfectly, and we had no problems. Oh, and we did not reserve them beforehand.

Rented an e-bike from this place purely because the other 2 shops had a crowd of people looking to rent. The rental process is simple and quick but after you’ve signed and paid, they inform you that the pretty bikes you’ve been looking at are just for show and the bike you rented is down the street in a garage. Walk 3 minutes to the garage only to discover a sea of old, worn out bikes with no one around to help you locate the bike they’ve assigned to you (and no, the bikes are not parked in any particular order so add 10 minutes to the rental process). I found my bike but the seat was too low, and the lever to adjust the seat height was rusted so it would not move. I took it back to the office and the people working don’t know anything about bikes telling me that’s how it is. So I ask for another bike. They gave me a new key, I go back to the garage, spend another 10 minutes looking for the new bike. This one’s lever is not rusted shut so I’m able to adjust the seat. I take off quickly because I’ve already lost so much time and by the time I get to my first destination, I discover that the breaks are absolutely destroyed. I’m too far now to go back and by the looks of all the bikes in the garage, I knew that there wouldn’t be better options. I am an avid biker, and when I say that I was genuinely terrified riding that janky bike down the hills of Naoshima with inoperable breaks, I really mean it. Don’t rent a bike from this place. Just go to the shop on the far left, they have a bigger crowd and are a little more expensive but their bike fleet is new and well maintained.

I really enjoyed both the space itself as well as the artworks inside. It's a fairly quick visit - not more than 20-30 mins probably - but some of the paintings really leave an impression. The garden is also very beautiful, and stepping into the outhouse is super cool too.

Very small house (3 areas) that we visited in <10 minutes. Not worth 600 yen (they should have bundled with the museum or art houses in naoshima). The bathroom and outer house areas are interesting / nice, but the garden and house are not that interesting. I went in the winter near 1pm and the house was empty.

Great art house in Teshima- Yokoo House was built in a renovated old house, so when wandering inside, make sure to admire the original wooden beams and low entranceways typical of an old, Japanese house. Of course everyone who visits is also impressed by the colorful modern art, modern design & out-of-this-world glass bottom floor, red-rock waterfall, vivid imagery & powerful colors. Love this artist & actually wish I could move in here! The waterfall chimney is awesome (make sure to whisper).

Its OK, not the best, the arquitecture is besutiful

It's a very nice old house completely renewed and some art pieces. It's a collaboration between artist Tadanori Yokoo and the architect Yuki Nagayama... The best art installation in Teshima. *it's not allowed to take pictures inside the museum.

My favourite installation from both Naoshima and Teshima. So many cool things inside the buildings but unfortunately pictures not allowed. I had to wait 45min for it to open so went to the nearby beach but so worth it!

The colored glass is a one way mirror so don't do anything stupid thinking other people can't see you on the other side 😂 My favorite part is inside the house where the glass flooring allows you to see koi fish 🐟 swimming below your feet.

This is a backpacker place with the prices of a downtown Osaka hipster and modern izakaya. The hosts are doing their best with every guest and put a lot of effort to welcome everyone. The issue is: the throughput is not much. The internal decor is very basic, like entering their living room hastly converted with some cheap furniture to a backpacker cantine. The food ranges from good enough to OK, nothing bad but definitely does not exceed 'good enough.' It's not a "don't go here" but I was largely disappointed starting from the expectations set by other high reviews here. Next time in Naoshima will try somewhere else.

We went for a little snack stop whilst walking round the island. They have a one drink, one food item per person rule. We wanted a coffee each and to share a scone but had to get one each. We got an iced latte each but it was just cold brew mix coffee, not espresso. The scones however were absolutely incredible, warm and fresh. There was a blueberry and white chocolate and a pineapple and coconut one. Highly recommend either but the blueberry one was the best!!

Arrived 11:45, food served by 12:05 just as it got full with a short line outside. Food and service was sincere, great local ingredients. Spatially simple and comfortable. Brownie was extra good!

Not many eateries on the island, but this one's a proper gem. Food's all about staying on the healthy side, and let me tell ya, it's tasty without being too heavy.

