Part 2 of Western Japan Tour
In this guide, I’ll share my detailed Shikoku, Shimanami Kaido and Tobishima Kaido bike touring itinerary — with maps, GPX downloads, what to expect, and route notes for each day.
This is the second part of my Western Japan bike tour in late May – starting with 6 days 500km through Kyushu before continuing onto Western Shikoku. Read the first Kyushu part here.
Shikoku is easily my favourite island on the tour – with an amazing contrast of easy coastal and river valley riding through to challenging but absolutely stunning routes through Shikoku’s mountains.
Shimanami Kaido and the lesser-known Tobishima Kaido offer some stunning, mostly flat and very bike-friendly island hopping between the islands of Shikoku and Honshu. I end the tour in the historic city of Hiroshima.
If you’re after an easy route in Western Japan, I recommend the island hopping parts – or perhaps a loop of Shikoku sticking to its coast. But if you’re after a memorable mix of sea and mountains, towns, islands, castles and remote nature – you’re in the right place! Read on for what to expect on this wonderful island hopping journey.
Tour Highlights:
- UFO Line – the breathtaking “road in the sky” along mountain ridges
- Shikoku’s scenic coastal riding
- River valley gorges
- Historic towns of Ozu & Uchiko
- Shimanami Kaido and its state-of-the-art cycling infrastructure
- Quieter Tobishima Kaido island hopping route
- Stunning views of Japan’s Seto Inland Sea
- The city of Hiroshima (finish point)
Shikoku, Shimanami & Tobishima Kaido Cycling Map
Total Distance: ~530km
Total Elevation: ~ 6,000m
Day 7: Yawatahama to Uchiko
Entering Deep Japan
Distance: 105km
Elevation: ~880m
The previous day, I arrived on the 3-hour ferry from Beppu (Kyushu) so the unassuming town of Yawatahama is my first impression of Shikoku.
Having spent time traversing some of the popular tourist areas of Kyushu like its thermal spa towns and the cities of Kumamoto and Nagasaki – Yawatahama feels like different, deeper Japan. Everything here seems to revolve around fishing, and just feels a lot more raw – from my 70’s-interior hotel to the animated izakaya owner smoking indoors as he serves food. Love it.
By the time I’m setting off on the Saturday morning, Yawatahama feels still deep asleep. Only the rare grandma painstakingly pruning their little mini front gardens remind me that the place isn’t in fact abandoned.
I trace Shikoku’s western coast along its many bays, peninsulas and sleepy fishing villages – each seemingly quieter than the last. As luck would have it, the coastal road is just as quiet – and being mostly flat it makes for probably the most relaxing day of the Japan bike tour so far. This really is deep Japan – old wooden houses, rusty fisherman’s houses, narrow streets leading deeper into the villages hugged by Shikoku’s steep hills. I pass a few gorgeous sandy beaches and an island resembling a cartoon whale.
After reaching a small fishing town of Mikame at ~60km, I part with the sea as the picturesque road climbs 260m up to Nofuku Pass. There’s a lengthy tunnel at the top, before eventually descending to Hijikawa Valley (Tip: definitely have your bike lights ready – there are plenty of tunnels on Shikoku – some better-lit than others).
The section of road 56 from around Seiyo to Ozu is more busy with some fast traffic – so I recommend meandering along it on parallel roads for a more relaxing route.
A hilltop castle grows in the distance as I near Ozu. It’s a charming town on the Hijikawa river, sometimes referred to as the Little Kyoto of the Iyo region thanks to all the well-preserved ancient architecture. Ozu Castle offers lovely views of the surrounding valley and is free – if you’re up for the short but sharp climb up to it.
Another 12km or so I reach today’s equally charming destination – Uchiko. Once upon a time, Uchiko was one of Japan’s most prosperous towns thanks to its wax industry. That era may be long gone, but the legacy remains – like its beautiful Kabuki Theater and grandiose merchant houses.
