It’s quite a trip to Naoshima: about 4 hours from Tokyo or just over 2 hours from Kyoto. You have to change train twice. Using Tetsuta Watanabi’s advice I booked accommodation in Uno Port just opposite the Ferry pier to the Naoshima Island. You have to book a year in advance if you want to stay on Naoshima Island at Benesse.
‘Uno Port Inn’ accommodation is very basic but the friendliest and helpful staff I ever came across in Japan. It’s also spotless with fresh food and real bagels.
There is nothing in Uno except newly built onsen where I spent an evening. Oh, they also have pretty street drain lids.
Uno used to be a very busy port but when the great Seto Bridge was completed in 1988 it became a ghost town. It has signs of slow revival since Benesse started to develop Naoshima and built Benesse House Museum with Hotel in 1992. The 1st festival, Setouchi Triennale was held in 2010. People learned that the easiest access to the islands is from Uno Port.
It drew tourists and many artists resettled at Uno Port and on the islands. After the Great Tohoku Earthquake in 2011, many people from Fukushima also moved to Uno and other islands.
We left to Naoshima early morning. It takes 20 min by ferry. The Seto Inland Sea is picturesque with many tiny, tall islands covered with green forests.
The 1st thing you come across is big red pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama, world-famous Pop Art Japanese artist. She is 86 but still very active.
On the island, you can rent a bike. I decided to take a bus to the art site and then walk between museums. The vistas are magnificent with a sea in the background. The weather was glorious. The architecture seemed from the 22 century. The Art itself? It was unexpected combinations of the light, space and the sound. I haven’t seen Monet paintings in modern frames on pristine empty walls before. The Chichu Art Museum is practically underground with a beautiful Monet garden passage. Again you can’t take photos of the museums and their gardens, just outside. It took me half of the day to visit Lee Ufan Museum, Benesse House Museum and Outdoor Works including yellow pumpkin of Yayoi san.
After a quick lunch with Octopus ink on rice at Benesse café I took a bus to Honmura area to see Art House Project and Ando Museum. There are many projects there: Minamidera – finding light after being in a complete darkness, Go’s Shrine uniting the old and the new, the below and the above.
But it was at Ando Museum when the first time I’ve learned about genius self-taught architect Tadao Ando. His exhibition is also opened in Tokyo until 18 December. The six sections of his exhibition titled: Origins/Houses, Light, Void Spaces, Reading the Site, Building upon What Exists, Creating That Which Does Not Exist. His ‘Church of the Light’ built in Osaka is surreal.
Totally exhausted back to the pier by bus I still had to look at local Bathhouse (sento), project called “I love Yu”
It was created by artist Shinoro Ohtake. You can take a bath (510 yen) while enjoying the art the bathtubs, wall murals, mosaic, and the ceramics of restrooms. It was designed by the artist to bring together local residents and international visitors. Unfortunately, I had no time to soak in a tub. It was hard to take a photo as the street was very narrow.
Coffee with pumpkin meringue on the run, quick look at “Another Island” steel mesh installation by Sou Fujimata, and I’m going back to the Ferry. It was getting dark.
It was an early night for me: too much to digest.
Next morning back to Tokyo.
Talk soon
Jaa Mata
