Setouchi Triennale 2019 – Explore Islands And Art On An Official Tour

Setouchi Triennale's Official Tours - See Japan's Art Islands with a Guide

The Setouchi Triennale is a contemporary art festival held across 12 islands and two ports in Kagawa and Okayama prefectures. Many of these spots are accessible by boat.

Traveling across the stunning Seto Inland Sea by boat is a wonderful experience. However, it can be challenging to navigate the different boat schedules and routes.

Instead, we recommend taking one of the festival’s official tours, which have launched in the festival's fourth installment in 2019. The tours are priced between 9,800 – 14,800 yen (tax included) (*1) and you can travel around one to three islands in a day. In this article, we’ll introduce the benefits of going on an official tour from the perspective of a participant.

*1: The Triennale Passport must be purchased separately.

3 Reasons to Join the Setouchi Triennale Tour

Here, we’ll introduce reasons why we recommend taking a Setouchi Triennale tour, based on the firsthand experiences of our writer.

1. Explore the Island and Contemporary Art with a Knowledgable Guide

The guides on official tours were chosen by the Setouchi Triennale’s executive committee and have received training. They are experts about the islands and the artworks being exhibited.

Many of the guides are local, either from Kagawa or nearby regions. Visitors can hear stories and history about the region from an inside perspective.

*Tours will be accompanied by an English-speaking guide if many international tourists join the tour. If the tour is joined by a few overseas tourists, it will be conducted in Japanese. However, you will be able to receive documents printed in English in both cases.

2. Board a Chartered Boat and Savor Lunch on the Islands

Boats will be full of people during the Setouchi Triennale. You may also be unable to eat at restaurants or make reservations for lunch due to the crowds.

However, the official tour also you to travel by chartered boat and is very convenient. The staff will even help you make lunch reservations at restaurants with local cuisine. You can also leave your heavy belongings on the boat and walk around the islands unburdened.

3. Enjoy Free Time to Explore

When visiting the islands, you will want to take time to see the featured artworks and natural scenery.

While an official tour includes explanations, you will have plenty of free time to explore on this outing. You can also spend more time roaming around on the island unguided. Just be sure to discuss this with your guide beforehand. They will kindly recommend spots to see and tell you how to meet back up with the group afterward.

*You sometimes will not be able to explore outside of the designated free time on certain island tours.

Oshima-Megijima-Ogijima Official Tour Report

Our writer participated in the official tour’s B course (Oshima-Megijima-Ogijima) in August 2019. Continue reading to learn more about their experience on the tour.

9:30 – 9:50 Meet up at Takamatsu Port and Travel to Oshima

In the morning, everyone will gather at Takamatsu Port Passenger Terminal Building 1F where a reception will take place. Then you will board the boat together.

Ms. Kayo (pictured center right), who was born in Kagawa, served as the guide. She also works as an interpreter and is fluent in English. An explanation about the day’s tour and Oshima, our first destination, immediately began once we boarded the boat.

10:40 – Get a Guided History Lesson About Oshima

Oshima, a small island with a 7.2 kilometer-circumference, was where a Hansen’s disease (leprosy) sanatorium was established in 1909. It is now curable, but at the time, discrimination against these patients occurred all over the world. Japan was no exception to this.

Leprosy patients were forced into isolation at Oshima’s sanatorium. Patients were not permitted to have children; couples that married in the facility underwent forced contraception and abortions (*2).

After arriving on Oshima, our writer followed Ms. Kayo’s guidance by first heading to the memorial monuments. Here, we performed gassho (*2) for the patients who have passed away and their unborn children.

From there, everyone headed to the exhibition areas of the artworks.

*2: These types of discriminative policies were abolished through the 1996 Leprosy Prevention Law and the passing of the 2008 Act on Promotion of Resolution of Issues Related to Hansen's Disease. Currently, former patients of leprosy have been cured of the disease. At the sanatorium, assistance with medical treatments and activities to raise leprosy awareness are performed.
*3 Gassho: a Japanese ritual that mourns for the deceased by bowing while placing both hands together in prayer. You are not obligated to perform this ritual.

Seizo Tashima “Blue Sky Aquarium”

The “Blue Sky Aquarium” is an excursion-type installation built in the former dormitories. In this installation, a continuously weeping mermaid appears as if asking, "Why did you throw me away?" alongside artworks of sea creatures made from waste materials. It expresses the deep sadness contained on the island of Oshima.

