Shimanami Kaido & Takamatsu

Itinerary Summary:

Day 1 - Travel to Onomichi. Bike to Imabari via the Shimanami Kaido（しまなみ海道）- a course which traverses six bridges and seven islands in the Seto Island Sea. Continue to Takamatsu via limited express train.

Shimanami Kaido

Day 2 - Sightseeing in Takamatsu. Eat udon. Eat more udon.... and then some more. Ferry to Kobe.

Kaki udon

*****          *****

Having just come off two straight weekends of epic biking (the first being the 3-day, near-300km in Oita, followed by the one day 105km ride around Yakushima), I was itching to keep the spirit alive and get in one more amazing ride while I had the time. The next few weekends are basically booked up with spring events and Golden Week, so I had to act quickly in order to make this happen. I received a very strong response from my trustworthy Kiwi friend Renell after approaching him with the idea, and planning soon got underway.

The plan was to depart from Higashikakogawa early Saturday morning, conquer the Shimanami Kaido during the day, and sleep somewhere in Shikoku that night. The next day, we'd find our way to Takamatsu to experience the divine udon-eating challenge, and head back home via Kobe by ferry. Preliminary plans were quite complicated, and with some small bumps in the road (this happens if you wait too long in Japan - things get booked up... plan in advance), we had to make some minor alterations. That being said, the final plans couldn't have worked out better, for the trip was a great success, not to mention was an incredible adventure filled with beautiful scenery, good company, perfect, great food, and lots of laughs. Here's how it all went down:

Day 1

Departure - 7:21 a.m.

Boarding the train from Higashikakogawa （東加古川）, we took the local train to Himeji （姫路）, then transferred to the Shinkansen (arriving at 7:42 and departing again at 7:50). From Himeji, the Shinkansen to Fukuyama （福山） took only 38 minutes, arriving at 8:28 a.m. With a quick transfer to the local line, we arrived in Onomichi （尾道） at 8:54 a.m. - the total traveling time is a quick 93 minutes and costs ¥5670 for an unreserved seat (or ¥4890 if you purchase a discount ticket in advance).

 

Once in Onomichi, exit the station and walk straight ahead towards the water. Behind the bus station, a very small port is located to the left of some large buildings - follow the sidewalk along the buildings until you see the Green Hill Hotel. Just past the hotel is a parking lot - in the middle of the lot, you will find the rental cycling terminal. (It is recommended to reserve a bike in advance, especially during high season. You can access the form here.)


The bikes cost ¥500 per day, plus ¥1000 deposit, which is refundable only if you return the bike to the SAME station - so if you're only riding one way, you won't get this money back. However, if you decide to make the round trip (suggested to split it up in two days, with a stayover at the Imabari Cycling Terminal) then it will only cost you ¥1000 for both days (hotel accommodation excl.) Good news - helmet rentals are free! Just make sure you reserve one in advance.


After sorting out the rental situation, you should purchase a discount coupon package for the bridge toll fees. The coupons cost ¥250 - otherwise, you will pay a total of ¥500, that is, of course, if you are cycling all the way to Imabari. After that, you're good to go!

Bridge crossing

Head to the port and grab the ferry for a very quick ferry ride (¥100 - not included in the coupon package) over to the first island, Mukaishima. The ride to Imabari officially begins here; signs posted on the street (and painted on the ground) indicate that the end is 75km from this point, but not to worry... the cycling terminal is only 70km away! The easiest way to follow the trail is to always look out for the fat blue line painted along the road. Every once in a while, there will be a kilometre indicator on the actual line, and again, there are plenty of signs along the route to help you as you ride.


Before heading out (if possible), try to make sure you time your ride when the weather is nice, because the scenery is absolutely spectacular. From the bridges you get clear views of hundreds of small islands in the distance and can really appreciate the vivid colours of the sky above your head and the ocean beneath you. The best time for riding is spring, when the weather is warm during the day, but not sweltering hot (unlike summer), flowers are blooming, fruits are in season, and is relatively crowd-free. My suggestion would be to try to book this before Golden Week - the busiest tourist week in Japan (first week of May.)

