Naoshima and Teshima in One Day: Access Tips and Top Restaurant Picks for a Perfect Visit

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Naoshima and Teshima are the venues for the Setouchi Triennale, which will be held in 2025. In this article, Gold-Guide will introduce how to tour the islands, along with a report from an actual tour.

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Required time

1 day

Transportation

train Train ｜

directions_walk On foot ｜

directions_boat Ferry

Location

A Full Day to Enjoy Art and Nature in Naoshima and Teshima!

In weather typical of the rainy season, I traveled from Kansai to Naoshima and Teshima via Okayama.
In this article, we will introduce the attractions of each spot along the actual itinerary! Please feel free to use it as a reference.

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Okayama station

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train

Duration: Approximately 1 hour
Take the Marine Liner from Okayama Station, transfer at Chayamachi Station, and head to Uno Station.

Since the first train departs from Okayama Station, you can be sure to get a seat. The Marine Liner also has reserved seats, so if you are worried, it may be a good idea to reserve a seat. (An additional fee will be charged.)

Uno Port

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directions_boat

Duration: 20 minutes

We are finally departing from Uno Port for Naoshima (Miyanoura Port)!

Tickets can be purchased from the automatic ticket machines.
Please note that only cash is accepted.

The beauty of the Seto Inland Sea as seen from the boat is spectacular even on a rainy day.

We arrived at Naoshima in no time.
Once you disembark, the first thing you should do is pick up a map and a timetable from the information center at the ferry terminal.

The day we arrived was a Monday, and sadly it was raining. On Mondays, many shops on Naoshima, including the Chichu Art Museum, Art House Project, restaurants, and cafes, are closed , but all art museums except for the Chichu Art Museum are open, and outdoor exhibits can be viewed regardless of the day of the week. Since there are fewer customers, it is recommended for those who are not going to the Chichu Art Museum and those who want to relax.

However, access to the island may be limited due to the suspension of bus services on the island , so we recommend checking in advance before going.

From here, we will travel by bus to Honmura, an area with many Art House Projects. Please note that buses on the island only accept cash , so please bring some coins.

After arriving at Honmura, you will board a high-speed boat to head to the next island, Teshima.

directions_boat

Duration: 20 minutes
The Honmura area is the Art House Project area. It's also closed as it's Monday. The dock is different from Miyanoura Port, it's an unmanned terminal that looks very island-like. I was worried if the boat would really come here, but then I spotted a small boat in the distance. When I arrived at the dock, it was full to capacity. This boat departs from Takamatsu Port in Kagawa, Shikoku.

We have arrived at Teshima (Ieura Port)!

We had planned to board a bus from here to travel around the island, but the couple we met on the boat decided to make a reservation at a restaurant for lunch and arrange transportation there. They were worried because they thought we wouldn't be able to board the bus after arriving at the port because there were too many people. One of the good things about islands is that you have these unexpected encounters. The couple was right; we couldn't all board at once. There are only a limited number of buses on the island, so be careful when walking around the island even when it's not busy .

What surprised me about Teshima was the number of foreign visitors. Apparently , on Mondays, there are more customers visiting Teshima than Naoshima. What's more, everyone was wearing raincoats and walking or cycling around the island, even in the rain. We were given a ride to the restaurant by the car, with all those energetic people by our side. Thank you very much to the kind couple.

We arrived at Shima Kitchen, the place we were looking forward to having lunch at, about 10 minutes from the port. There were customers from various countries. We ordered the Shima Kitchen lunch set. It seemed that we would probably not be able to get in unless we made a reservation. When the lunch we were looking forward to arrived, we were surprised at how much it was. It was made with ingredients grown on the island, and had a natural taste.

After finishing our meal, we headed to Karato Port. On the way, we passed the Teshima Art Museum, and the view from this area was truly spectacular. If you are cycling around, please be careful as this area is prone to speeding and there have been many injuries.

We passed along the coast lined with convex mirrors and finally the port came into view. There was a small information desk and a toilet. We were originally planning to board the boat from here, but because we were picked up and dropped off today, the journey went faster than expected. We decided to go back to the port where we arrived and go directly back to Uno Port.

Well, the bus from here was full. It looked like it was quite difficult for tourists with suitcases. I recommend you to dress lightly when going to the island . And what surprised me was the payment. You can pay with IC card on this bus.

After arriving at Ieura Port, I strolled around the area to see some art. While I was leisurely strolling around the port town, taking in the sights like the Yokoo Tadanori Museum and the magnificent rock garden, an islander called out to me and introduced me to a recommended cafe. It was a recently opened facility called "Espoir Inn." You can stay overnight and it can also be used as a cafe. The view was also great. Due to time constraints, I wasn't able to have coffee, but I returned to Ieura Port thinking that it would be a good place to stay.

directions_boat

Travel time: 25 minutes (Teshima → Uno)

Purchase your ticket at the counter, get your numbered ticket, and then depart. They don't take seats in the order of the numbered ticket, but simply keep track of the number of people. You have to keep your ticket so you don't lose it.

Uno Port

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directions_walk

After arriving at Uno Port, return to Uno Station.

train

After walking to Uno Station, check the train times and board the train to Okayama.
If there is a train going to Okayama, you can travel there without having to change trains.

Okayama station

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