Naoshima is best explored through its art sites and the buildings behind them. In the Honmura district, the Art House Project transforms vacant houses into artworks, incorporating their history and memories from the time they were in use. The sites are scattered throughout residential areas, so moving between houses is part of the exploration. The project currently includes seven publicly accessible sites. Check the current selection before your trip.
Art connected to the houses
Kadoya was the first building completed as part of the Art House Project. The approximately 200-year-old house was restored to its original appearance using plaster, smoked cedar boards and traditional roof tiles. Here, artistic use and traditional construction methods come together directly. If you are interested in the connection between art and architecture, Kadoya offers a concrete introduction to the project.
Other sites also reflect their former uses. Gokaisho is now an art space in a building where island residents once gathered to play Go. Haisha was once the home and dental clinic of a dentist; Shinro Ohtake transformed the entire building into an artwork. Ishibashi was the home of the Ishibashi family, who prospered in the salt industry, and was used as a private residence until April 2001. Its restoration was considered important for understanding Naoshima’s history and culture. These different stories show how closely the houses are connected to specific past uses.
Architecture and history at other art sites
Minamidera offers a different architectural perspective: the new building was designed by Tadao Ando for works by James Turrell. The ANDO MUSEUM offers another way to explore Ando’s work. Photographs, sketches and models provide insights into his work and the history of Naoshima. The museum itself has given new life to a traditional wooden house approximately 100 years old. Taken together, an intentionally designed new building and a reused historic house stand side by side here—two different ways of connecting architecture with art and local history.
Go'o Shrine 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. The architecture here explores the connection between different levels. You may visit and pray in the shrine’s main and front areas at any time.
Plan your visits and routes in Honmura
Minamidera has its own visiting requirements: since October 1, 2024, visits have been possible only with an advance reservation. Check the current booking calendar if you plan to visit this site. Together with Go'o Shrine, whose main and front areas may be visited at any time, it shows that visiting requirements vary from site to site.
Explore the Art House Project on foot by walking between galleries at different locations in the Honmura district. Because the sites are spread out, the route between houses becomes part of the exploration, making the visit different from one to a single location. You can rent bicycles or motorcycles at various locations in Honmura. Check current providers before your trip if you wish to use this option.
Discover more destinations: Takamatsu, Nishishirakata, Kotohira, Zentsūji, Sakaide, Tadotsu, Shozu District, Higashikagawa.
For the main travel overview: Kagawa Prefecture.
