Seven Days, Five Islands — Setouchi Triennale 2025
2025-11-10
We flew out of Taoyuan at 2:30am and arrived at Okayama Station by dawn, waiting on the platform for a connection. It was the final stretch of the Setouchi Triennale 2025 autumn session. We'd grabbed early-bird art passports (¥3,800) back in January and had reserved a few time-slot installations months in advance.
Naoshima: Arriving Is Already the Work
The ferry from Uno Port is small, the crossing quiet. Stepping off at Miyanoura, Yayoi Kusama's red pumpkin was leaning against the breakwater in the sun. We stayed at Tsutsuji-sō, a short walk from the Benesse House grounds. That first evening we had a barbecue outside and watched fireworks over the water — like the trip was celebrating itself before it had properly started.
The next morning I was up before five to catch the sunrise at the pier. The yellow pumpkin's reflection stretched across the harbour. No one else there.
Teshima: Stillness by the Orchard
Day trip on 10/30: ferry to Kaburagaura, rented bikes. The art installations in the Kaburagaura hamlet sit between old houses with no fences and no signs asking you to keep your distance. Up at the Tonoura highlands, a roadside stall sold mandarins and fresh juice. We bought a bag, sat by the road, and ate.
The feeling of that afternoon: art and fruit both need no explanation. Being there is enough.
Ring of Fire and Goon-ji Shrine
Ring of Fire required a 4pm reservation (¥1,800). The space inside is completely dark — your eyes need a moment to adjust. Yang Fudong's sun and Apichatpong Weerasethakul's moon share the same room. Light rises from the floor. It feels pre-linguistic.
Goon-ji Shrine is at the end of a small lane in Honmura village. A transparent glass pillar drops through the floor of the main hall into an underground stone chamber. Standing above, you see light from below. Standing in the chamber, you see light from above. I went twice.
Ogijima + Megijima: Stone Lanes and Octopus
11/2: first ferry out, got fried octopus from a stall near the Ogijima pier — fresh from the oil, eaten standing at the water. The whole island is cobblestone slopes. I gave up on the map eventually and followed a cat instead. In the afternoon we crossed to Megijima, which is supposedly the island of demons but mostly just has a very blue sea and a quiet pier.
That evening in Takamatsu we had eel at Torichō and stayed much longer than we needed to.
Cost Breakdown (Per Person)
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Round-trip flights | NT$13,458 |
| Accommodation (6 nights) | NT$7,559 |
| Transport (trains + ferries) | NT$5,203 |
| Food & drink | NT$6,810 |
| Art passport + reserved tickets | NT$1,572 |
| Onsen & miscellaneous | NT$1,331 |
| Travel insurance | NT$399 |
| Shared expenses subtotal | NT$36,332 |
On the last morning at Miyanoura, waiting for the ferry, I watched the spot by the pier where we'd been alone at sunrise — now full of other people. That's what a triennale does, I suppose: the island doesn't exist for any one person, but while you're there, it feels like it does.