The Shimanami Kaido
The Shimanami Kaido is a road running from Onomichi, Hiroshima Prefecture to Imabari, Ehime Prefecture connecting 6 of the islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Of the 3 land connections between the main island of Honshu and Shikoku, it is the only route traversable by bicycle. It was designed with cyclists in mind having designated cycling trails for much of the route and well-designed ramps spiraling up to the bridges.
It had long been a dream of mine to ride the Shimanami Kaido. I did it at the end of March just as it was giving way to the warmer spring weather. I took the train to Onomichi, a charming little port town built on the slopes overlooking the Seto Inland Sea. It’s a nostalgic place, making you feel as if you are traveling back in time to the Showa period.
The Shimanami Kaido has done a lot for the community attracting cyclists and tourists from all over the world. There are several bike rental places in the town. Most of the rental bikes are cross bikes or electric bikes. There are some road bikes available, but the numbers are limited. I originally planned to rent a road bike from the Giant Store in Onomichi and return it to their store at the other end of the route in Imabari but was unable to get one for 2 days. I ended up using a service called Cyclo Express (https://cycloexpress.co.jp/) that allows you to ship your bike there.
The course runs 74 km (45 miles) from beginning to end. Many of the riders on Shimanami are beginner to intermediate and complete only part of the course. A serious rider can easily complete it in a day.
I started off at about 8 am, taking the short ferry ride over to Mukaishima, just a stone’s throw away. The rest of the route crosses over bridges. The bridges each have their own distinctive design and have their own personality. The last one, the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge, is a beast at over 4 km long.
I took 2 days to complete the trip, spending the night in Imabari and returning the next day. This turned out well as the first day was cloudy and cool and the following day was sunny and pleasant, providing a whole different atmosphere. The deep blue sky and glistening sea gave me some pleasant views. Please check out the photo gallery below.
There are alternate routes around the islands. On my return trip I traveled along the south side of Ikuchi Island and a slightly different route on Innoshima Island. I really enjoyed seeing the beautiful lemon and mikan orchards on Ikuchi. The Shimanami Kaido is not a course that you want to ride through quickly; it’s the kind of place that you want take time to explore. There are lots of alternative routes through the islands as well as some ferries to other smaller islands.
A highlight for me was climbing up to the Kurosan Observatory on my return trip. It’s located on top of a 300m hill about 4 km off the main road on the south end of Ohshima Island. It’s a fairly rigorous climb with short sections having double-digit grades. It’s well worth it though. The observation platform gives you a superb view of Kurushima Bridge.
This ride is among the best that I’ve taken and I’m so happy to have had the chance to do it. If you are interested, here is a link to a CNN story featuring the Shimanami Kaido. https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/hiroshima-shimanami-kaido-cycling/index.html
The Shimanami Kaido Photo Gallery
