Setouchi Triennale 2013 Spring Passport
This year is the will the second time the Setouchi Art Festival will be held. It was first held in 2010 to help revitalize the area. The Setouchi area is a waterway between Shikoku and Honshu that runs along the northern coast of Shikoku. In 2010, it occupied 7 islands between Kagawa and Okayama along with the port in Takamatsu. This year, it will add 4 more islands just west of the Seto Ohashi as well as the port of Uno in Okayama. While the 4 extra islands are new, they won’t be part of the full annual display. Officially, the festival is being held in spring, summer and fall. Each season, the festival will be run for one month each, but I doubt the art will be removed and changed each season. Art will be added each season with the summer season being the best time to see things. Only the original 7 islands will be “open” for all three seasons, and the other 4 islands will be open for one season each. If you haven’t heard about this festival, you are really missing out. There is a lot to see and it will take a long time to see it all.
Setouchi Triennale 2013 (Main Area)
If you are wondering what is so special about this art festival, it is best to ask someone who has been to Naoshima. Naoshima was the focal point of the area before the art festival started. I last visited Naoshima in 2009 during my Great Motorcycle Adventure Take II. I spent a day in Naoshima and had a blast, even though the weather wasn’t very good. I missed the festival in 2010 as I didn’t know it was happening, but this year I won’t be missing it. I will be going next month and will hopefully have many things to say. If you are thinking of going, they are selling various passes to make things easier. There is a passport for each season, or an all season passport. The passport will grant you access to most of the installations although some of them will require an extra fee, but discounted from the original ticket price. Then there are various ferry discounts. I still haven’t been able to learn more about them, if they are worth it for me or not, but I will be trying my best to make use of as many discounts as I can. If you can’t make it, you can always try buying the guidebook. It is available in Japanese only, but at least you can see small pictures of the art. If you are in Tokyo, this weekend will be your last chance to see a special preview of the festival in Shibuya. Shibuya’s Hikarie is holding a small gallery featuring information about the festival itself. Even if you aren’t planning to go soon, you can always take a look at some of the information and plan your own adventure. If you can’t go, you best bet will be to stay tuned as I’ll be writing about it when I do get back. I’ll have a busy few months writing but it will be a lot of fun!
Canon EOS Kiss X5 (aka 600D aka Rebel T3i)
PS: I just bought a new camera! While I still have many posts coming up that have old photos, my Setouchi Art Festival photos will be using my new camera. The photos may not look very different as I’m still using an old lens, and my own technique won’t have developed as much, but I’m still excited. I’ll also take a few videos if I can but it might get too large.
Update: Note that earlier this post stated that the extra islands were between Ehime and Hiroshima. This is not true. The extra islands are located west of the Seto Ohashi (Great Seto Bridge).
Setouchi Art Festival (Preview) is a preview for the entire Setouchi Triennale. To read all about the festival, follow the links below:
- Dru’s Great Setouchi Triennale 2013 Misadventure
- Shamijima
- EAT&ART TARO on Shamijima
- Inujima
- Food of Inujima
- Teshima – Kou and Ieura
- Teshima – Karato
- Eating on Teshima
- Uno
- Ogijima (Part I)
- Ogijima (Part II)
- ONBA CAFE
- Megijima
- Naoshima (Benesse Art Site)
- Naoshima (Honmura & Miyanoura)
- Naoshima (Transportation)
- Takamatsu Revisited
- Takamatsu (Setouchi Triennale Edition)
- Ferries in the Setouchi Triennale
Information
- Setouchi Art Festival (Official Site)
- Naoshima (Dru’s Misadventures)
- Great Motorcycle Adventure Take II (Dru’s Misadventures)
Which camera were you using for the older posts/photographs?
My main camera, before, was a Canon EOS Rebel XT, circa 2005. The X5 is about 5 generations newer, but not the newest.
I also use a Canon S100 since last year as a pocket camera. Some photos are from that. I also have an Xperia GX for photos when I don’t have a camera.
Then there are the other point and shoots I have had over the years. I have had 2 other point and shoots, 1 older phone camera and that’s about it for this blog. From now, just the 3 mentioned.
Canon EOS Rebel XT — the EOS 350D as it is called in Europe. That was my first own DSLR too! It is still lying around.
My 350D was a lot of fun. It is now being stored unless I have a good use for it. I don’t need 2 DSLRs though. I would use it more often, but it deserves a good rest. 🙂
Canon EOS Kiss! They’re great cameras! (I have the X4.) Have fun and take lots of photos of Sox and Sky Tree. ^^
PS: An extended Inland Sea walkpedition (plus boatpedition) (grin) is one of my many dreams for future trips.
