Naoshima's Yellow Pumpkin

At the end of a plain concrete pier, against the blue of the Seto Inland Sea, sits one of the most photographed objects in Japan: a fat, cheerful, polka-dotted yellow pumpkin by the artist Yayoi Kusama. It has greeted visitors to the art island of Naoshima since 1994.

Why It’s Interesting

Naoshima is a former industrial island reborn as an open-air museum, and Kusama’s pumpkin is its mascot and its handshake — the first artwork most people walk to off the ferry. Two metres of glossy yellow studded with black dots, it’s simple, joyful, and weirdly photogenic from every angle. In 2021 a typhoon swept it into the sea and broke it into three pieces; rather than patch it, Kusama’s team built a tougher replacement, even adding a hook so it can be hauled to safety next time.

Best Time to Visit

Good year-round. A clear day gives you the dotted yellow against deep blue water; early morning or late afternoon spares you the worst of the photo queue.

Getting There

Take a ferry from Takamatsu (Kagawa) or Uno (Okayama) to Naoshima, then walk, bus, or rent a bike to the pier. Build the visit around the island’s celebrated art museums.