Another piece of friendly advice: make sure you have enough money or pack a lot of snacks with you before you leave. There are hundreds of combinis (convenience stores) and vending machines along the way to refuel on chocolate and water, but there weren't really places to stop and have lunch (I could be wrong about this, however. There are a number of rest stops, usually just after each bridge, but since we never stopped there I can't be sure if they serve food or not. Now that I think about it, they probably do.) However, be safe and make sure you don't go hungry/thirsty and find yourself overwhelmed or exhausted.


As mentioned earlier, the ride spans across seven islands and six bridges, effectively creating a link between the larger Honshu and Shikoku islands. The smaller islands which make up the Shimanami Kaido are, from north to south: Mukaishima, Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima and Oshima. The bridges are, in the same order: Onomichi Bridge, Innoshima Bridge, Ikuchi Bridge, Tatara Bridge, Omishima Bridge, Hakata-Oshima Bridge, and finally, the enormous 6km-long Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge. (Please note: there are 7 bridges listed here - the first, Onomichi, is crossed by using the ferry rather than by bicycle, as there is no actual bike path... it is, however, still possible to do it if you really want to.)

Lone Fisherman on a Rocky Pier

While the ride can easily be completed in one day - even for amateur cyclists - give yourself enough time to take breaks and enjoy your surroundings. Keep in mind that you may want to stop to take pictures, have lunch, or go slightly off course for a while to check out some village life. There are plenty of temples on each island which are beautiful as well, and the most impressive view of the islands can be seen from the top of Mt. Kiro (亀老山) - as it is 3.7km off course, it is obviously more easily accessible by car... we didn't actually go up the (steep) mountain, so advice is limited for this. The pictures I have seen are quite remarkable though! Give yourself ample time to do everything you want.


Another option would be to stay at a hostel/hotel/ryokan on one of the islands along the way. This is a very popular choice for people looking to spend a few days island-hopping, and would definitely give you a chance to explore the islands a little more thoroughly before pushing on to the end (or back to the beginning). Additionally, you can make a hotel reservation at the Imabari Cycling Terminal Sunrise Itoyama and spend the night at the end of the course. The place is very nice and has a restaurant and an excellent night view of Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge. However, unless you are planning to cycle back over the Shimanami Kaido the next day, I'd recommend moving on to another location as there is nothing at all around the terminal and buses are too infrequent to head into Imabari （今治） for a few hours. In any case, do some extra research and find out what's best for you!

Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge

We finished the ride just before 4 p.m., arriving at the cycling terminal in time to catch the 4:10 bus to the Imabari JR station. The buses are quite infrequent, so be sure to check the timetable ahead of time if possible. (I couldn't find any information online). Once we reached Imabari station, we walked down the main street just in front and looked for somewhere to eat. Even on a Saturday evening, the place was like a ghost town! Having been told that Imabari was famous for its yakitori (grilled chicken), I decided to stop a local walking down the street and ask if she knew anywhere decent to eat. She pointed us in the direction of a small restaurant on the main street, maybe 200m from the station on the right-hand side of the road. It's located just inside a small alleyway, so it's pretty easy to locate if you know what you're looking for. Since it only opened at 5, we had a few minutes to kill... but once we got in, the entire restaurant filled up within several minutes - and the people kept coming throughout our meal. It was definitely the place to be!! We ordered ten dishes and four drinks in total, which came to an even ¥5000 for the both of us. It was well worth it after a long day!

Yakitori

As we had planned to spend the next day in Takamatsu (and in fact leave from there back to Kobe), we decided that it was worth it to get there the same night, rather than have to take a train in the morning and lose time. We caught the 18:13 limited express train from Imabari and arrived at 19:57 (¥4440). If you are planning the same/similar route, I'd recommend doing this as Imabari is very, very quiet and there isn't much to do. The two-hour train ride isn't great at the end of the day, but it definitely saves you a lot of trouble the next day.

We spent the night at a Hosteling International (HI) hostel located about 15-20 minutes walk from the station. (You can take a tram car there as well). The room was expensive (¥4095 p/p) for a hostel, but we were put up in a private room which was actually really nice. The beds were Japanese style (futons on tatami mat) but the room was quite elegant and had a nice place to sit down and relax in an adjoining room. The bathrooms were also very nice and all towels and linens were provided free of charge. The hostel was in very good location for shopping, eating and drinking as well. Find out more information here.