Fuyuki Yamakawa “Strait Songs”

At Oshima’s sanatorium, people regularly attempted to escape the facility by swimming to the town on the other side of the strait. “Strait Songs” is an installation where the artist films herself swimming across the strait.

Exactly what did these patients feel while attempting to cross the ocean by putting their lives in grave danger? Perhaps while isolated on this small island, they were thinking of family or freedom. You can imagine how they must have felt while standing before these images and felt their pain.

In response to each of the participant's questions, Ms. Kayo kindly explained the background behind each artwork. Thanks to her, we were able to deepen our understanding of the art and Oshima.

12:25 – Enjoy Lunch on Megijima with the Group

Next, we visited Megijima. After seeing the “Little Shops on the Island” and “BONSAI deepening roots” on Megijima, we were given some free time until lunch.

It was sweltering on the day of the tour. Ms. Kayo advised, “The artwork ‘ISLAND THEATRE MEGI’ is air-conditioned. You can take a break inside while enjoying the exhibit.”

EAT&ART TARO “Setouchi Gastronomy”

Just past 13:00 we ate at Restaurant IARA Megijima. The “Setouchi Gastronomy”—a show where you can enjoy Kagawa cuisine—is held here during the Setouchi Triennale 2019. Sometimes there is additional commentary by artist EAT&ART TARO.

EAT&ART TARO “Setouchi Gastronomy”

Kagawa Prefecture has long flourished in vinegar production in areas such as Busshozan and Nio in order to preserve fish. At Restaurant IARA Megijima you can savor dishes made with delicious Kagawa vinegar.

The Takase tea (pictured upper left) is especially impressive. It is an amazing green tea with delicious body, and nearly impossible to find outside of Kagawa as it is produced in small quanities. Being able to taste rare drinks and food is something unique to the Setouchi Triennale and its neighboring regions.

15: 00 – See the Art of Ogijima

Lastly, we visited Ogijima.

“Rice paddies couldn’t be created on Ogijima because there are so many hills. That’s why, long ago, the islanders lent their cows to farmers off the island in exchange for rice.” We arrived on the island as we listened to Ms. Kayo’s explanation inside the boat.

From there, we passed through maze-like roads to the art exhibits.

Haruki Takahashi “SEA VINE: on the shoreline”

“SEA VINE: on the shoreline” is a work of art expressing the movements of the Seto Inland Sea’s waves through porcelain flowers and vines. The sound of waves echoed inside the room as we admired the exhibit, making it feel as if we were submerged in the sea's ebbing tide ourselves.

We then admired “Unknown Work 2019” by Gregor Schneider and “Tribe – House” by Toshikatsu Endo before we were allocated free time.

We asked Ms. Kayo if there was a work that she recommended. She replied, “'Memory Bottle' is really pretty and popular with people that love aesthetics.” We quickly made our way to the exhibit.

Mayumi Kuri “Memory Bottle”

“Memory Bottle” is an installation that has enclosed the mementos of Ogijima’s residents in bottles. Some of these mementos include pictures and small items.

Ogijima is a small island with a population of less than 200 people. It isn't a major sightseeing destination like Tokyo or Osaka. However, you’ll find sparkling memories in each and every person on the island encased in this installation.

Enveloped in darkness, imagine the lives of the owners of these memories while gazing at each shining bottle. The experience is very moving.

It was then that we remembered Ms. Kayo's advice: “Ogijima has several cafes, so try stopping by one.” After returning to the port, we visited the Dream Cafe (*4) located at the side of the road. From the terrace, we could see the sea and feel the cool breeze.

At the cafe, lose yourself in deep thought as you recall the day’s experiences.

*4: Dream Cafe is only open during the Setouchi Triennale.

17:00 – Return to Takamatsu Port

The chartered boat arrived at Takamatsu Port around 17:00, which officially marked the end of the tour.

We asked other participants on this tour for their thoughts.

One visitor replied, “I felt this was a very organic art festival. Setouchi Triennale is deeply connected with the history and communities of the islands.” Another replied, “Ms. Kayo showed us around while explaining everything in English, so I was able to understand more about the island.”

Special Tour Souvenirs

When you participate in an official tour, you will receive a tote bag and pin badge that aren’t available for sale. These items are great mementos and useful even during other trips.

Sign up for an official trip via Kotohira Bus Co., Ltd.’s official website. There are a total of six tour courses available.

Kotohira Bus is also holding special tours that take you around islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Be sure to check out these tours, too!

In cooperation with Kotohira Bus Co., Ltd.