Mariko I went to an unusual art museum in Shikoku called the “Chichu Art Museum.” It’s located on Naoshima, an island in the middle of the Seto Inland Sea, and you have to take a boat to get there.
As the name suggests, the museum is built underground so as not to spoil the beautiful landscape of the Seto Inland Sea. The building was designed by the famous architect Tadao Ando.
The way to enjoy this museum is to enjoy the “light.” Despite being underground, plenty of natural light enters the museum. You can appreciate the artworks by the natural light of that time and season.
Only three artists’ works can be seen at the Chichu Art Museum: Claude Monet, Walter De Maria, and James Turrell. The featured work is Claude Monet’s famous “Water Lilies” series from the Impressionist era. Five pieces from this series are displayed, and you can appreciate them in natural light only.
The floor is covered with marble, and you change into slippers to appreciate the artwork. The entire room is pure white, and the Water Lilies appear to float fantastically.
The Chichu Art Museum has a museum cafe called the “Chichu Cafe,” where you can overlook the Seto Inland Sea along with a museum shop. Naoshima is a mysterious island where the entire town has an artistic atmosphere, and you can encounter many art pieces just by walking around the town. I rented a bicycle and enjoyed exploring and visiting museums all day.
The address you provided is: 3449-1 Naoshima-cho, Kagawa-gun, Kagawa, Japan.