> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.nipponstays.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Getting Around Takamatsu and to Naoshima: Bus, Car & Ferry Guide - URL: https://www.nipponstays.com/getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima/ - Published: 2026-07-12T11:22:41.000Z - Updated: 2026-08-07T07:45:51.000Z - Description: Getting around Takamatsu and to Naoshima: verified airport bus times/fares, honest rental-car caveats, and the Takamatsu Port ferry schedule. - Author: Hideaki - Tags: Kagawa, Transport, #2026-12-kagawa-01, Airports & Transfers To get around Takamatsu and reach Naoshima, take the Kotoden Bus airport limousine (about 40 min, ¥1,000) from Takamatsu Airport to the city, then walk to Takamatsu Port and board the Shikoku Kisen regular ferry (about 50 min, ¥680 one-way) or the high-speed boat (about 30 min, ¥1,590 one-way). A rental car only makes sense if you are adding day trips to Kotohira or Shodoshima beyond the Naoshima itinerary. ## Getting Around Takamatsu and to Naoshima: The Short Answer Of the 4 transport options compared in this guide, 3 require no car: the airport limousine bus (about 40 min, ¥1,000), the regular ferry to Naoshima (about 50 min, ¥680 adult), and the high-speed boat (about 30 min, ¥1,590 adult) — all fares checked July 2026. Most travelers moving around Takamatsu and out to Naoshima end up using three things: the airport limousine bus, the JR/private rail network inside the city, and the Shikoku Kisen ferry from Takamatsu Port. Getting around Takamatsu and to Naoshima does not require a rental car for most itineraries — the bus network from the airport and the ferry terminal from Takamatsu Port cover the two trips that matter most. Below I break down when each option actually makes sense, with verified times and fares. *Some links in this guide are affiliate links. If you book through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.* If you are flying into Takamatsu Airport, the limousine bus into the city is the default choice. If your plan includes a Naoshima day trip or overnight, the ferry from Takamatsu Port is unavoidable — there is no bridge or alternate route to the island. Renting a car is worth considering only if you are also planning day trips outside Takamatsu itself, such as to Kotohira or the Shodoshima ferry terminal at a different port. ## Kagawa Transport Options at a Glance | Option | Time | Cost | Best for | | ------------------------ | --------------------- | -------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------- | | Airport limousine bus | About 40-min ride | ¥1,000 adult / ¥500 child | Airport-to-city transfers, no driving needed | | Rental car | Varies | From around ¥5,000/day plus fuel and parking | Side trips to Kotohira or Shodoshima, not central Takamatsu | | Naoshima ferry (regular) | About 50-min crossing | ¥680 adult / ¥340 child one-way | Budget crossings, more frequent departures | | Naoshima high-speed boat | About 30-min crossing | ¥1,590 adult / ¥800 child one-way | Maximizing time on the island | Prices and schedules change with fuel costs and seasonal timetable revisions, so confirm current fares on the operator sites before you travel. ## Takamatsu Airport to the City: The Limousine Bus Takamatsu Airport sits well outside the city, and there is no train line running to it, so the airport limousine bus operated by Kotoden Bus is the realistic way in for almost every visitor. The bus connects the airport terminal to JR Takamatsu Station and stops at several major city-center hotels along the way, so if your hotel is on the route you may not need to transfer again after landing. The ride from Takamatsu Airport to Takamatsu Station takes about 40 minutes. The fare is ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children, payable in cash, by IC card, or with a contactless credit/debit card when you get off — if you pay cash, bring exact change since the driver does not give change. Departure times are tied to flight arrivals and get revised every couple of months, so check the current timetable on the Kotoden Bus site close to your travel date rather than relying on a screenshot from an old itinerary. If you land late or your flight is delayed, confirm there is still a bus running before you plan a taxi as backup. ## Rental Car: An Honest Look A rental car is not off the table, and counters exist at Takamatsu Airport and near the station, but I would not recommend it as your main way of getting around central Takamatsu. The city center has narrow one-way streets around the Marugamemachi arcade and Chuo-dori, parking runs roughly ¥100-200 per hour and adds up over a multi-day stay, and rush-hour traffic (roughly 