Teshima Island

What to know

Teshima (豊島) is a rural island in the Seto Inland Sea that has joined nearby Naoshima and Inujima as an exciting contemporary art destination in recent decades. The island also hosts the Setouchi Triennale art festival, held once every three years.

The main draw is the Teshima Art Museum, one of Japan's most intriguing contemporary artworks. Set among terraced rice fields, this simple concrete structure captivates visitors with water droplets dancing on its surface. More artworks are scattered across the island's three fishing villages. Most are open daily, especially larger museums and outdoor installations, but some smaller ones are only open on weekends and holidays.

Another permanent piece is Les Archives du Coeur ("Heart Archives"), a small beachside building in eastern Karato. One of several worldwide locations, visitors can record their heartbeat and listen to others' in a slightly eerie setting. The same French artist, Christian Boltanski, also created The Last Class at the Echigo Tsumari Art Triennale.

Teshima is the region's second largest island after Shodoshima. A forested mountain rises in the center, and a circular road connects three small fishing villages. Two villages have ferry ports: Karato and Ieura, the latter being more important. Half a day to a full day is needed to explore this peaceful island with its slow pace and rural landscape. Dining, shopping, and lodging are limited, but note that the Shima Kitchen artwork in Karato also serves as a restaurant.

Visitors may not realize that Teshima was once notorious for a toxic waste scandal in the 1980s, when a company illegally dumped hundreds of thousands of tons of toxic waste on the island's western tip. Cleanup was completed in 2017.

Teshima is served by two ferry lines. One runs between Ieura Port and Takamatsu, with some ferries stopping at Honmura Port on Naoshima. The second runs between Uno Port in Okayama and Shodoshima, stopping at both Ieura and Karato Ports on Teshima.