Top 10 Souvenirs to Buy in Naoshima: From Local Sweets to Modern Art Goods
Naoshima’s souvenir scene splits neatly into two categories: genuinely local flavors made with the island’s own sea salt and tea, and museum-exclusive art goods you won’t find anywhere else in Japan. Here are ten worth your suitcase space, and exactly where to find them.
The Short Answer: Half Local Flavor, Half Museum-Exclusive Art Goods
If you want a taste of the island itself, look for anything made with SOLASHIO, Naoshima’s own sun-dried sea salt. If you want something tied to the art that made Naoshima famous, the museum shops — most of which welcome non-guests, contrary to what a lot of visitors assume — are where to go.
Finding Naoshima Note: A lot of visitors assume the Benesse House shops are for hotel guests only. They’re not — both the main Benesse House Shop and the Park Shop are open to anyone visiting the area, no room key required.
Local Sweets & Flavors
1. SOLASHIO (Naoshima Sun-Dried Sea Salt)
Made from nothing but Naoshima seawater and sun exposure, this is about as literally “of the island” as a souvenir gets. It comes in a 90g bag or 65g jar, each around ¥500.
2. Naoshima Shio Cookie
A cocoa cookie topped with coarse SOLASHIO salt and pink pepper — sweet, salty, and a little sharp. A box of 12 runs ¥1,080. Worth noting: as of our research, this isn’t sold online, so buying it here is genuinely your only option.
3. Naoshima Shio Caramel
Soft caramel with whole SOLASHIO grains mixed through it, so you get little bursts of salt against the sweetness rather than a uniform flavor.
4. Koi-Wasure-Gai Monaka (Iwata Confect)
A crisp monaka wafer packed with sweet red bean paste, made by Iwata Confect, a Miyanoura confectionery shop running since 1963. At ¥130 each, it’s one of the more affordable picks here — and it comes with a genuinely interesting backstory: the name references a poem written by Emperor Sutoku, who was exiled to this part of the Seto Inland Sea centuries ago.
5. Takase Tea Manju
A steamed bun made with Takase tea, a rare Kagawa Prefecture tea varietal, with a matcha-honey filling at the center. This one’s genuinely hard to find once you leave Kagawa, so it’s a good pick if you want something distinctly regional rather than distinctly Naoshima.
Modern Art Goods
6. Yayoi Kusama Pumpkin Merchandise
Naoshima’s yellow and red pumpkin sculptures are probably the most photographed things on the island, and the merchandise follows suit — keychains, stationery, and small objects featuring the design. The Benesse House Shop has the widest selection on the island; the shop near Miyanoura Port carries some items but typically not the more limited pieces. (If the museum-hotel itself has you curious, our area-by-area guide to staying in Naoshima covers what a night at Benesse House actually involves.)
7. Chichu Art Museum Exclusive Goods
The Chichu Art Museum shop carries books and goods related to architect Tadao Ando, plus original items sold exclusively at the museum — not available at the other art shops on the island. Still deciding how to split your museum time between Naoshima and Teshima? Our Naoshima vs Teshima museum comparison covers that in more depth.
8. Benesse House Museum Shop Items
On the second floor of the Benesse House Museum, this shop stocks goods and food items tied to the specific artists on display, so the selection shifts somewhat with the exhibitions.
9. Naoshima New Museum of Art Goods
The island’s newest museum has its own shop with original items — tenugui hand towels, notebooks, postcards, folding fans, T-shirts, bottles, and sticker notepads. The museum itself is open 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m. (last entry 4:00 p.m.), closed Mondays (open instead on the following day if Monday is a holiday). The shop takes cash, credit cards, and e-payment.
10. Benesse House Park Shop Finds
Located next to the Park building, close to one of Kusama’s outdoor pumpkin pieces, this shop mixes art goods with Kagawa-produced sweets and the same room amenities used in Benesse House’s guest rooms. Like the main Benesse House Shop, it’s open to non-guests.
Where to Buy: Shop-by-Shop Comparison
| Shop | Area | Open to Non-Guests? | Hours | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benesse House Shop | Benesse House area | Yes | 8:30 a.m.–7:00 p.m., open daily | Widest Kusama pumpkin selection on the island |
| Benesse House Park Shop | Benesse House area | Yes | Check on arrival | Art goods + Kagawa sweets + hotel amenities |
| Chichu Art Museum Shop | Benesse House area | Located inside the museum — check whether admission is required to browse | Museum hours apply | Ando-related books, Chichu-exclusive items |
| Naoshima New Museum of Art Shop | Miyanoura-adjacent | Located inside the museum — check whether admission is required to browse | 10:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., closed Mon | Original tenugui, stationery, postcards |
| Iwata Confect (イワタコンフェクト) | Miyanoura | Yes | Check on arrival | Koi-Wasure-Gai Monaka |
| Umi-no-eki Naoshima (Miyanoura Port Terminal) | Miyanoura | Yes | Runs alongside ferry hours | General local snacks and gifts on arrival/departure |
FAQ
- Do I need to be a Benesse House guest to shop there?
-
No — both the main Benesse House Shop and the Park Shop welcome non-guests. The Chichu Art Museum and Naoshima New Museum of Art shops are inside their respective museums, so it’s worth checking ahead whether admission is required to browse them.
- Where can I find the best selection of Kusama pumpkin merchandise?
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The Benesse House Shop has the widest range on the island. The shop at Miyanoura Port carries some items but not the more limited ones.
- Is there anything I can only buy on Naoshima and nowhere else?
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The Naoshima Shio Cookie is a solid example — as of our research it isn’t sold online, so the island is genuinely your only source.
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