Naoshima, Kagawa

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Location of Naoshima in Kagawa prefecture

Naoshima (直島町, Naoshima-chō^?) is an island town administratively part of Kagawa District, Kagawa, Japan located in the Seto Inland Sea. As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 3,583 and a density of 251.97 persons per km². The total area is 14.22 km².

Benesse House

The island is known for its many contemporary art museums. For example, the Chichu Art Museum [1] (literally, "in the earth") houses a number of site-specific installations by James Turrell, Walter De Maria and paintings by Claude Monet. Designed by Tadao Ando, it is located on one of the highest points of the island, and various exhibits and facets of the museum's architecture take advantage of its commanding view. Another contemporary museum (and hotel) is Benesse House, also by Ando.

The museums and beauty of the island draw many tourists, whose visits help support the local economy. However, it is Mitsubishi Materials, loosely affiliated with other Japanese companies of the Mitsubishi name, that dominates industry on the island, as Naoshima has been the site of massive refining by Mitsubishi since 1917.

Benesse Corporation (one of the largest education companies in Japan and based in Okayama) has directed the creation and operation of the island's museums and other projects since the late 1980s.