Naoshima Town Bus & Benesse Shuttle Guide: Route Map, Fares, Timetables & Tips

Navigating Naoshima’s contemporary art installations, coastal villages, and seaside architecture is straightforward once you understand the island’s public transit system. Operated by the local municipality and Benesse Art Site, the Naoshima Town Bus (町営バス) and the Free Benesse Shuttle Bus offer an affordable, seamlessly connected transit network between key art districts.

Whether you’re heading straight from Miyanoura Port to the historic Honmura Art House Project, transferring at Tsutsujiso for the Chichu Art Museum, or making your return trip back to catch the evening ferry, this guide covers everything you need to know: exact fares, complete round-trip timetables for both bus lines, route stops, and local travel strategies from Finding Naoshima.

Naoshima Town Bus Route Overview & Network Map

The Naoshima Town Bus operates primarily along one main artery connecting the west, east, and southern coasts of the island.

The diagram shows how the public Town Bus line connects to the free Benesse Art Site shuttle service at Tsutsujiso:

Naoshima Town Bus Fares, Payment & IC Card Notice

Using the Town Bus is budget-friendly, but requires preparation regarding payment methods.

1. Bus Fares

Passenger Category	One-Way Fare
Adults (12+ years)	¥100
Children (6–11 years)	¥50
Infants (0–5 years)	Free (1 per adult)

Finding Naoshima Local Tip: At just ¥100 per adult and ¥50 per child, the Town Bus is by far the cheapest way to navigate the island. Make sure to keep loose ¥100 and ¥50 coins handy in your pocket before stepping off the ferry!

2. Crucial Payment Rules

• Strictly Cash Only: The Naoshima Town Bus does not accept IC cards (Suica, Pasmo, Icoca) or credit cards.
• Exact Change Required: Pay your fare into the fare box next to the driver upon exiting the bus.
• Money Exchange Machine: There is a small change machine (Ryogaeki) next to the driver for ¥1,000 bills and 500-yen coins. Exchange your money before the bus reaches your destination stop to keep boarding smooth.

Naoshima Town Bus Key Bus Stops & Destinations

Knowing where to get off saves time when navigating gallery schedules:

Bus Stop Name	Nearby Landmarks & Art Sites
Miyanoura Port (宮浦港)	Ferry terminal, Red Pumpkin (Yayoi Kusama), Naoshima Bath “I♥湯”, bicycle rental shops.
Gakko-mae (学校前)	Local residential area, small cafes.
Nokyo-mae (農協前)	Honmura District Hub: Art House Project (Kadoya, Minamidera, Go’o Shrine), Honmura Lounge & Archive.
Honmura Port (本村港)	Passenger boat terminal to Uno Port, coastal walking paths.
Tsutsujiso (つつじ荘)	Southern Hub: Yayoi Kusama’s Yellow Pumpkin, Gotanji Beach, Tsutsujiso Yurts, Transfer point for free Benesse Shuttle Bus.

The Town Bus schedule is carefully synchronized with ferry arrivals at Miyanoura Port from Uno Port and Takamatsu Port.

Complete Naoshima Town Bus Timetables (Round-Trip)

1. Outbound: Miyanoura Port ➔ Nokyo-mae (Honmura) ➔ Tsutsujiso

• Travel Time: ~5–6 minutes to Nokyo-mae (Honmura) / ~12–15 minutes to Tsutsujiso.

Departure (Miyanoura / T13)	Stop (Nokyo-mae / T06)	Arrival (Tsutsujiso / T01)	Travel Notes
07:03	07:08	07:15	Early morning local service
07:41	07:46	07:53	Early morning service
09:06	09:12	09:20	Connects with 08:22 ferry from Uno (arr. 08:42)
09:45	09:51	09:59	Connects with 09:20 speedboat from Takamatsu (arr. 09:50)
10:00	10:06	10:14	Connects with 09:20 ferry from Uno (arr. 09:40)
10:30	10:36	10:44	Mid-morning connection
11:06	11:12	11:20	Connects with 10:30 ferry from Uno (arr. 10:50)
11:25	11:31	11:39	Midday connection
12:00	12:06	12:14	Connects with 11:40 ferry from Uno (arr. 12:00)
12:12	12:20	12:28	Midday connection
12:40	12:46	12:54	Early afternoon connection
13:03	13:11	13:19	Afternoon connection
13:30	13:36	13:44	Connects with 12:40 ferry from Takamatsu (arr. 13:30)
13:57	14:05	14:13	Connects with 13:30 ferry from Uno (arr. 13:50)
14:23	14:29	14:37	Afternoon connection
14:48	14:56	15:04	Afternoon connection
15:34	15:40	15:48	Late afternoon connection
15:53	16:01	16:09	Connects with 15:30 ferry from Uno (arr. 15:50)
16:30	16:36	16:44	Connects with 15:35 ferry from Takamatsu (arr. 16:25)
16:53	16:59	17:07	Connects with 16:40 ferry from Uno (arr. 17:00)
17:30	17:36	17:44	Early evening connection
18:13	18:19	18:25	Evening connection
19:15	19:20	19:27	Night connection
20:45	20:50	20:57	Final Bus of the Night

