A New Ryokan for Japan’s Famous Art Island: Roka Naoshima
Naoshima, one of Japan’s art islands, is home to cutting-edge art and installations that blend with nature, so a few days spent here is a dream for culture buffs. Tourists gather for the Setouchi Triennale art festival, but despite its artistic draw, at most times of year, the islands remain peaceful and less-visited. One of the most beautiful and unique places to make base here is at Roka Naoshima, known as the first Japanese ryokan on the island, which opened in 2022 with a concept that mixes architecture and nature by using local materials and design. Naoshima is already fairly peaceful, but the hotel feels even more secluded in its natural hillside surroundings. The pages of Views from Japan include guides and tips on both Naoshima and Roka for those who prefer to be armed with a guidebook, but we’ll dive into some of the hotel’s highlights below.
The Offer
Roka Naoshima has a warm and residential feel, just like its surroundings. There are 11 open-plan guest suites with garden views, complimentary minibars and open-air baths with floor-to-ceiling windows. Each one is sleek, minimalist and traditional, made almost entirely from wood, with tatami floors and shoji paper screens, as well as stone and soil from the Seto Inland Sea area. Suites come in three categories, but the hotel features just one ‘Roka Suite’, which has space for up to five people, plus a private onsen bath and terrace.
Dining is a focal point at Roka - their in-house restaurant EN is led by a duo of expert chefs who prepare meals using fresh fish from the Seto Inland Sea and vegetables from the surrounding islands. It serves a mixed Japanese and Western breakfast, while dinner is a multi-course sushi kaiseki menu. You can also head to the hotel’s cafe area, Moya, for local herbal liqueurs made from ingredients like fennel and raw sugarcane, which are paired with bar snacks such as Setouchi oysters and Hiruzen chocolate.
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The Location
Roka Naoshima is tucked away from most of the island’s main sights in a wooded, residential area where you won’t be disturbed. Although it’s surrounded by nature, the hotel is just a short, ten-minute walk to the well-known Lee Ufan Museum, Valley Gallery and Benesse House Museum, giving you the best of both worlds. Despite this, each suite manages to feel totally private, with views of the garden, which also features its own contemporary artworks scattered amongst the foliage. The hotel also has e-bikes, which are the perfect way to get around the island’s best sights, and a free shuttle, so guests are far from stranded.
Who is it For?
Naoshima Roka is ideal for anyone visiting the island, as many people only know of Benesse House as the area’s main resort hotel, which offers its own immersive art experience. Guests who want their cultural experience of Naoshima’s fascinating artworks and sculptures to flow into their stay will find joy here, with the design and architecture celebrating the scenic surroundings. It has an intimate feel due to the limited number of rooms and is a slice of tranquillity amongst busier areas you may have come across on your journey through Japan, with warm hospitality, the chance to unwind and easy exploration on the doorstep.
Sustainability
Roka Naoshima naturally brings sustainability to the fore by using local materials in its buildings, and ingredients in its food. Almost all of the wood, stone, and paper is sourced from the neighbourhood around Naoshima, including earthen walls made of Awaji Island soil, Tosa Washi paper from Kochi and granite from Naoshima. The cuisine is a match for this, using seafood from the Seto Inland Sea and a wide variety of Setouchi vegetables and herbs, all of which can be seen through their seasonal kaseiki menu. Other sustainable practices at the hotel include staff uniforms being made in Kojima, Okayama and Imabari with 100% organic cotton, the woodland area being transformed into a vegetable patch and reduced use of single-use plastics.
Important Information
How to get there
Car: The hotel provides a free shuttle from Miyaura Port. If you already have a car, it’s about 40 minutes from Okayama to Uno Port, from where you can catch a ferry to the island and drive 10 minutes to the hotel, where they offer free parking for guests.
Train: The nearest airport is Okayama, from where you can take a bus or drive to JR Uno Station. From here, it’s a 50-minute train ride to the port, where you can catch the ferry to Naoshima Island.
Check-in / Check-out: Check-in between 15:00-18:00, Check-out 8:00-11:00
Number of Onsen: One open-air bath per room
Pets: Not allowed
Book: Roka Naoshima
Japan, 〒１２３ Kagawa, Kagawa District, Naoshima, JP 761-3110
Find out more via roka.voyage/en
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