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For once, I’m not talking mainly about food. Although the kaiseki meal we had on the island of Naoshima would well be worth a whole post – courses and courses of (partly quite rare types of) fish, served from raw to steamed and grilled, impressing us with both superb quality and very subtle and refined seasoning.

But the pumpkins I am talking about are nothing you can eat – they are sculptures by renowned artist Yayoi Kusama, displayed at the scenic shore right outside our hotel. And the funky yellow pumpkin is just the show-piece of the many works of contemporary art you come across as you stroll along the coast. It was a funny feeling, indeed – the day before we had visited Miyajima, the island near Hiroshima with the famous shrine standing out of the sea. Here suddenly there were giant pumpkins instead of torii gates...

All this is part of an extensive project by the Japanese educational publishing house Benesse, who teamed up with star architect Tadao Ando to create an impressive symbiosis of art, space and nature, featuring a hotel and various museums. The concrete structures are so minimalistic that it was almost, but just almost, too much (or should I say too little?) for me (and I am really fond of lean and sleek designs!). But somehow these extremely straight lines are built in a way that they seem to merge with their surroundings, blurring the boundaries between interior and exterior.

Staying overnight at the Benesse Hotel really gave us the feeling of being within this fantastic ensemble of modern art. Dining inside the Benesse Museum, followed by a walk though its abandoned halls and viewing the exhibits by night, felt even more unreal. As if this alone were not yet stunning enough, we hit the island exactly at full moon, which lit up our beautiful night time stroll along the pumpkin beach.

Among all the various art sites spread over the area, I find it hard to decide which one I liked best. But if I had to pick one, I would probably say I was most fascinated by the Chichu Art Museum. With the weather as splendid as it could possibly be, we felt almost reluctant to enter a museum at all, but we soon found out how lucky indeed we were with the sunshine.

This museum is clearly not a great alternative for rainy days, as about half the rooms are missing a ceiling. Rather than a "conventional" display of pictures and sculptures, the Chichu Museum is all about integrating the architecture as well as nature into the art, playing with light and space, creating astounding illusions. In a work by James Turrell, for instance, the blue sky is perceived as a picture on the ceiling, where in reality there’s just a rectangular hole. Monet’s Water Lilies are more impressive than ever as they are embedded in this lean, spacious, ingeniously designed room. Even the connecting corridors and courtyards are all part of the ensemble.

When I visit an exhibition of contemporary art there are usually some pieces I find disturbing, others that I may find funny, or stunningly original, or there may be some I just don’t get. But even if I am really interested, after a while I often end up getting saturated and losing my attention. This was a completely different experience. Rather than having to focus on details or individual exhibits, I was just absorbed by the space I was in. Although there were dozens of impressions to assimilate I didn’t get fed up. The place felt so spacious, and the art on display was just the right amount. Minimalistic rather than overloaded.

Guess what – I can only recommend Naoshima. Without hesitation I would say that travelling to this rather remote place is absolutely worth the hassle!