Naoshima: Art in Houses and Stories

Naoshima invites you to discover art in buildings and in the stories of their former uses. In the Art House Project, vacant houses in residential areas are turned into works of art, incorporating their history and memories of the time when they were in use. This gives the art visit a tangible connection to life in the houses. If you’re travelling with children, you can draw on these former uses and talk together about how a building changes over time.

Art Sites with Their Own Histories

The Art House Project currently comprises seven sites open to the public in the Honmura district. Kadoya was the first building in the project to be completed. The approximately 200-year-old house was restored to its original appearance using plaster, smoked cedar boards and traditional roof tiles. The materials used and the preserved form make Kadoya a vivid example of how an older house was incorporated into the art project.

Other sites also tell stories of their former functions. Gokaisho is an art space in a building where island residents once gathered to play Go. Haisha was a home and dental practice before Shinro Ohtake transformed the entire building into a work of art. Ishibashi was once the home of a family that prospered through salt production. It was used as a private home until April 2001; its restoration was considered important for understanding Naoshima’s history and culture.

Minamidera is a new building by Tadao Ando, designed for works by James Turrell. There is an important restriction to bear in mind when visiting: since 1 October 2024, Minamidera has been accessible by advance reservation only. If you plan to visit, make sure to reserve ahead of time. The ANDO MUSEUM, in turn, offers insights into Tadao Ando’s work and Naoshima’s history through photographs, sketches and models. The museum has given new life to a traditional wooden house that is about 100 years old.

Getting Around on Foot and Choosing a Location

Visitors explore the Art House Project on foot, walking between galleries at different locations in the Honmura district. This provides a clear guide for planning your day: the art sites are part of a walk through the district, rather than being in a single building. Bicycles and motorbikes can be rented at various spots in Honmura. These rental options are another practical detail for your stay in the district, even though the Art House Project itself is explored on foot.

Another site with a distinctive spatial design is Go'o Shrine, which dates back to the Edo period. As part of its restoration, Hiroshi Sugimoto designed a building with a glass staircase connecting an underground stone chamber to the main hall. Visitors are welcome to view and pray in the main and front areas at any time. Naoshima’s art and cultural experiences are therefore distinguished not only by their themes, but also by the buildings and spaces that shape them.

When looking for a holiday rental, you could first consider what you want to focus on during your stay. If the Art House Project is your main interest, Honmura is the relevant location; the galleries there are explored on foot. Other interests, such as Tadao Ando’s work or the distinctive design of Go'o Shrine, offer further points of connection to help guide your travel plans. This lets you choose your destination based on the experiences that interest you most on Naoshima, without inferring specific features of individual accommodations from the art sites.

Discover more places: Tadotsu, Higashikagawa, Mime, Tonoshō, Marugame, Kotohira, Manno, Zentsūji.

For the main travel overview: Kagawa Prefecture.