So lovely to throw open the curtains of our room at Benesse House and take in the view of the Inland Sea first thing in the morning. I wondered idly what the poor people were doing. It had rained steadily all night and this morning there was a misty foggy haze everywhere. So beautiful.
We scrubbed up and headed down to the Museum restaurant for our Japanese breakfast, which was another kaiseki style thing – with sashimi, pickled vegetables, miso, rice, grilled fish, coffee – it was a lot (in every way). Lou’s enthusiasm for the new experience was waning ever so slightly.
Later we packed up, paid the bill (yikes) and as the rain fell we took the mini-bus back down to the port – but not before being stopped from boarding by the driver – “This bus is only for Hotel patrons.” I was starting to get paranoid – this was the third time this had happened and for the third time I had to show him my dicky little museum guest pass. Perhaps we looked shabbier than your average Benesse House guest (true), perhaps he just didn’t like the look of us (probably – tattoos are still very much frowned upon in Japan, and we were crinkled and a little soggy) – but we were the only people asked to show evidence – as I say I was getting paranoid. Totally not the Japanese way.
Anyway we waved a cheery goodbye to our buddy the bus driver and boarded the “fast boat” to the next art island – Teshima. The rain had stopped by the time we arrived at the port of Ieura, the clouds parted and the humidity and the temperature rose dramatically. We had one objective while we were on Teshima; and that was to visit the Teshima Art Museum and after a short wait we jumped on a bus bound for the museum on the other side of the island.
The “museum” is really just a single work of art – which of course we were not allowed to photograph – which was a great shame because it was without doubt one of the most astonishing, beautiful works I have ever seen. Definitely worth making the trip. The work is a collaboration between artist Rei Naito and architect Ryue Nishizawa and it is perched on a hill overlooking the inland sea. It is essentially a 40 by 60 metre concrete shell in the shape of a water droplet with two oval openings that allow wind, light and sound to enter the space. In the interior space – which you are allowed to walk around in (after taking off your shoes) – there are tiny holes in the floor which slowly feed water droplets into the space. These gradually trickle together forming pools around the space. Of course I inadvertently stepped in a few (soggy socks again) much to the dismay of the museum guides. Anyway as usual words are inadequate – amazeballs almost covers it.
We had lunch in the museum “cafe” which is a smaller but similarly water-droplet-shaped space where you can sit on the floor and munch bagels as your socks dry. After lunch we walked down the steep hill to the port of Karato for a shaved ice (mango flavoured) and jumped the bus back to the other side of the island to Ieura. From there it was another “fast boat” back to Uno port where our art odyssey began.
It was lovely to return the Uno Port Inn for the night – it almost felt like coming home. We had the same small room – in fact I think we were the only guests that night – and the staff were lovely as always. Dinner that night was Louis’ pick – so of course it had to be Ramen. We went to a local place called Saporo Ramen – there was a queue to get in – possibly because the ramen was killer bee, or possibly because it was Sunday night and not many places were open. Anyway it was a delicious salty treat – then sleep.
flyeelookee 