Seto Inland Sea
Japan · East Asia
Japan's island sea: the museums of Naoshima and Teshima, the Shimanami Kaido cycle route, the floating ryokan guntû and the Setouchi Triennale.
Why visit
Why visit Seto Inland Sea
Go for the art islands. Naoshima, Teshima and Inujima hold museums by Tadao Ando and Ryue Nishizawa that are works in themselves, and every three years the Setouchi Triennale spreads art across a dozen islands. Our guide to the art islands explains how to plan either kind of visit.
Go also for the sea itself: calm water, low green islands and ferries that set the pace of the day.
Explore
What to see
Naoshima. Benesse House, the Chichu Art Museum, the art houses of Honmura and the Naoshima New Museum of Art, opened in 2025.
Teshima. The Teshima Art Museum, a low concrete shell open to the air.
Inujima. A museum built in the ruins of a copper refinery.
The Shimanami Kaido. Seventy kilometres of cycle path across six islands; see our account of cycling the Shimanami Kaido.
The mainland shore. The Simose Art Museum, by Shigeru Ban, west of Hiroshima, and Zenbo Seinei on Awaji Island at the eastern end of the sea.
Hotels
Where to stay in Seto Inland Sea
Benesse House on Naoshima is both museum and hotel. Azumi Setoda occupies a merchant's house on Ikuchijima, on the Shimanami route. The floating ryokan guntû cruises among the islands for two or three nights.
Experiences
Experiences in Seto Inland Sea
Before you go
Practical information
Best time to visit
Spring and autumn are the seasons to choose. Summer is very hot. The Setouchi Triennale is held every three years in spring, summer and autumn sessions; the sixth edition took place in 2025.
Getting around
Okayama, on the shinkansen line, is the gateway from Kyoto and Osaka. Ferries from Uno, on Honshu, and Takamatsu, on Shikoku, serve the art islands, and their timetables govern everything. Two islands in a day is better than three.
Practical notes
Allow three days for Naoshima, Teshima and Inujima. Several museums admit visitors by timed ticket, and most close one day a week. Rooms on Naoshima are few and should be reserved months ahead.
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