Amazing clean hearty nutritional food. Lovely hospitable host and waiters who gave us a few things for free. Amazing veggie options. Definitely recommend

If you make a trip out to Naoshima Island, you absolutely must pay a visit to Apron Cafe. It's one of the best meals I've had in Japan, and I've spent almost 2 months traveling throughout the country. My wife and I shared both a set lunch menu (1,500 yen - we got the fried fish option) and a spicy curry dish (~1,100 yen) and both were spectacular. Everything tasted fresh and delicious and there was an abundance of food on each plate. We were really craving some healthy food options and this meal came through in a big way. Even the fried fish tasted healthy, somehow. I don't know how they did it! We also split a chocolate scone once we were done being healthy. It was warm with a soft interior and a nice crunchy exterior. Just delicious!

Very cosy place. Very popular with tourists on Naoshima. Maybe because the food is a bit more Western usual than in other places in Japan. We enjoyed the experience, but would not go back for the food. Rather for the great vibe.

Great place for dinner. Limited hours (6–8 PM). The food was excellent: miso soup, very authentic sashimi, breaded mackerel, tuna, potato salad, bean and seaweed salad—everything was delicious. However, dessert options were limited to just ice cream. The setting was authentic, with low tables for sitting on the floor. The only improvement I’d suggest (which might be cultural, as seen in many Japanese restaurants) is the tableware: water is served in paper cups, and napkins are individual facial wipes. Definitely worth a visit if you're in Naoshima.

A huge disappointment! Expensive and small portions and not very good. There is ¥300 sit down charge, and we were given 2 beans, which were fine, but not very tasty. The rice was served cold and mushy. We got the trio salads, the fried octopus and the fried pork. The octopus was nice but was so small. The salads were ok, but nothing to shout home about and the pork was just a stirfry, really nothing special. All dishes cost the same as a meal somewhere else. The waiting staff were very nice though. I left hungry!

A small restaurant with good old Japanese style interior. The fish is ok, rice is not very good.

Had a quick lunch here which cost 1200円 for what was a very simple lunch set, miso soup, a small portion of rice, a basic vegetable plate and the main, some of the most amazing and delicious Karaage (Japanese fried chicken) I've ever tasted and I've been coming to Japan for nearly 20 years now I had a beer to wash it down and it came to 2000円 so just about £10 which for what I got was a steal Highly recommend Not sure they speak English well but they were very welcoming to many foreign visitors

Very good and authentic Japanese restaurant. The dishes were delicious, especially the sake-boiled clams and yellow tail sashimi. We really recommend this place.

The dishes were quite expensive and small size, but yes delicious! If we ordered, they prepared dishes. So the fries were crispy and yam! I recommend to visit here after meal or to order rice with small foods😸

So happy I found this place, it was everything I needed. I had the garlic clams, the grilled yellowfin and rice, they gave some local beans to start too. It was so much comfort, so tasty and perfect. Really cosy vibe with floor seating, I was sat at the bar which was also nice. If there was maybe another speaker for the music by the bar then it would be even more perfect for me. But maybe they like to keep it quiet for that calm atmosphere. It was so quiet from the outside I thought it was closed as so many places were, but I am very happy they were open and could squeeze me in.

Cute little place run by an elderly couple. They only have a few things on the menu, mainly different ways of preparing fish. The food came out quickly and I was impressed by the portion sizes. I had the sashimi bowl and for the price, it's incredible value for money, with 2-3 slices of at least 5 different fish. The soup was interesting too, a very light white miso broth with one piece of shellfish

The lunch menu only had three options: sashimi, grilled fish or stewed fish. The type of fish changes constantly, so you don't know what you're going to get. I had the grilled fish which was delicious! The sides were also very good, it came with a nice assortment of pickled vegetables, miso soup and rice.

I have to be honest here, this is my kind of place: funky Japanese music playing, local craft beer, a simple dinner menu of sashimi or roast fish sets and one very hip owner. Let’s start with the miso soup, it’s probably not for everyone (it involves barnacles - just try it!) then there is the fish, roasted whole and served with rice and pickled vegetables. Great for a cold winter’s night, Nao PAM is welcoming in every way, the staff are friendly and accommodating. A Naoshima institution that warrants a visit. Be warned, dinner service finishes early (around 7pm), the master needs to get up early to catch the fish.

