Naoshima

not for rent...

My trip to Naoshima was incredible, although it wasn't really a trip, it was definitely an adventure. Naoshima is a tiny island often called Ando island or the art island, because the art and architecture relate seamlessly to the nature.

I arrived at Kyoto station at 7:30am to exchange my rail pass. Then asked the man the best way to get to Naoshima, he told me I would need to make 3 transfers and then take a ferry, and that my first train leaves at 8:00 Feeling relaxed, I stop to get something to eat and run into some missionaries, then I mosy over to the train, and the ticket guy starts screaming at me, "here here". So i run up the stairs, right as the train doors are closing and watch my train leave. The next train didn't come until 10:00.

Making all the transfers took a long time, and I asked every station in broken Japanese (if you could even call it that) if I was going the right way.

I arrived in Naoshima at 2:30pm

I read that one could rent bikes at a cafe near the port, so I find this tiny restaurant that has a bike out front that has a sign on it and assume that's the place. This tiny old woman comes out, and I start rotating my hands like bike pedals, I think she understands me, but then she starts talking really fast without any gestures, just keeps rambling. I stare blankly and just shrug my shoulders and say 'sumimasen'. Then she ushers me inside, its a tiny room of her house, she goes behind her kitchen counter and makes me some iced tea and tells me to sit down. I just look confused and motion outside to the bikes. So she goes back out and starts taking the the sign off the rusty bike and clearly flowers from the basket, like she is just going to give it to me......Ok, this part of the story could go on for ages, so basically she calls some guy off the street to help, I try to give the iced tea back but she won't take it, even though its in one of her glasses, he starts to lead me back to the ferry...where they have bike rentals.

I read that Naoshima was a hilly, but I did not expect this, my legs are still burning.

The island was beautiful, scattered along the coast are art installations. The Chichu museum is by far the best museum I have ever been too. The architecture is amazing, the art is quality over quantity (4 Monets, 3 James Turrel, installations, 1 Walter De Maria), and the way the two compliment each other is incredible. I'd like to say I wish I could have taken photos, but I don't. The entire thing had to be experienced without distraction. I can't even begin to describe that experience though, maybe transcendent, mind blowing, spiritual.

I left the island at 5, got back to the temple at 10pm. Great day.