Best Way to see Naoshima one day From Okayama

Hello,

I'm travelling from Kanazawa to Okayama on July 22nd, sleeping in Okayama (we'll be arriving a bit late, so staying close to the station), and the next morning would like to go see Naoshima.
That same evening, we'll take a train to Hiroshima

Question #1
First, I know the Okayama Korakuen will be closeby, but we'll have seen a fair amount of nice gardens on our trip, including Kenrokuen in Kanazawa. Given that, is it ok to skip and spend more time in Naoshima?

Question #2:
I understand we need to take a train or bus to Uno and a ferry to Miyanoura. My problem is that http://unoslopehouse.com/Naoshima-Island-ferry-timetable.php shows that ferries are 07:20 (a bit early) 08:22 (just right), 09:22 (a bit late given that Naoshima has many things to see).
Sadly the direct JR train from Okayama arrives at 08:25, just a few minutes too late.
Google however says there is a bus I can take and that will arrive at 08:18: https://goo.gl/maps/4UsF3FeSdcv but that I will arrive at the ferry at 08:22, just as it leaves.
Are the bus and ferry synchronized so that you can make the connection, or am I at risk to miss the ferry by one minute or two, and have to wait 1h while being very sad? :)
My only other option is to take a non direct train leaving okayama at 07:10 and that includes a 2mn connection at Chayamachi, so I guess I could also miss that connection https://goo.gl/maps/X3JVWk7nddt

Question #3:
Assuming I do arrive at Naoshima around 09:00, I see there is a return ferry at 18:10 from Honmura. Is that a reasonable amount of time to see the highlights?
Is there a recommended route I can use? Should I rent bikes to get around quicker and not wait for busses, or just take short taxi hops from museum to museum if they're not walking distance?

Thank you

All the info you are asking for is in the Benesse/Naoshima website

On question 1, I don't think it's a question of whether to skip the garden or not. This is a Naoshima trip, and Naoshima requires a full day. Korakuen Garden is a great garden, definitely one of the country's best and well worth visiting. It just doesn't fit into a Naoshima day. Better to consider this a Nashima trip and do Okayama another time.

Rabbityama: your point is well taken, I'll need to do Okayama another time
Winter Visitor: I went to http://benesse-artsite.jp/en/access/ and it does not answer my question on whether the bus from Okayama that arrives 4mn before the ferry leaves, allows connecting to the ferry or whether I'm going to miss the boat and have to wait 1h for the next one.
Thanks, Marc

Maybe not, but it will answer all your other questions, and also the questions you haven't asked, such as "when do the museums open? When do the art houses open? What are the operating times of the buses on the island? Can I get a ferry to Honmura, and what time do they leave Uno? Is that an alternative to going to Miyamoura?", etc.

You can be snarky, or you could just realise that people are trying to help you and say "thanks".

Uno JR to the ferry terminal is a 3-5 minute walk. If the buses go to the terminal rather than the JR station, you may be able to catch the ferry. No one can guarantee that, but just maybe the bus timing is meant to connect with the ferry?

WinterVisitor has a very important point here. In particular, there is one day a week when most of the sites (apart from the Benesse House from memory) is closed. Make sure that's not that day that you visit.

As mentioned above - the BH website has lots of info that will be invaluable...

Another one is also: http://setouchi-artfest.jp

I have not travelled from Okayama so cannot confirm your times.

Thanks both. I will definitely check the site on what to visit when. I'll be there on a Saturday so it's not the everything is closed day.
Also, I am thankful for your help and definitely did not try to be snarky, my apologies if I said anything that came out that way.
Now, I still need to work on my main issue of how not to miss the ferry, but the rest should be good with the reference you gave.
Thanks, Marc

Wintervisitor: fair enough I was too focussed on the getting there part and not missing a ferry and wasting an hour. The link you provided is very helpful on how to visit the island once I'm there, thank you.
Also, please accept my sincere apologies for anything I may have said that made you think I was being snarky. I had no such intention.

mfedley: thanks for making sure I'm not going there on a monday where most things are closed. Indeed, I checked up on that and will be there on a saturday.

No worries, I was probably being snarky too.

Naoshima is an excellent place. Maybe one day is too short to see it, but if you only have one day I would recommend you go straight to Honmura, go to the Ando/Turrell art house first, do the other art houses (making a booking for the one that you have to book for, and not missing out on the temple/cave one), pop into the Ando museum, get quick lunch in Honmura at the place down by the port, or the noodle shop in the village, then get the bus to Chichu, then do Benesse Museum, skip the Lee Ufan if you don't have time, and then see if you have time for a bath at I Love Yu before getting the last ferry back.

And if you have a night to spend there, choose a night when there's the light show at the Turrell sky's pace at the Chichu.

Hi, you should not miss the ferry. Once you get off the train, just go straight to the ferry. There is ticketing at the ferry. Was there last year and worried about the same thing. The ferry is across the street from the train station and should only take you about 2-3 minutes to walk there. There are restrooms on the ferry should you need that. Hope that helps

if I were you, I would go as early as possible. There is lots to see and you have to time the buses to get back to the ferry

I have visited the island once (as a day trip) and not a particularly long stay (only a few hours). However, the train and ferry connections were well timed and there was no missing trains/ferry involved despite having ten people and their luggage to manage at the same time.

The information on Japan-Guide is relevant and also check the timing of the trains with the ferry connections. Ultimately it is your responsibility to have a schedule that allows enough time from the train to ferry terminal (and getting tickets). If for some reason you take too long, then yes, you will miss the ferry, but most people manage it ok.

It's not quite so simple.
Sometimes the trains and ferries have quite a gap between them.
I've experienced this particularly on the way back from Naoshima.
Some trains connect really well with the ferry, but not all of them. However, the ferry terminal is close to the train station and if you have the ferry fare in change you can get tickets in the terminal from a vending machine if there's a queue at the ticket office.
Once you arrive, also be aware that buses aren't so frequent and can be a bit confusing as you tend to get two or three meeting the ferry, or arriving shortly afterwards. Ask around and make sure you get on the bus to Honmura and don't miss it as you could end up waiting a while for the next one