Nice place, really good food. Fresh fish. You need to try grilled fish set and sashimi set

Very good restaurant. No english menu so you have to trust your kind host, but with no regrets! Fresh and tasty products.

The best sushi restaurant on the island. But it is popular, make sure that you could come here early to prevent from waiting for long time.

This tiny place is also an exhibition of various objects and times. Some peculiar, some familiar. And then comes the food. Simple local dish, very fresh, so tasty.

As a shokudou or cheap restaurant is very good, there was a line in front of the restaurant, prices were supercheap 500 yen for a big portion of kakeudon or zaru udon, it was tasty as well

Very very tasty and soulful. Simple but unforgettable udon!!!

Small Udon shop in Honmura town of Naoshima. The place is very small and do expect long wait. We ordered Niku udon, Zaru Udon, and Bukkake Udon and they all were delicious! Udon was chewy. All the staffs were very slow but attentive. They closed at 3PM but started turning people away from 2.30PM so make sure you get on the line before the time.

Delicious little udon shop run, would recommend! Hit the spot when we were hungry after roaming all the art houses. I got the kitsune udon and the tofu pockets were so delicious in the broth.

we had udon at this place and it was great. i loved the karee udon.

English menu available. Cash only. I had the large size meat udon bowl, I was quite full in the end. It’s the perfect stop after visiting Go’o Shrine ! For tempura, better to go there early ! After lunch, just go directly to Kadoya.

The udon was delicious and the place adorable. Very affordable. Highly recommend when in Naoshima 🙂

Well maintained with key lockers and visitor shop (during business hours)

On holidays, there are many users of Uno Port. The building was renovated and it was very beautiful. It is a building that feels like a harbor. Since it is a flat station, it can be used by wheelchair users without problems. If we go through ticket gates, we can't buy drinks, so I recommend we buy them in advance.

A small outdoor station for the port city of Uno. Necessary for those accessing naoshima via Ferry and a short 3 minute walk to the ferry ticket offices. This station has a limited amount of luggage storage. We fit two medium sized suitcases in the bigger lockers that were ¥700 for 24 hours. We are glad we utilised these lockers and left our bags at uno station while doing an overnight trip to Naoshima. We collected them the next day which saved us carting them around Naoshima and Teshima.

If you want a locker, there are cheaper ones (200-300) at Naoshima pier for the same size instead of paying 600 here for a slightly bigger one. When the tourist office opens, they can keep it for 300. And there are many more at Naoshima right outside the bus stop area. Helpful and friendly office!

Nice train station - with a Seven11 close by saving you late at night, when you need to wait for a ferry.

Nice memorable place, anyone can love this please

Very friendly girls at the information center

(Translated by Google) That year, the people of Naoshima hoped that 007 would come to the island for filming, and carefully planned the publicity. But it didn't work out and this library was established. If you understand Japanese, the 007 movies in the museum are quite interesting. (Original) 那一年直島人希望００7來島上拍攝，用心規劃了宣傳。但後來沒有如願，而成立了這個資料館。如果懂日文，館內的００7影片還蠻有趣的。

(Translated by Google) I don't necessarily want you to go there, but it might be a good idea to adjust your ferry time. (Original) 是非行って欲しいというわけでは、無いですが、フェリーの時間調整には、いいかもね。

(Translated by Google) Don't go if you're in a hurry. (Original) No vayas si estas apurado.

(Translated by Google) Hmm. It has a local appeal. (Original) うーん。ローカルな面白さがある。

This former Pachinko parlor turned gallery/archives/library is a little gem. You cannot miss the building with the collection of found lighters in the front windows. A lovely place to learn about Naoshima and its history. GH

It’s beautiful, just like a every other is a small art gallery but the area is with it and beautiful to have some time

We have been visited middle of way in my trip . There was like wondering close or starting . Innermost light room had been changed . Now, There became another taste room . There was not smelling before any more .

Returned after reserving a spot 1.25 hrs later. Interesting sight deprivation experiment. No photos or sound allowed.