If you can do it, try it this year. It will be more fun. Otherwise, wait another 3 years?
For some reason, most Japanese people use Canon. Most Chinese people use Nikon. Although I notice it is getting closer these days.
I’ve also read that Nikon is more popular overseas; Canon is the king in Japan. Nikon vs Canon is a bit like Apple vs Android. It’s generally speaking safer – or at least less hassle – not to get involved in arguments about which is better. :p
PS: One day when I’m grown up, I want a Canon EOS 5D, but then I’d have no pension money left.
I think the difference between Canon and Nikon is more to do with what lenses you have and how you were introduced to it. However, I do love the fact that Canon is named after a Buddhist god. ^^
As for Android VS iOS, it is much easier for me to answer that one. iOS is for artists who want to think they look cool, and for people who aren’t so technologically informed. Android is for geeks and people who love to play with gadgets. Pretty simple.
Hope you get that 5D. I’m happy with the amateur line. I like how it is light and does more than what I really need. My skills are still not good enough to make use of a 5D. I just enjoy taking photos. 😀
Well, then, based on your description/explanation I’m an uncool professional geeky gadget freak! 😀
Your last wisdom about the 5D vs a simpler camera is why the 5D will probably remain a dream, but … that’s what uncool wannabe geeks do … we dream about gadgets!
We dream in code, of course.
011000110110000101101101011001010111001001100001
Translation can be done here:
http://www.roubaixinteractive.com/PlayGround/Binary_Conversion/Binary_To_Text.asp
(^0^)
I never dream in code. But I do dream in dog sometimes. 😉
As for being a professional geeky gadget freak, I think I’m in the same boat. Better than being an emo artist. 😉 But they both have good points and bad.
Yes, the 5D is a good dream. Although I want a GoPro camera recently. So many things I can do and have fun with it.
Glad you’re going to attend the Triennale this year. You won’t regret it.
My advice: if you already know Naoshima, don’t spend too much time on it, it won’t be much different from the usual except for longer lines and more people. The other islands is were the fun will be.
The art passport is definitely worth it, without it, the price of visiting the art on only one island may end up being more expensive than buying the passport.
Not sure about the ferry passes. The only one I know about is the two-day 2,000 yen pass, which may or may be not worth it depending on where you go basically.
A note about the “new” islands. They’re still in Kagawa, not between Ehime and Hiroshima, but they’re on the western side of the Great Bridge. They are Ibukijima (this summer), Awashima (this fall), Shamijima (this spring, although it’s not exactly an island anymore since it’s been attached to Shikoku by a polder when the Bridge was built). Honjima and Takamishima will also be part of the Triennale, but I forgot what session.
Enjoy 🙂
Thanks for the advice. I’m going later this month, so only Shajima is open for me. I’ll probably make it there.
Oops, didn’t check into the other islands properly. You’re right, it is only Kagawa. I did buy the passport already. It is waiting for me. 🙂
Also, I just read about the 2 day ferry pass. I’m skeptical that it will be worth it for me as I only plan to visit 1-2 islands a day. Maybe 3 if time allows. Since many of the ferries have a last run around dinner time, it would be hard to see much more. I just hope a bicycle can be taken onto the ferries. I think it is fine as I’m planning to rent a bicycle in Takamatsu. Really cheap to do so.
No problem. 🙂
The two day ferry pass is worth it only for people who like to rush, but honestly, if you want to see as much as the art as possible, and still enjoy your time on the islands, not just rush from one spot to the other (personally, I think that’d be counterproductive, as the islands themselves are as interesting as the art), waiting lines also need to be taken into account, more than one island a day is not very realistic (except maybe Ogijima and Megijima… maybe).
However some boats are very expensive (especially to go to Teshima and Inujima) so for those islands, the ferry pass is a good option I think.
As far as taking bikes on ferries, only the ones that take cars allow it (you need to pay a supplement I believe), that is the ferry to Megijima/Ogijima, the ferries to Naoshima (but not the speed boats), the ferries to Shodoshima (but not the speed boats), and the ferry between Shodoshima/Teshima/Uno.
Thanks. I think I’ll buy the guidebook that just came out. It will also act as a souvenir too. Should help me think of what to do in terms of the ferries. Also includes the times so I won’t miss the last ferry. That’s the only thing I’m worried about.
Definitely will go to Teshima and Inujima. Really want to go to Inujima. Shodoshima will be visited, but not sure if I’ll go for a long time. It will depend on the ferry of course, but I don’t plan to use the high speed ones. Slow and steady should be fine. Who knows. I’m still figuring things out. 🙂