TVC Naoshima Honmura Branch
At Honmura Port on Naoshima's art island
Overview
In addition to our main rental station at Miyanoura Port, we now offer rentals at Honmura Port — a gateway to Naoshima's world-famous art scene in the Seto Inland Sea. Twenty electric-assist bikes are available; unlock yours through the bLink app when you arrive. A single account can rent up to five bikes at once. If you need personal assistance, call bLink customer service (Takahashi, 090-8460-0209 — English OK). When registering the app, please allow Bluetooth (Nearby devices) and Location permissions. Bikes must be returned to the same station where you rented them.
Pricing
- 1 day (until 9:00 a.m. the next day) — ¥2,000
Rides shorter than 10 minutes are free — if you rent a bike by mistake, simply end the ride with no charge. Multi-day rentals are welcome; the daily rate above applies for each additional day.
Access
Naoshima has two ferry ports: Miyanoura on the west side and Honmura on the east. High-speed ferries from Takamatsu and Uno call at Honmura Port. The TVC rental counter is a short walk from the ferry terminal — look for the wood-paneled shop beside the port. From Takamatsu, take a high-speed ferry to Honmura Port (about 30 minutes). From Uno (Okayama Prefecture), ferries also serve Honmura. The SANAA-designed Honmura Port Terminal — a cluster of translucent cloud-like spheres — is a landmark you cannot miss.
Highlights
- Art House Project (Honmura) — historic homes and a shrine transformed into site-specific contemporary art installations scattered through the village
- Chichu Art Museum — Tadao Ando's underground masterpiece housing Monet, James Turrell, and Walter De Maria; natural light shapes the experience throughout the day
- Honmura Port Terminal — SANAA's 2016 landmark of stacked translucent spheres, visible from land and sea
- Benesse House area — outdoor sculptures along the Seto Inland Sea, including works by Yayoi Kusama and Richard Long
- Setouchi Inland Sea coastline — quiet fishing villages, olive groves, and sweeping views between art stops
Tips
- Electric bikes are strongly recommended — Naoshima's hills make a standard bicycle tiring, especially on the route to the Chichu Art Museum
- Return your bike at Honmura Port; bLink rentals cannot be dropped off at Miyanoura or elsewhere on the island
- Install and register the bLink app before you arrive, and enable Bluetooth (Nearby devices) and Location permissions
- Museum-heavy days go faster on two wheels — plan Chichu Art Museum and the Art House Project with timed-entry tickets in mind
- Honmura is quieter than Miyanoura in the morning — starting your ride here can mean fewer crowds at the Art House Project