Unique and interesting experience. Leave time to visit before catching ferry home so you can read their archives

About 1971 , Pachinco 999、Opend to amusement facilities. 2012years change- d to build by Mr.Taira Nishizawa "Gallerly 六区".（rokku）to art museum. First showing was photo showing to "Midorikawa youichi展" Hard warker 's sweat , oil , and sands（砂や石灰） were taken by his camera .　 Mr. midorikawa has been into to dangerous factory's place from 1930years to 2000 years over.

Long term, community centered art gallery. What Naoshima needed.

An excellent book and stationary store (amongst other things). Very lovely staff too.

First time we could not believe why like special store has been such like here . High sence goods are lighting like these small Japanease rooms . l bought Maps and funny goods . Pensile Case fulled of faraway country's goods . Surelly international family livng here best of all them . Let's go inside with your action .. Don't go ahead my dream .

Some really cool books, stationary and gifts and was great to have a chat with the owner. We will have to come back when the cafe is open!

A nice spot to stop for a snack and a cool drink or coffee. Excellent foccacia (vegan option available too!) Supports local artists.

Naoshima Island is a Japanese gem. This art-centric island in the Seto Inland Sea is a mesmerizing blend of nature and creativity. Its pristine beaches and serene landscapes provide a peaceful retreat, while the art installations and museums, like the famous Chichu Art Museum and Benesse House, offer thought-provoking experiences. The island is a living canvas, with sculptures and contemporary art seamlessly integrated into the environment. Biking around the island reveals unexpected art at every turn. Naoshima's charm lies in its harmonious coexistence of art and nature, making it a truly unique destination for culture and tranquility seekers alike.

This small bookstore it’s a magic place. Lots of wonderful things to discover and the owner is warm and super helpful. Thank you!!

Books and food, including vegetarian options. Had a lovely visit here. Worth stopping by if you're able.

The best part this art House Project is the walk to it through the neighborhood, and the amazing building. The artwork is beautiful, especially the waterfall pieces.

Love the house projects and being able to see the stunning architecture. Almost no information (if even any) on the art or artist available which should be provided for a better experience and understanding

Remarkable artworks in a beautiful seaside setting. Do not miss the James Turrell work / experience.

Beautiful waterfalls even the cool feeling of being in front of real ones are there

This place is quiet, great and bigger. We can also take a photo and it is a good place to enjoy.

Sublime wall panels and painting/experience.

Japanese Classic Aesthetics and the Presentation of Modern Thinking The toilet beside is very comfortable

One of the few restaurants open on a Sunday afternoon, I arrived around 2pm. The portions are a bit small but the lunch set menu prices are cheap. It was refreshing to eat here and relax before exploring the island. There weren’t many people at the restaurant. The miso grilled mackerel had a nice flavor and the rice was filling. Staff were quick and accommodating.

We were told we would have to wait for 20 minutes and ended up waiting for one hour. The food was ok but definitely not worth the wait. The waitress was very nice and corrected a mistake on the bill with no fuss.

It was quite a shock during payment that they charge additional 500 yen during dinner. What they mean by “cover charge” is NOT minimal spending but ADDITIONAL fee. Do not eat here if you’re waiting to pass time between ferries. We were charged 1000 yen more even though we ordered food and drinks.

Dinner as a group of six after a day of exploring the island. Was wary as the Google rating is quite low but I think that’s in relation to the seat charge. Charge came with some edamame and the charge is pretty standard at other restaurants I’ve been to in Japan. Highlight was the pork katsu - so thick and juicy!

It was super weird, they were extremely rude to this Chinese girl next to me and refused to give her the free Kimchi (we got two). I feel so bad for her, the service was really really bad!

Oct. 18, 2025 In total, I strongly recommend going to other restaurants for your meal. This restaurant is truly not recommended. Since we didn't make a reservation for dinner, we were told they would charge a service fee, and that each person was required to order wine or soft drinks. We ordered fried udon, snapper rice, fried octopus, and two drinks. We waited almost an hour for our last dish, and the whole store was so filled with smoke that it was irritating to the eyes. We spent more money than we thought eating this dinner.