2. Inbound (Return): Tsutsujiso ➔ Nokyo-mae (Honmura) ➔ Miyanoura Port

• Travel Time: ~6 minutes to Nokyo-mae (Honmura) / ~11–12 minutes to Miyanoura Port.

Departure (Tsutsujiso / T01)	Stop (Nokyo-mae / T06)	Arrival (Miyanoura / T13)	Travel Notes & Ferry Connections
06:36	06:42	06:47	Early morning return service
07:26	07:32	07:37	Morning local service
08:20	08:26	08:33	Connects with morning ferries
09:23	09:29	09:38	Morning connection
09:30	09:36	09:43	Morning connection
10:05	10:11	10:18	Connects with 10:30 ferry
10:36	10:42	10:51	Mid-morning connection
10:58	11:04	11:11	Connects with 11:30 ferry to Takamatsu
11:30	11:36	11:45	Midday connection
11:45	11:51	11:58	Midday connection
12:20	12:26	12:33	Connects with 12:40 ferry to Uno
12:35	12:41	12:50	Early afternoon connection
13:00	13:06	13:13	Afternoon service
13:26	13:32	13:39	Afternoon service
13:54	14:00	14:07	Connects with 14:20 ferry to Uno / Takamatsu
14:27	14:33	14:40	Afternoon connection
15:05	15:11	15:18	Afternoon return bus
15:16	15:22	15:29	Connects with 15:30 ferry to Uno
15:50	15:56	16:03	Popular: Connects with 16:02 / 16:25 return ferries
16:13	16:19	16:26	Recommended: Connects with 16:40 / 17:00 ferries
17:00	17:06	17:13	Connects with 17:35 ferry to Uno
17:10	17:16	17:21	Evening connection
17:57	18:05	18:10	Evening connection
18:39	18:45	18:51	Connects with 19:00 ferry to Uno
20:05	20:10	20:16	Final Bus of the Night from Tsutsujiso

Free Benesse Art Site Shuttle Bus Transfer

The public Naoshima Town Bus does not enter the private Benesse Art Site area (where Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, and Benesse House Museum are located).

To reach these southern museums by bus:

1. Ride the Town Bus from Miyanoura Port or Nokyo-mae to Tsutsujiso (terminal stop).
2. Step off the Town Bus and walk 10 meters to the designated shuttle waiting area.
3. Board the Free Benesse Art Site Shuttle Bus running continuously between Tsutsujiso, Benesse House Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, and Chichu Art Museum.

Free Benesse Art Site Shuttle Bus Timetables (Round-Trip)

The public Naoshima Town Bus does not enter the private Benesse Art Site area (where Chichu Art Museum, Lee Ufan Museum, and Benesse House Museum are located). You must transfer to the Free Benesse Shuttle at Tsutsujiso.

1. Outbound: Tsutsujiso ➔ Chichu Art Museum

• Total Travel Time: ~7 minutes from Tsutsujiso to Chichu Art Museum.

Tsutsujiso Departure	Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery	Benesse House Museum	Lee Ufan Museum / Valley Gallery	Chichu Art Museum Arrival	Notes & Recommendations
09:25	—	09:29	09:30	09:32	Ideal for 09:45–10:00 Chichu museum slots
10:05	—	10:08	10:10	10:12	Morning connection
10:30	—	10:33	10:35	10:37	Mid-morning connection
11:25	11:26	11:28	11:30	11:32	Sugimoto Gallery stop for getting OFF only
11:45	11:46	11:48	11:50	11:52	Sugimoto Gallery stop for getting OFF only
13:00	13:01	13:03	13:05	13:07	Early afternoon connection (OFF only at Sugimoto)
13:25	13:26	13:28	13:30	13:32	Afternoon connection (OFF only at Sugimoto)
13:55	13:56	13:58	14:00	14:02	Afternoon connection (OFF only at Sugimoto)
14:25	—	14:28	14:30	14:32	Afternoon connection
15:10	—	15:13	15:15	15:17	Late afternoon connection
15:50	—	15:53	15:55	15:57	Popular late afternoon run
16:15	—	16:18	16:20	16:22	Final run before museum closures
16:52	—	16:55	16:57	16:59	Evening service
17:17	—	17:20	17:22	17:24	Evening service
17:50	—	17:53	17:55	17:57	Final Shuttle of the Day

