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Art & Sculptures at Uno Port

HOME > Japan’s Local Treasures > Art & Sculptures at Uno Port

Admire public art around the port before you board a ferry to the islands of the Inland Sea

SETOUCHI Tourism Authority

Uno Port, at the southern end of the town of Tamano in Okayama Prefecture, is where you can catch ferries to many of the “art islands” in the Seto Inland Sea. The most famous of these islands are Naoshima, Teshima, and Shodoshima, all part of the wider Setouchi district.

Setouchi is the location for an exciting and innovative contemporary art project that has been reviving 12 islands and two ports in Okayama and Kagawa prefectures, several of which had been gradually succumbing to rural depopulation. Uno Port is one of these locations. Before boarding a ferry take some time to view amazing pieces scattered around the docks, such as Chinu, a sculpture of a giant blackhead sea bream made out of a rainbow array of empty cans, PET bottles, and other household cast-offs.

The project owes its success to the carefully curated pairing of naturally breathtaking locations with invariably striking artworks. Internationally renowned museums, such as Benesse House on Naoshima, and the Setouchi Triennale art festival now attract art-lovers from around the world, bringing attention to the entire Setouchi region. This in turn has encouraged Japanese to relocate to the islands and their connecting ports, including Uno, to start new businesses and reinvigorate the local economies.