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March 25 2022
Located in South West Japan, the Setouchi region is a beautiful natural paradise! There are many incredible things to see and do in Setouchi, including the Setouchi Trienalle.
Held once every three years, the Setouchi Trienalle is a world-famous contemporary Art Festival. Whether you are already immersed in the art world or just dipping your toes in, it’s a spectacle not to be missed!
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Published: March 25 2022
Setouchi Triennale Tour (for 7 days on 7 islands in Setouchi)
Inujima・Teshima・Naoshima・Takamatsu・Megijima・Ogijima・Syodoshima
Day 1 – 1 : Honden Port, Okayama → Inujima island
~ Feel the history of Inujima, listen to the storyteller who raised on this island ~
Morning: Meet at JR Okayama Station or Hoden Port and start tour.
Approx. 45 minutes from Okayama Station by private vehicle.
Take Ferry or sea taxi to Inujima island from Honden port.
・Inujima Seirensho Art Museum Breathing new life into the ruins of a former copper refinery, Inujima Seirensho Art Museum was built around the idea of “using what exists to create what is to be”.
Exhibited here are works created by Yukinori Yanagi, together with the remodeled architecture designed by Hiroshi Sambuichi.
・ Inujima “Art House Project which was inspired the local community of Inujima,allowing them to experience the beautiful landscapes of everyday life and the familiar natural
environments that extend beyond the artworks.
・ Inujima Life Garden is not a conventional botanical garden, professionally landscaped so that people can visit and observe plant life, but rather a place where island residents and visitors can join in the process of reviving the land.
Lunch at Inujima
Take Ferry or sea-taxi to Teshima in the afternoon after lunch.
Strolling around the Ieura port area
Teshima Yokoo House： The “Teshima Yokoo House”, a collaboration between artist Tadanori Yokoo and architect Yuko Nagayama, was created by altering and renovating an old private house. The exhibition areas are divided into a “Main House,” a “Warehouse,” and an “Outhouse,” displaying 11 two-dimensional works.
Needle factory：An abandoned sewing needle factory, which closed in the late 1980s. Installed within its space is a wooden hull-form used in the manufacturing of red snapper net fishing boats, neglected for some 30 years.
Dinner at the accommodation & Overnight in Teshima Island in Benesse House or ROKA.
Day 2 : Teshima island → Naoshima island
~Enjoy the site-specific artworks on Teshima in Setouchi ~
Morning: Meet your guide at the hotel and Enjoy the art works and museums in Teshima island
Teshima Art Museum: Teshima Art Museum stands on a hill on the island of Teshima overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. The museum, which resembles a water droplet at the moment of landing, is located in the corner of a beautiful rice terrace.
Les Archives du Cœur: By Christian Boltanski,permanently houses recordings of the heartbeats of people throughout the world. The recordings may be listened to by visitors.
It is also possible to record your own heart beat here.
Other exhibitions: Storm house, La forêt des murmures etc. You can enjoy the beautiful coastline with Rental cycles, too.
Lunch : Recommended place: Shima Kitchen - Shima Kitchen is a restaurant that connects people through “Food and Art”. It was reconstructed into a restaurant from
a vacant house by the work of Architect Ryo Abe during Setouchi Triennale 2010.
Leave Teshima to Naoshima by Ferry
Overnight: Naoshima in Benesse House Museum.
Day 3 : Naoshima island
~Art island, Naoshima~
Morning: Enjoy the art works near your hotel
Afternoon: Meet your guide at Hotel
Art House Project：It began in 1998 with Kadoya, and currently comprises seven locations: Kadoya, Minamidera, Kinza, Go‘o Shrine, Ishibashi, Gokaisho, and Haisha. In this project, artists take empty houses scattered about residential areas and turn the spaces themselves into works of art, weaving in history and memories of the period when the buildings were lived in and used.
You can enjoy Beautiful architectures by Tadao Ando, Hiroshi Sugimoto, Hiroshi Sambuichi in this area, too.
Naoshima Bath ”I♥湯“ :
Take a bath here for experience the art. This is an art facility created by Shinro Ohtake where visitors are able to take a bath. The exterior and fittings of the bathhouse, from the bath
itself to the pictures decorating the walls, the mosaics, and even the toilet fittings, all reflect the universe of the artist.
Overnight: Naoshima in Benesse House Museum.
Day 4 : Naoshima island →Takamatsu
~ Take your time and feel the art that can only be experienced here ~
Morning: After checking out, meet your guide at the hotel
Enjoy the Benesse Area →Museums designed by Tadao Ando: Tadao Ando is an architect who fits the concept of “not destroying nature” that Mr. Fukutake cherishes, and he only builds buildings that match the land.
・Lee Ufan Museum
・Chichu Art Museum
・Benesse House Museum
・Pumpkin etc.
Lunch at Naoshima
After lunch, Leave Naoshima to Takamatsu by Ferry Enjoy the art around Takamatsu Port
Overnight in Takamatsu in Kitahama Sumiyoshi
Day 5 : Megijima → Ogijima → Shodoshima
~ Enjoy the cruising of the Setouchi inner sea and explore the art of these small islands ~
Meet your guide at the hotel.
Stop at Ritsurin Garden to appreciate the beauty of Japanese Garden.
Take sea-taxi or Ferry at Takamatsu port for the cruise of Megijima, Ogijima
・Megijima: to enjoy the artworks of Setouchi Art Festival
It is an island with many attractions such as a cityscape with a characteristic landscape such as stone walls to prevent strong winds, and Onigashima Cave.
・Ogijima: to explore Ogijima island on foot.(Cat Island）
Ogijima has few flatlands and many slopes. The village is like a maze, so the villagers kindly talk to the lost tourists. It is said that it is one of the most beautiful landscape in Setouchi
islands
Leave Ogijima to Shodoshima Island by Sea-Taxi
Day 6 : Shodoshima Island
~ Enjoy the richness of Setouchi on Shodoshima island~
Shodoshima is known as the “Olive Island” after successfully cultivating olives for the first time in Japan. The second largest island in the Seto Inland Sea, a scenic island where nature and culture are in harmony. The island is also famous as the one of the venues for the Setouchi Triennale, which is held every three years, so even if you’re not here during the Triennale, you’ll find plenty of permanent artworks.
https://setouchi-artfest.jp/en/artworks-artists/artworks/shodoshima/
Meet your guide at the hotel
Enjoy Artworks which are scattered in this island by coach.
・Stop at the soy source brewery and lunch - ヤマロク醤油(yama-roku.net)
In the afternoon: Olive Garden
Whether you want to continue exploring the artworks or enjoy the natural beauty of Shodoshima, your guide will help you decide on the best itinerary.
・Optional sightseeing spot- Kankakei Valley
Overnight: Shodoshima Island
Day 7 : Shodoshima Island →Kobe
~ Is there anything you missed? ~
Meet your guide at hotel
Leave Shodoshima to Kobe by Ferry Tour ended in Kobe port
・Optional half-day tour in Kobe;
Hyogo Prefectural Museum of Art, designed by Tadao Ando
Rokko Shidare by Hiroshi Sanbuichi
Museum of Tadanori Yokoo
Sake Brewery hopping tour/Kobe Beef restaurant etc.
Olivia joined Go Bespoke in February 2013 and works very closely with both clients and suppliers. She has travelled extensively across Europe, Canada, the Indian Ocean, Thailand, Caribbean, UAE and Vietnam. She grew up spending her family holidays in Kenya so she’s in the know when it comes to Africa.
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