We didn't do much that night, so I can't recommend anything in particular for nightlife, but have a walk around if you like - there's always somewhere to be found! Otherwise, rest up and prepare for a long day of udon eating ahead of you.

Before moving on to Day 2, here's some other information about the bike ride:

Cycling the Shimanami Kaido - Some things to look out for along the way:

Oranges and Lemons

Citrus fruits are in peak season during spring. There are a number of stalls set up just to the side of the road selling lemons and oranges. My personal opinion: get the lemons. To be more specific, they are not lemons exactly (the actual name of this particular fruit is ------ ), but look exactly like one - until you bit into it. I'd never had anything like this before in my life... the fruit was so sweet, like an orange, and lacked all the bitterness and sour taste usually found in lemons. You could eat it just like an orange! I loved it so much that I bought four for ¥500 - a tad expensive, but worth every yen.

Deco Orange & Sea Salt gelato

Just next to this fruit stall (it was actually quite large, and hard to miss), there is an Italian Gelato restaurant with outdoor seating located just on the side of the road. I didn't quite see it at first, but noticed the patio just next to the sidewalk and soon realized I'd almost passed right by a goldmine. (Unfortunately, I forget which island this is on - just keep an eye out for it!) They have a number of flavours there, but I asked for the shop's recommendation (osusume was nan' desu ka? / おすすめは何ですか？) - she gave me a mix of Sea Salt and Deko Orange - both featured flavours of the region. It was awesome... the flavours were so natural and delicious - ask the shop which one they recommend before choosing your own. ¥300 for a cup.


If fishing is your thing, you can easily stop somewhere and draw a line with the local fishermen. There are a number of places to do this on a couple of the islands - you might even make some friends in the process!


Finally, take your time and enjoy the ride! It's a once in a lifetime experience (for most of us) that shouldn't be missed. Most importantly, be safe and believe in yourself!

*****          *****

Helpful Links for the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Route

Overview of the Shimanami Kaido

Bicycle Rental Fees and "Norisute" System

Bicycle Rental Terminals and Reservations

Shimanami Kaido Bridge Tolls

Imabari Cycling Terminal (Sunrise Itoyama)

Additional Information about the Shimanami Kaido Cycling Route

Japan Guide: Shimanami Kaido

JNTO: Shimanami Kaido

Onomichi City Guide: Shimanami Kaido

Blog entitled "Biking the Shimanami Kaido" (Japan Guide)

*****          *****

Day 2

Waking up early in Takamatsu gave us a distinct advantage for attempting, and later completing, our udon challenge. The city of Takamatsu, the capital of Kagawa prefecture and also the largest city in/gateway to Shikoku, is famous for its Sanuki Udon - a type of udon （うどん） noodles that are especially known for their unique texture and authenticity. In fact, most udon in Japan (and elsewhere) is cooked and sold in the Sanuki method, but as you know, nothing ever quite comes close to the original.

Most udon shops open their doors at 11 a.m., so we had time to go for a coffee before hitting up our first bowl. In the coffee shop we planned our route, making our way towards Ritsurin Park, a magnificent landscape garden located in the southern half of the city. Even though the park isn't listed as one of Japan's "famous three", this garden comes close to absolute perfection - you can find everything to beautifully arched bridges and cascading waterfalls to traditional tea houses and cherry blossoms. If you're lucky enough to come during spring, you'll see plenty of people enjoying hanami on the lovely park gardens. (Adult entrance ¥400). Click here to view the English website for Ritsurin Park.

Ritsurin Park, Takamatsu

We managed to have our first two udons before heading to the park. The first one was a nice restaurant that I spotted in an alleyway a little ways off the main road. I had a good feeling about it, and was satisfied enough with the plastic dishes in the window to head inside a few minutes before eleven. I ordered the curry udon (served hot - it was enormous!) and Renell had the restaurant's specialty, the bukkake udon (served cold). They were fantastic!