7-9 AM and 5-7 PM) can slow you down on the main routes in and out of the city. Where a car earns its cost is day trips beyond what the bus and train network covers well — Kotohira's Konpira-san shrine, the Iya Valley over the border in Tokushima, or driving yourself to a different ferry terminal for Shodoshima. For a Takamatsu-and-Naoshima-only itinerary, skip the car: the airport bus and the ferry do the job, and you avoid navigating an unfamiliar city on the left-hand side of the road. If you do rent, note that Naoshima itself does not accept general car rentals returned from the mainland in a simple way, and driving on the island is not the point — most visitors leave the car in a Takamatsu Port lot and walk onto the ferry instead. ## To Naoshima: The Ferry From Takamatsu Port Shikoku Kisen runs the ferry service from Takamatsu Port (next to [Takamatsu Station](https://www.nipponstays.com/hotels-near-takamatsu-station/)) to Miyanoura Port on Naoshima. The regular ferry takes about 50 minutes and costs ¥680 for adults and ¥340 for children one-way. A high-speed passenger boat covers the same route in about 30 minutes for ¥1,590 adults / ¥800 children one-way — worth it if you are tight on time or doing a single day trip and want more hours on the island. There is also a separate route to Honmura Port on Naoshima's east side, running about 35 minutes for ¥1,220 adults / ¥610 children, useful if your day's plan starts with the Art House Project in Honmura rather than the museums near Miyanoura. Multiple sailings run each day, but the schedule is not hourly and gaps get longer in the off-season, so check the current Shikoku Kisen timetable before you fix your morning plan. If you are catching an early boat to make the most of a day trip, staying at a hotel near the port — see our [hotels near Takamatsu Port guide](https://www.nipponstays.com/hotels-near-takamatsu-port-for-naoshima/) — removes the stress of a cross-town dash with a ferry departure on the clock. ## On Naoshima: Rental Cycles and Getting Around the Island Naoshima does not have a taxi fleet you can count on, and the island's own bus loop is limited, so most visitors get around by rental bicycle. Rental shops cluster within a couple of minutes' walk of Miyanoura Port, and both standard and electric-assist bikes are available. Electric-assist bikes cost more — plan on roughly ¥1,200 per day for a standard adult e-assist bike in high season, less in the winter off-season — but they are worth it. Naoshima has real hills between Miyanoura and the Benesse Art Site museums on the south side of the island, and a standard bike can turn a scenic ride into a slog in summer heat. Child-seat and kids'-size e-assist models cost more and should be pre-booked, since shops keep only a limited stock. If you are traveling with kids, book a rental cycle in advance rather than showing up and hoping. Kids' bikes and electric-assist models are a limited stock at each shop, some rental counters run first-come, first-served with no reservation option at all, and popular shops sell out on weekends and during any Setouchi Triennale session. Reserve online where the shop allows it, especially if you need a child seat or a kids' bike specifically. ## Timing It Around the Setouchi Triennale The Setouchi Triennale is not annual — it runs roughly every three years, in split spring/summer/autumn sessions rather than one continuous period. The most recent edition ran in 2025 (spring, summer, and autumn sessions), and the next full edition is scheduled for 2028\. That means 2026 is not a Triennale year. This is good news for planning: outside a festival year, ferries and rental cycles are far easier to book on short notice, and Takamatsu hotel rates stay closer to their normal range. Naoshima's permanent art — the Chichu Art Museum, the Benesse House Museum, and the Art House Project installations in Honmura — is open year-round regardless of the Triennale calendar, so a 2026 trip loses none of the island's core draw. If your travel dates might shift into 2028, check the official Setouchi Triennale site before booking, since festival-period ferries and accommodation sell out months ahead. ## Practical Constraints - Bus and ferry schedules and fares are revised periodically — verify current times close to your travel date rather than relying on this article's figures alone. - Hotel rates in Takamatsu run from ¥6,500-9,600, varies by season; rates rise around Golden Week, summer holidays, and any future Setouchi Triennale session. - Bring cash for the airport bus and ferry ticket counters — IC cards work on the bus, but some smaller ferry ticket windows are cash-preferred. - If you are basing near [Takamatsu Station or Takamatsu