2. Inbound (Return): Chichu Art Museum ➔ Tsutsujiso

• Total Travel Time: ~7 minutes from Chichu Art Museum back to Tsutsujiso.

• Total Travel Time: ~7 minutes from Chichu Art Museum back to Tsutsujiso.

Chichu Art Museum Dep.	Lee Ufan Museum / Valley Gallery	Benesse House Museum	Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery	Tsutsujiso Arrival	Notes & Town Bus Connections
09:45	09:47	09:49	—	09:52	Connects with 10:05 Town Bus to Miyanoura
10:20	10:22	10:24	—	10:27	Connects with 10:36 Town Bus to Miyanoura
11:05	11:07	11:09	11:11	11:12	Sugimoto Gallery stop for getting OFF only
11:35	11:37	11:39	11:41	11:42	Sugimoto Gallery stop for getting OFF only
11:52	11:54	11:56	11:58	11:59	Sugimoto Gallery stop for getting OFF only
13:15	13:17	13:19	13:21	13:22	Sugimoto Gallery stop for getting OFF only
13:40	13:42	13:44	13:46	13:47	Sugimoto Gallery stop for getting OFF only
14:10	14:12	14:14	—	14:17	Afternoon connection
14:40	14:42	14:44	—	14:47	Connects with 15:05 Town Bus to Miyanoura
15:25	15:27	15:29	—	15:32	Afternoon return connection
16:00	16:02	16:04	—	16:07	Top Return Choice: Connects with 16:13 Town Bus
16:40	16:42	16:44	—	16:47	Connects with 17:00 Town Bus
17:10	17:12	17:14	—	17:17	Evening return connection
17:30	17:32	17:34	—	17:37	Connects with 17:57 Town Bus
18:10	18:12	18:14	—	18:17	Final Shuttle: Connects with 18:39 Town Bus

Note on Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery: For shuttle departures at 11:05, 11:35, 11:52, 13:15, and 13:40, the bus stops at Hiroshi Sugimoto Gallery, but this stop is strictly for getting OFF only.

5 Essential Tips for Riding the Naoshima Town Bus

1. Be Mindful of Capacity Limits: The Town Bus is a compact community minibus with seating for around 28–30 passengers. During peak arrival times (especially morning ferries), the bus can fill up instantly. If you are near the back of the ferry queue, consider walking or renting an e-bike instead.
2. Board from the Rear / Exit from the Front: Enter through the rear door and exit through the front door next to the driver, paying your ¥100 fare as you leave.
3. Carry Plenty of 100-Yen Coins: Prepare ¥100 coins in advance to avoid delays at the change machine when exiting.
4. Mondays Feature Reduced Schedules: Because most museums close on Mondays, bus schedules and free shuttle frequencies are adjusted. Always check the Monday timetable if traveling early in the week.
5. Combine Bus Trips with Walking: The walk between Miyanoura Port and Honmura takes approximately 25–30 minutes along flat roads. If a bus is full or delayed, walking between these two northern districts is a viable alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Can I bring large luggage on the Naoshima Town Bus?

Large suitcases are discouraged on the Town Bus due to narrow aisles and limited standing room. Store large suitcases in coin lockers or luggage storage desks at Miyanoura Port before boarding.

Does the town bus run to the Naoshima New Museum of Art?

The Town Bus stops at Nokyo-mae (Honmura) and Tsutsujiso. Access to the Naoshima New Museum of Art (opened May 2025 in the Benesse area) is best reached via the free Benesse Shuttle from Tsutsujiso or by electric bicycle.

Is there a 1-day bus pass available?

No. The Naoshima Town Bus operates on a simple flat fare of ¥100 per ride. There are no day passes or multi-ride tickets available.

Experience Naoshima with Finding Naoshima

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