There's no ventilation, so the smoke stings your eyes and you leave with the smell of fried food. Ninety percent of the menu is fried. Even simple dishes are subject to long waits. Payment is cash only. You have to order a minimum of 500 yen plus a drink. The tea is watered down to the brim. I DO NOT RECOMMEND.

we absolutely loved this little spot ! great food and such cute interior. felt like we were in the owners personal kitchen as he made us feel very welcome and we left very full and happy. very affordable ! definitely get there early as it’s a small space :)

Incredible food, every dish was 10/10. Give yourself a few hours. Sashimi was the best we’ve had. Got there 20 minutes before opening which was essential to get a spot as there is only one sitting for the night.

You HAVE to be there at 18:00, or ideally earlier. There’s only one seating per evening (and max 8 seats) because the owners cooks everything on his own. Google maps opening hours are sort of wrong. Super friendly, super inexpensive, delicious and 100% authentic. Unique experience, unlikely you’ll find anywhere else in Japan.

Master is very friendly, with a very good homemade food and lovely atmosphere this place is perfect for a night after an art trail. I really love this place especially the master.

Very local one man show izakaya almost like in the Japanese movie Midnight Diner vibe but in someone’s living room. Simple menu in Japanese and English most dishes are either 700¥ or 800¥. Although the owner doesnt speak any English we certainly didnt have trouble ordering. While preparing the orders, he occasionally serve different small off the menu free appetisers to customers. You never know what you are getting and dont be surprised and try to tell him that you never order any of it. Food comes briefly and tasted homey and delicious. Once all the counter seats (8 seats only) were taken, he has to keep turning customers away. Its either you try your luck at other restaurant or just wait for a seat when customer leaves. Someone did asked if they can wait, he just say no embarrassedly (I think he just doesnt understand english much, so its easy to just say no and sorry). We felt lucky we randomly end up here because we were turned away at the curry house place across the road without a reservation. Knowing the island have limited food options and we were turned away before, we immediately take a seat without needed to think. This is certainly one of the most memorable experience ever dining in a local place like that. Oh and indoor smoking is allowed just so you know.

It's a really cute place run by an elderly local man. The atmosphere is really unique and nice. Everything was really tasty! The sashimi was perfect! We also tried chicken with plum which was also really good. All the drinks were really good too. At first we were a bit disappointed that he doesn't have draft beer but that's OK. Especially the umeshu (plum wine) was great and looked like it was home made! Would definitely recommend coming here for dinner or drinks with some food, you also get some edamame if you order alcoholic drinks! Just don't come if you're in a hurry!

Just had one of the most wholesome experiences of our whole Japanese trip. We came to Naoshima after visiting Tokyo and Kyoto and going to a variety of izakaya restaurants but would have to say that this was the best we have experienced. At 6:06pm we were greeted by the chef opening his doors, and pouring himself a whiskey before taking first orders. Don’t be in a hurry, sit and just admire the work of this 77 year old man and you will be rewarded. The sashimi was by far the best we have had, melted in your mouth. Chef Chikurin prepared for us a variety of different dishes that weren’t on the menu. My tip is to get there before 6. Wait for him to open the doors and sit right at the end, order a sake and let him take over. You will not be disappointed. As some others have mentioned. This is a take it all in and don’t rush the process kind of place. He is 77 years old and just does his thing. Go there and just watch him, and take in the fact that you are sitting in a place that we need to protect while it’s there, because blink and you’ll miss it. Truly memorable.

Far better of the two restaurants we tried in Naoshima. We agree with previous reviews that the portions are big and good value for money. Also confirm the menu has many options. We read some reviews that complained the curry only had ‘two shrimps’. We ordered curry and it certainly had a fair amount of shrimp and squid. The restaurant is very fair and not like the majority of places in Naoshima which aspire to some western ‘chique’ and charge disproportionate prices for what they offer.

Awesome western-ish Izakaya. Serving sizes are huge, so keep that in mind when ordering. The “large” beer is comically super-sized; maybe 36-48 oz? Everything we ordered food-wise was really tasty. I especially liked the sashimi daikon and bean sprout salad (so refreshing) and the Naoshima seafood curry. The curry flavor is lighter than your normal Japanese curry, with a hint of citrus. Loved the side pickles. The nanban chili mayo fried chicken was also great and generously portioned. Service was fast and our waiter spoke excellent english.

