Okayama and Naoshima Island: Osaka In Autumn 2026, Part 4

Okayama was our gateway into Naoshima Island, and we spent a couple of nights here exploring the city. The city is most associated with peaches and the folk hero Momotarō. Peach season is in August, which we missed, but we still had a pleasant time exploring the city.

We sipped warm amazake by the courtyard of Okayama Castle to ward off the chill, then headed into Korakuen Gardens in sunset. Along with Kenroku-en in Kanazawa and Kairaku-en in Mito, these are the Three Great Gardens of Japan.

The autumn sights were lovely here, and the bright sun bathed every scene in a strong yellow hue. We spent the evening wandering around here, first in the glow of the setting sun, and afterwards when the coloured lights illuminated the garden.

Okayama is also where the Omachi rice, an ancient strain of rice for sake brewing, came from. There are sake bars aplenty here for the choosing; the one that we visited was particularly proud of the local production.

And yes, this city is the birthplace of Demi glacé pork cutlet rice. We joined in the queue alongside the locals at Katsudon Nomura. We had a good version of demi glacé and a wonderful version of egg pork rice.

And a wonderfully carb-laden meal at Mori. Get the Squid Okonomiyaki and don't miss out on their delicious yaki-soba.

Bringing your car into Naoshima Island? No problem-desu

The next morning, we took an early train to Uno station to make the ferry into Naoshima. It’s an island that rejuvenated itself in recent decades with its forays into the art world. Chichu Art Museum showcases several of Monet’s art pieces, and sculptures by Yayoi Kusama dots the landscape throughout the island. 

How do you know if a place celebrates the works of Yayoi Kusama? The city buses are all painted over with bright polka dots

We spent the night in the accommodations of Benesse House Museum, which was wonderfully luxurious. There’s shutter services for hotel guests, and you get complimentary tickets to its museum, as well as to several others.

I’m one of those people who plans down to the last details when traveling. But I gotta admit, Naoshima Island is built for wanderers. Aside from pre-booking museum tickets (and perhaps hotel stays if you’re staying the night), this gentle landscape is meant for wandering. It was nice to relax and take in the art installations and galleries as we come across them.