Last moments

Time flies.
This is already my last day in Naoshima. Time goes so fast when you are having a good time. For this last morning in Naoshima I went exploring a new area.

Pumpkin artwork.

We are now getting closer to another famous museum ,  the “Benesse House museum”. You will find a nice park around it and also some beautiful views.

Artwork in the Benesse park. There is many of them spreaded around the museum. You’ll also find small hotels part of the “Benesse museum”. They looked very nice from the outside but this is not a cheap nightstay.

The nature around the museum is untouched. I love how the architect respected nature with his work . It was actually the main preoccupation of Tadao Ando when they had to start the Naoshima project. The end result is harmonious.

Tadao Ando structure nearby the sea.

It was time to check a last museum. The “Benesse House Museum”. It’s also a creation of Tadao. You can right away recognize his style. Raw , minimalist , spacious and open to nature. I really enjoy what he has done on this island.

The entrance.

The museum was nice. You could see sculptures , paintings and some artworks. I like the diversity of the different style. The building was also great. Tadao made a great job. You can also find a restaurant and a café overtaking the Seto sea. I had to stop there.

Lemon black tea with a nice view.

I had little time before the boat but just enough to try a new restaurant. It’s the only vegetarian restaurant of the island and has good reputation.

“Aisunao” restaurant in the Honmura part of the island.

I had to queue inside for about 20 min before taking a sit. In the waiting room I got to meet two sweet Japaneses. We ended up sharing the meal together. Dont be afraid to engage simple words with the locals. Often this will lead you to magical moments.

The vegetarian lunch set. Aisunao is famous for his brown rice and I have to say YES it was wonderful. All the food from this plate come from Japan. It was so tasty. One of the best vegetarian meal I had in Japan.

Food taste much better when you share it isn’t. Say “Cheese” !

Sharing lunch with two new Japaneses friend and a nice dutch guy met the previous evening.

This is the end of the Naoshima episode. I had a wonderful time here I have to say. Make sure to spend at least 2 nights here. I felt 3 nights was the perfect time to me. There is many museums to visit on the Island but also in the neightbor islands. I didn’t initially planned to visit Naoshima but i’m glad I did. It’s good to have some plans beforehand but it’s also important to stay open to new ideas while travelling.

The Naoshima episode was a bit expensive. To get there and the museums costed me some extra money. But if your wallet allows you that treat please go to Naoshima. Money doesnt buy happiness but it will help you to reach some “bubbles” of happiness. Bicycling around thoses small islands made me very happy. How good it’s to slow down the pace in a human scale area. After all that bicycle my body was prepared for the next adventure.

Bye bye Naoshima , hello Shikoku island.

Tonight I will be staying at Imabari. A town without particular interest at first. There is actually one main reason to come here. Imabari is the starting point of the “Shimanami Kaido”. A 80 km bikeway route who goes throught 6 islands using 6 bridges. The route has his own path so you dont have to ride next to cars. It’s a scenic experience surrounded by the Ocean. I will split the journey in two days. Why rushing when you are surrounded by beauty ?

See you for the next episode !