Extremely tasty and hearty food plus delicate options with great local produce and sublime flavors. Pic is of 3 flavors of fried chicken. Extensive menu compared to other places. Best spot in the area to dine. Interior is also quirky and unique. A must.

Loved this restaurant - portions were huge, food was delicious, staff was kind and accomodating. Would definitely eat here again. Seafood curry and radish salad were super yummy.

I went to Cin.na.mon for dinner in early May 2025. We couldn't find too many options in the evening on the Miyounoura side of Naoshima Island and it was getting late so decided to come here despite the 1 hour wait. They were super busy so I recommended that you try and book for a table rather than walk-in - otherwise you're liable to have to wait awhile like we did. Luckily it was worth the wait - it would have been really disapponting to wait the long only to find the food was awful. I ordered a sashimi set which was delicious, my travel buddy ordered the sashimi salad and a the biggest agedashi tofu I have ever seen. We also shared some charcoal chicken. The portion sizes were huge and the menu extensive - there's alot of choice (almost too much). The food was seasoned well and tasty . My only slight criticism was the charlcoal chicken was a little too charcoal to the point of being a little bitter but still edible. Service was friendly, fast and efficient. Recommend this as an option for a meal if staying on Naoshima Island. :-)

The waiter was not welcoming and they only have 4 seats at the counter if you don’t have a reservation. We waited 20mins for someone to take our order, another 20mins later for appetizers. An hour has passed and our main dishes still haven’t arrived. They seem busy and not attentive all at. Sashimi set doesn’t taste anything special and absolutely not worth the wait. Naoshima Curry was delicious but very little seafood, mostly sauce and rice. Octopus taste okay, some are hard to chew like rubber so I spit them out. Would not recommend 👎👎👎🚫

Really delicious food in a great atmosphere and friendly staff. The food here is extremely good. Also at a very reasonable price for the area. English menu is available and English is spoken a little bit. The restaurant is quite big, with both counter and tables for larger groups.

Was here only for a dessert and drink. Tried the plum wine for the first time in Japan. It was a nice sweet wine. The chocolate cake is a little dry. Will return for the food. The gratin dish other customers are having smells so good. Updated to 4 stars. Tried one of the dishes, it was delicious.

The owners are truly kind and welcoming. We tried the risotto and the veggie curry, and both were absolutely delicious. Be prepared for a little waiting time, as the café is very popular. The view over the harbor makes it all the more relaxing.

A cosy cafe with really great views outside. It was comfortable and felt like you were in somebody’s home. The menu is cute and cat themed. A chocolate cake. It is a little pricey but it’s a nice cafe. I spoke to the staff in Japanese but maybe he was a foreign exchange student and didn’t understand Japanese. The women staff were very welcoming and friendly and also gave us some advice about the local area. I recommend this cafe for its convenient location to the port and the cute desserts.

Has everything you need in coffee plus a good hand pour ! The vibe and scenery….. can not be beat. Come here you will not regret it.

Super cute place to take a beak and drink some coffee together with a fluffy pancake. Really recommend it. They also have a little shop with some nice t-shirts. :)

I agree with some of the other reviews that this place is a little overpriced...but I can’t complain too much because of there being limited options on the island. However, the lunch set was decent and the dessert was good. The restaurant itself was cozy too.

This quaint little Cafe was a real find! We were wandering without a plan, happened to see it and went in for dinner. Couldn't have been happier. Menu changed daily and is available in English. The service was great and most menu items are a "set", served with salad, soup and a soft drink. You can upgrade to beer or wine for a small additional fee. The casserole we ordered was cheesy with a rich tomato sauce and good quality beef. Our Risotto had great big chunks of octopus and a creamy texture with rich flavor. Desert was homemade chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream - dense chocolate flavor tempered by creamy notes. We felt lucky to have stumbled upon this place. Right around the block from the main bus stop at Nakacho - worth hunting for. Be sure to take a peek at the many local artist's CDs and jewelry for sale in the café.