The second shop was a little on the grungey side but was actually the most delicious. The owner of the shop was standing just on the other side of a beat-up old counter, literally barking orders at the customers to hurry up and order - he was clearly a busy man. The tiny shop was packed with locals shovelling down the udon - we knew that we'd hit the proper spot (credit to Renell for this one). I ordered the famous zaru（ざる）udon, which is served cold on a wooden dish, with a small soy-based dipping sauce on the side. This time, Renell ordered a hot bowl of udon - the traditional kaki （かき）udon. You could "dress your own" bowl, and then you just leave your money on a large tray on the counter. Talk about an honour system! The udon here was unbelievable, and so cheap. The zaru udon was ¥220 and the kaki only ¥170. Unfortunately I don't know the specific locations of these restaurants, but with enough walking around you'll find hundreds more just like it!

Zaru udon

The third and final udon of the day came simply by good fortune. After leaving the park, we were walking back in the direction of the train station/ferry terminal when, looking to my left, I noticed a restaurant with a line of people snaking about 20 meters from the door. I knew this was the one. We walked the block and a half over there and waited in line with all the locals, who seemed just as excited as we were to dive in to a sure-to-be unique experience. We weren't disappointed. An elderly lady came up to us while we were waiting to know if we wanted to order any tempura, so as to have it ready for when we got our udon. Since I couldn't really understand what she was saying, she laughed really loud and grabbed me by the hand and walked me over to the window where three more women were deep-frying everything from jumbo shrimps to hard-boiled eggs.

We ordered her recommendation (osusume de onegai shimas - おすすめでお願いします in Japanese), the lightly-battered egg tempura. Then, we pushed along to the counter to order our udon. But this was no ordinary shop... no, no, no! We simply ordered our bowl size, and then were given a batch of noodles that we had to cook ourselves! (This is that unique experience I was talking about!) Cooking our own noodles to absolute perfection (give us some credit, we were experts by then!), we sat down at a counter and devoured our most flavorful bowl of the day. How much did it cost? A measly ¥230 each, including the tempura. What a winner! Again, no restaurant name or location to provide, but if your Japanese is decent I'm sure you could ask someone about this place - the line outside the restaurant alone speaks for its reputation in Takamatsu.

"Soooooooooo good!!"

The cheapest way back to Kobe is to take the 4-hour ferry; it costs only ¥1800 yen one way (for single passenger, no bikes/vehicles) and is very comfortable. We caught the 15:30 ferry leaving Takamatsu (arriving in Kobe at 19:30), which offers fantastic views of the Seto Island Sea - including a magnificent sunset on the water and a pass underneath the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge just a few minutes before arriving into Kobe Port, known as the "million-dollar" nightview of this international city. There is an omiyage shop and restaurant on board, as well as common facilities such as bathrooms, smoking rooms, carpeted seating areas, and even a game room. Once you land in Kobe, there is a ¥200 bus which takes you directly to Sannomiya （三ノ宮） JR/Hankyu station in just a few minutes, making the whole ride an easy ¥2000.

Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge

There are four ferries per day in each direction. Some of the times are a little inconvenient, however I still highly recommend this method of transportation. It's cheap, easy, reliable, and very practical for traveling to and from Kobe. You can find information about this particular ferry ride by clicking here (Takamatsu-Kobe Jumbo Ferry) or you can find more information about all domestic ferry lines in Japan by clicking here.

Sunset over the Seto Inland Sea

*Please note: access to the Jumbo Ferry terminal in Takamatsu is quite tricky. It is not located at the large port behind the JR station, but actually east of the castle. There is a free shuttle bus which makes two pick-up stops 30 minutes before the ferry departure time. The location of the bus pick-ups are 1) behind the JR ticket center and 2) at the bus station opposite the castle entrance. Be sure to ask around - the security guard at the large port helped me, and thankfully I asked just in time... arrive early and ask lots of questions!*

From Sannomiya station, we caught the JR local train back to Higashikakogawa (¥650), feeling very satisfied from a successful weekend. Everything seemed to cooperate for us this time - great weather, amazing food, beautiful scenery, friendly people, cheap everything, and an overall very enjoyable weekend on the road. If you find yourself in this area of Japan (and in the right season), you should definitely consider this route!