The best season to visit Naoshima & tips to enjoy Setogei more than ever. Islander Interviews – Ideal for Your Trip Home

I want people to talk to the islanders, learn about the different culture and history of each island, and fall in love with that island even more.

The Setouchi International Art Festival is held every three years on the islands and harbors of Kagawa and Okayama prefectures, and Maki Fukushima, a video director who moved to Naoshima in 2018, has visited the festival many times before moving here.
There are great permanent museums in TeshimaInujima, but there are also works of art that are only exhibited during the festival, so I hope people will enjoy those as well," she said. I also recommend that you stay at Shodoshima for at least one night. After all, the island is so large that you cannot visit all of it in one day. The size of the artworks is in proportion to the size of the island, and the large artworks are set up in a spacious area, so it's a great place to see.
Mr. Fukushima had an unforgettable experience at Megijima Art Festival.
The first time I came to the festival, I stayed at Megijima, and it was the day of the festival. I had prepared a yukata, but I didn't know where the festival was going to be held. In the darkness, I walked along a narrow path between stone walls, relying on the faint sound of drums in the distance, and found drums in a slightly open space, where everyone was dancing with one accord. It was so different from the festival I had imagined that I was extremely surprised. It was such a culture shock that I really thought this used to be Onigashima.
Sometimes the experience of coming into contact with island culture leaves a strong impression that will never be forgotten. Fukushima says, "The best way to learn about an island's culture is to talk to the people who live there. He says this leads to a better understanding of the artwork and the island more than anything else.

What is the key to enjoying Naoshima, where you live, during the festival?
I think it is best to come to Naoshima outside of the festival period. During the festival, the area around the house project becomes like Harajuku. The museums are also crowded with people, and it is sometimes difficult to appreciate the art in a calm and relaxed manner. On the other hand, outside of the Art Triennale, especially in winter, popular museums are relatively empty, so you can appreciate the art in a relaxed manner. During the festival, you can visit the artworks on the other islands that can only be seen during the festival period, and then Naoshima after the festival is over.

Although Mr. Fukushima now enjoys island life to the fullest and is involved in the promotion of immigration, he says that when he first moved to the island, he was often at a loss.
He says, "I moved to the island without making any acquaintances, so there was a lot I didn't understand. Then, the couple who lived next door, whom I called "grandpa" and "grandma," took very good care of me and taught me everything I didn't understand. One of the things she told me was that I should bring a garbage bag with me when I greeted people when I moved out. I went home and thought about it, but I still didn't understand what she meant, so I went home again and asked her. If you buy garbage bags at the co-op, they will put a "shoshi" (gift wrapping paper) for when you move out, so you can take those bags with you when you go around. Now I recommend that method when I am asked about it by newcomers to the area.
While learning many things from her grandmother, her grandfather, a man of few words, seemed a bit intimidating at first.
I thought he was a little scary because I couldn't understand his dialect, he talked too fast, he abbreviated words, and he didn't smile very much," she said. Then my daughter caught a cold and was in bed, and my grandfather brought her a bouquet of flowers he had picked around the area. I thought, "What a kind person he is. My impression of him changed at once.
Grandpa and grandma also deliver fresh seasonal vegetables. The Fukushima family, who perform music as a unit called "Fukushima Setsu and Nagisa," wanted to express their gratitude to their grandfather and grandmother in words, so they wrote a song called "Tonari Ne Ne Meisho Ari Ari" (There's a Famous Restaurant Next Door) and gave it to them as a gift.
I would like to encourage people to visit the island, especially if they live there, but also when they are tourists, to actively interact and talk with the people of the island. And now that I am involved in the promotion of immigration, I hope that people will have the desire to live there. When I came to Kagawa Prefecture, I felt that climate and personality are closely related. Kagawa Prefecture is a very nice place with a mild climate and many people are very gentle.