Port](https://www.nipponstays.com/where-to-stay-in-takamatsu/), both the airport bus and the ferry terminal are within easy reach without a taxi. ## Where to Stay for Easy Transport Connections | Name | Base | Price range | Best for | | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------- | ----------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | [JR Hotel Clement Takamatsu](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-1648171/jr-hotel-clement-takamatsu/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19117947&ref=nipponstays.com) — [check rates](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-1648171/jr-hotel-clement-takamatsu/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19117947&ref=nipponstays.com) | Takamatsu Port | from ¥9,000, varies by season | Early Naoshima ferries, minimal walk to the terminal | | [JR Clement Inn Takamatsu](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-23986520/jr-clement-inn-takamatsu/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19119102&ref=nipponstays.com) — [check rates](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-23986520/jr-clement-inn-takamatsu/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19119102&ref=nipponstays.com) | Takamatsu Station | from ¥6,500, varies by season | Airport bus arrivals, budget rooms | | [Takamatsu Tokyu REI Hotel](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-705164/takamatsu-tokyu-rei-hotel/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19118171&ref=nipponstays.com) — [check rates](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-705164/takamatsu-tokyu-rei-hotel/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19118171&ref=nipponstays.com) | Chuo-dori city center | from ¥7,200, varies by season | Walkable to both the station and the port | | [Dormy Inn Takamatsu Natural Hot Spring](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-705619/dormy-inn-takamatsu/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19118626&ref=nipponstays.com) — [check rates](https://www.trip.com/hotels/takamatsu-hotel-detail-705619/dormy-inn-takamatsu/?Allianceid=9711325&SID=327049682&trip%5Fsub1=getting-around-takamatsu-airport-bus-ferry-naoshima&trip%5Fsub3=D19118626&ref=nipponstays.com) | Chuo-dori city center | from ¥8,500, varies by season | Onsen after a long day of ferries and buses | ## Trip Essentials for Kagawa Things worth booking before you land, all in English: - **eSIM** — [Airalo's Japan eSIM](https://airalo.tpm.lv/2TWpibQS?ref=nipponstays.com): install it at home and data works as soon as you switch off airplane mode at Takamatsu Airport. Comparing providers? See our [Japan eSIM guide](https://www.nipponstays.com/best-esim-for-japan/). - **Tickets and day trips** — [Klook](https://klook.tpm.lv/9FPtAdQc?ref=nipponstays.com) covers Naoshima day trips and Shikoku rail passes; booking ahead skips the ticket-window line. ## FAQ **Do I need a rental car in Takamatsu?** No, for a Takamatsu-and-Naoshima trip the airport limousine bus and the Naoshima ferry cover the two main journeys. A car only pays off if you are adding day trips to Kotohira, Shodoshima, or other spots outside the reach of the rail and bus network. **How long is the bus from Takamatsu Airport to the city?** About 40 minutes to Takamatsu Station, with stops at several city-center hotels along the route. The fare is ¥1,000 for adults and ¥500 for children. **How long is the ferry from Takamatsu to Naoshima?** About 50 minutes on the regular ferry (¥680 adult one-way) or about 30 minutes on the high-speed boat (¥1,590 adult one-way), both departing from Takamatsu Port to Miyanoura Port. A separate, roughly 35-minute route runs to Honmura Port. **Is 2026 a Setouchi Triennale year?** No. The most recent edition ran across 2025, and the next full edition is scheduled for 2028\. Naoshima's permanent museums and art installations are open year-round regardless. **Should I book a rental cycle on Naoshima in advance?** Yes, especially for electric-assist or kids' bikes. Stock is limited at each rental shop near Miyanoura Port, and some counters do not take reservations at all, so arriving early or booking online ahead of time avoids missing out. --- **Information audit:* Last fact-checked July 2026 · Prices checked July 2026 (all rates are “from” floors that vary by season) · *How this guide was researched:* hotel facilities, prices and access details are verified against official and primary sources; we have not personally stayed at every property listed. The author has traveled in this area personally; original photographs on this site are from those trips · How this site verifies information:* [*About NipponStays*](https://www.nipponstays.com/about/)*.*