Seto Sea Art Tours: Setouchi
Triennale Edition

Seto Sea Art Festival Tour:Day 1
The first day will be arrival in Takamatsu City; a city stuck
somewhere between the simple rusticity of thecountryside and the sleek modernity of a metropolis, acity still trying to figure it all out and find its own voice.
The evening will be a great opportunity to explore
downtown Takamatsu on your own two feet, a chance tointeract with locals and explore this city that so manychoose to call home.

Seto Sea Art Festival Tour:Day 2
After breakfast, you will take the ferry from Takamatsu Port boundfor the island of Shodoshima. The ride will take about an hour giving
you the chance to relax as the blue currents of the Seto Sea or takea stroll on the upper deck to view the verdant island hills that dot
the azure waters like emeralds.
Once on Shodoshima, the theme of the day will be “machi-nami,” aJapanese term that means to walk through the older city blocks totake in any, art, culture, architecture, and small-town life that one
may stumble across.
In this regard, Shodoshima is a perfect candidate. Exhibiting analmost Mediterranean atmosphere with a strong streak of selfreliance, Shodoshima could be considered a microcosm of Shikoku
itself. Complete with its own version of the 88 Temple Pilgrimage,
Shodoshima is also famous for maintaining traditional methods ofproducing “somen” (a type of thin noodle), soy sauce, sake, as wellas cultivating olives.
These themes of tradition, sustainability, and self-reliance can befelt and tasted as lunch will be dishes prepared using ingredientsfrom the island itself. Hidden in a renovated “somen” factory,
Kitchen Uchiniku grants the opportunity for a complete farm totable experience using locally sourced ingredients to prepare dishes
representative of the island.
The final stop on Shodoshima is the set of the Japanese film “24Eyes.” The movie is based on the 1952 novel of the same name byfemale author Sakae Tsuboi and debuted as a film in 1954. Themovie itself is the tale of a schoolteacher in rural Japan and follows
her career through the rise of Japanese Nationalism in the 1920s up
until after the war in 1946.
Showcasing the effects of nationalism, the war, and Japan’s
eventual defeat, the tale is about small-town life as Japan took
some of its early tragic steps onto the world stage and the eventualresults. It is a spot to appreciate on many levels and will surely be
one of the many highlights on your journey around Shikoku.

Seto Sea Art Festival Tour:Day 3
After breakfast, its back on the ferry—this time bound for
Naoshima, well known for being a haven for artistic
creativity.
On the island you can enjoy touring the various artistic
landmarks via private car. These will include therenovated art house projects as well as the iconic
Naoshima pumpkins located right next to the crashingwaves of the Seto Sea.
Examples and displays of contemporary art next to thebeauty of the region are sure to have a lasting impression
on the ferry back to Takamatsu, where you will haveanother opportunity to explore nighttime Takamatsu.
For this night we recommend venturing into the shopping
arcade or “shotengai.” The main streets are filled withevery imaginable shop, but a trip down a side alley orback street highlights the Shōwa atmosphere Takamatsu
preserves so well. Karaoke lounges dusky with smoke andthick with bitter-sweet songs of the past, izakayas with
dimly lit red lanterns beckoning weary salarymen, and“Italian” restaurants with a uniquely Japanese spin on themenu and atmosphere are well worth exploring while here.

Seto Sea Art Festival Tour:Day 4
Another day that begins with a ride on the ferry. This time boundfor Teshima, a hidden gem among the waters of the Seto Sea. Less
known than Naoshima, this small island contains some of the mosttransformative and exciting artistic experiences that can be found.
Chief amongst these is the Teshima Art Museum. Despite thename this structure is a work of art that has been designed toblend seamlessly with the surrounding hills, rice terraces, andoverlooks a sweeping wash of the Seto Sea.
The structure itself is cavernous and sculpted from concrete withwindows to invite the sun, wind, and other elements into theinterior. In the stillness of this sculpture once can experience awork of art that is never the same and changes with the seasons,weather, and the viewer.
The serene yet variable interior challenges us to consider what thisthing we call “art” really is. And, depending on the day, season, andmindset these answers can change considerably. Yet, every visit
pushes closer and closer to the truth of what that thing really is.
In addition to Teshima, you will also visit the tiny island of Inujima.
During the early days of the turn of the century, this small island
boomed as a copper refinery operated for about ten years before
closing. The refinery was abandoned and forgotten, seemingly
along with this tiny island.

Recently, however, this abandoned refinery has become theflagship project of an initiative to reclaim and recycle theabandoned structures of an invasively industrialized past andtransform them into works of art to be appreciated and to serve asa warning for the future.
Covered in ivy and surrounded by plants that creep over thefacades and smokestack of this former powerhouse of industry, it
serves as a kind of open-air art exhibit that preserves andbeautifies the history of this small island.

Seto Sea Art Festival Tour:Day 5
The day will start earlier with breakfast, then departure byprivate car to Mitoyo City. Of special note in this area isMotoyamaj,i temple number 70 of the 88 Temple
Pilgrimage.
This temple is unique among the 88 as being the only
temple whose main deity is Batō Kannon, or literally
Horse-Head Kannon.

Typically depicted with wild flowing hair and three faces
overcome with rage, this deity has a small horse head inits crown And typically holds various items in its many
hand including swords, axes, wheels, flowers, prayer
beads, bells, or even spears. According to some, BatōKannon consumes our bad thoughts, evil deeds, andspiritual obstacles, disposing of them for us.
This deity alone makes temple number 70 well worth thevisit and after visiting perhaps everyone can findsomething out about themselves.
After a bit of enlightenment its back on a ferry to theisland of Awashima. Shaped like a Y, this island is a placeof beaches, green hills, and ancient trees amid the azure
waters of the Seto Sea.
Despite the scenic charm however, this place was also
the location of Japan’s first naval training school. Hereyoung sailors were taught the art of naval warfare andexposed to nationalist dialogue. As with the set of “24Eyes,” this place has layers of meaning and such a highly
textured location is surely worth a visit.
In the evening it is back to Takamatsu for rest, reflection,and further exploration of the city at your leisure.

Seto Sea Art Festival Tour:Day 6
The final day will be spent unhurried in Takamatsu City. After,breakfast and hotel check out, it will be off to Ritsurin Garden.
One of the best examples of classic Japanese architecture andgardening, the sprawling garden is a relaxing end to your journey inKagawa.
Some 400 years in the making, this garden has been maintainedand expanded upon by the various Lords of Takamatsu. In addition
to the ponds brimming with overfed koi fish, shady pines, andcolorful seasonal flowers, it is also rich with the trappings of thepast.
A prime example is a pond and canal created so the Lords could
enjoy duck hunting as well as species of plants from Kyushu thatwere gifts from other feudal lords.
On this day you will also have the chance for a boat ride along theteal waters of the pond as well as an opportunity to enjoy tea in atraditional tea house that overlooks the garden.
And during this time is a grand opportunity to reflect on the past 6days. In these days you’ve seen so much of something more thanjust Japan. Tōkyō and Ōsaka are not without their charm but are
they the real Japan you’ve been seeking?
In the smallest prefecture of Japan, you’ve experienced some of
the finest art in the world, you’ve come up close and personal tolocal culture, there has been stunning scenery, fantastic dishes,and you’ve heard the echoes of the past. And now, you are finally
doing the very “Japanese” thing of drinking tea in a lovely gardenrich with history. It is easy to do any one of those things, but to dothem all in this bizarre and wonderful little place is certainly worthsomething.
Maybe you came here for the art, the temples, or maybe even theudon. But we hope that you leave with something more.