The Ferry to Naoshima

Shibuya246 · 7 November 2010 · 17 photos

A car ferry with its ramp down at a port, with a sign reading 直島行 — The car ferry at Uno Port. The sign on the front shows the route: Takamatsu, Naoshima, Uno.

Before I posted my photos from Naoshima, there was the trip across. I took the car ferry from Uno Port in Okayama over to Miyanoura, the main port on the island, on a grey November afternoon in 2010.

It is a short crossing, but a nice one, past the small green islands of the Seto Inland Sea.

A man buying tickets at a ferry ticket window under a timetable — Buying tickets. In 2010 it was 280 yen one way.

A long harbour wall and calm grey sea — The harbour at Uno.

The wake behind a ferry leaving port — Pulling away from the port.

Passengers on deck looking out at a small island — The first islands of the Inland Sea.

Benches and tables on an open ferry deck — Plenty of seats up on the open deck.

Red life raft containers on the ferry deck — Life rafts stacked on deck.

A pointed island on the horizon between two headlands — A pointed island on the horizon.

A wooded island with rocky cliffs — Rocky islands slide past.

A rocky cliff face close to the water — Close to the shore.

A small harbour town across the water — Arriving at Naoshima.

Ferries and boats at a port in front of green hills — Miyanoura Port.

A large red spotted pumpkin sculpture on a lawn by the harbour — The first thing you see: Yayoi Kusama's Red Pumpkin by the port.

A white ferry passing a wooded headland — Another ferry heading out.

The sea and islands framed through a dark window — Looking out through a window frame.

A small pier with a pylon and islands behind — Looking back across the water.

The same ferry also runs on to Takamatsu, so you can come from the Shikoku side too.

I took these photos in November 2010 and only got round to posting them in 2026.

Visiting today · Kagawa, Shikoku

Visiting Naoshima, Kagawa today

Checked October 2026 · next check January 2027

Added by Shibuya246, separate from the original post above. Facts are checked every quarter against the sources below. Check opening times and prices before you go.

What it is: An island in the Seto Inland Sea known for its contemporary art. Sites include the Chichu Art Museum, Benesse House Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, ANDO MUSEUM and the Art House Project.
Getting there: From Uno Port (3 minutes' walk from JR Uno Station) to Miyanoura takes about 20 minutes and costs ¥370. From Takamatsu, the ferry takes about 50-60 minutes for ¥680, or the high-speed boat ¥1,590.
Admission: Since 1 October 2024, tickets for all Benesse art sites on Naoshima, Teshima and Inujima are sold online.
Tip: Most galleries close on Mondays, or the next day when Monday is a holiday. Benesse House Museum is the exception, and many restaurants also close on Mondays.
Then and now: The Naoshima New Museum of Art has been added since this post. Ferry times can change during the Setouchi Triennale.

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Same stamp, more posts: Naoshima, Shikoku (2010)

Sources: Access (Benesse Art Site Naoshima) · Access area (Naoshima Tourism Association) · Naoshima Island (Kagawa official tourism)

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