As typhoon Man-Yi arrived Kyoto we left for Naoshima, often called Art Island. It was a longer trip than planned because of flooding along the rails but we arrived Naoshima with hot full sun. Naoshima is the brainchild of artist Tadao Ando and the buildings were completed in 1992. The island has several venues in which to experience art – the Chichu Museum features a room with four Monet pieces and a James Turrell piece called Open Field which is surreal; the Li Ufan Museum celebrates this one artist for his famous brush stroke pieces and his steel and stone; and there are pieces scattered along the shoreline of Nikki Phalle and Kusuma’s pumpkin. And then, there is the Benesse Museum. The Benesse Museum also features guest accommodations Benesse House) and the benefit of staying here is that when the other museums are closed, guests of Benesse house get to wander the museum art spaces freely – we all agree that we like museums best when there are few people in them. Being alone at 9pm with the large Twombly, Pollack, Judd, Hockney, and Bartlett without interruption, babies crying, students vying for sketch space, etc. is like…..like shavasana. Your energy is fresh and your mind is at peace.