Best of all, tonight’s accommodation is a cycling paradise. The newly-refurbished Ted’s Guest House is both a hotel (with a bar downstairs) and a cycling activity center – making it easily the most bike-friendly place I stayed on the tour. Even with details like room names being named after tour stages. If you’re passing through – I thoroughly recommend it – and Ted is super friendly and helpful too.
Day 8: Uchiko up to Mount Kamegamori Pass
Up into Shikoku’s Mountains
Distance: 92km
Elevation: ~1,800m
After a relatively easy day, today promises the opposite. An exciting but strenuous set of climbs into Shikoku’s beautiful mountains – finishing at the top of the island’s highest mountain pass.
The first 30km out of Uchiko is a pleasant cruise up the Oda River Valley – a barely noticeable gradient passing through farmland and the occasional lifeless village along road 379.
As the road turns north, the gradient picks up and the much quieter road twists up through a pine forest. An apt warm up for what’s to come later in the day!
The route evens as I follow another valley, stopping at an occasional shrine – Shikoku is famed for its vast number of shrines. Just before the Kuma and Omuga rivers meet at Mikawa, there is a delightful and scenic lunch stop serving cyclist-friendly portions. Their mapo tofu is so hearty!
Glad I fuelled up. An hour or so later, the imposing Mt. Ishizuchi Shrine Gate marks the departure from the river valley and the start of today’s big climb. There’s a sign at the entrance warning that the road is closed on particularly wet days and after certain hours – so plan accordingly!
Tip: If you’re doing this route or Shikoku’s mountains in general, stack up on drinks and snacks. Much of the area is pretty remote and there is only the rare drink vending machine, with hardly a convenience store or restaurant in sight.
It’s a sweaty, winding climb of around 900m, but rarely very steep. I burn away the day’s lunch and onigiri, making my way past streams and little waterfalls as the valley below grows small.
Towards the top the mountain views really start to open up and I catch the first glimpse of Shikoku’s most famous peak, and the tallest in Western Japan – Mt. Ishizuchi.
At the top of Ishizuchi Pass, you can catch your breath next to a couple of souvenir shops and a shrine. It’s so beautifully serene up here. Far below, a blanket of clouds tries its best to wrap around Shikoku’s mountains. Having cooled off from the climb, I begin to notice the sharp temperature drop (14° from 27°!) and decide to move on.
I end the epic day’s cycling with a small descent down to Sanso Shirasa Lodge. It’s the priciest accommodation on my tour but I have zero regrets. The views from Shirasa opened up to one of the most stunning sunsets I’ve ever seen – over Shikoku’s famous Mt. Ishizuchi. And the only sounds up here are of the forest bird songs.
There aren’t many lodges up here, so if you’re planning on going I strongly recommend booking your stay in advance. Otherwise it’s a looooong descent back down to the nearest civilisation…
Day 9: UFO Line & Shikoku’s Mountains
The beautiful road in the sky
Distance: 85km
Elevation: ~710m
If there was any doubt that Shikoku is cycling heaven, today’s ride absolutely confirms it. Beyond the coast, you’re pretty much at one with nature – and it’s ridiculously beautiful.
The day’s riding is a modest 700m total elevation gain – but most of that is right at the start, as I quickly burn off the breakfast with a climb up to 1,680m above sea.
Today I set off on Shikoku’s highest road – the Ishizuchi Skyline UFO Line, so called due to all the apparent alien sightings in the area. I fail to spot signs of extraterrestrial life – but then again I’m too busy gawking at the panoramas all around. The UFO Line is a narrow, paved and absolutely spectacular loop that runs along the top of Shikoku’s mountain rims. Words won’t do these views justice – and neither will my camera pictures. Chains of mountains stretching as far as the horizon, forests and valleys far down below. It’s proving difficult not to stop every minute or so.
This has got to be one of the most stunning paved road rides in the world – and yet there’s hardly a cyclist up here – mostly just hikers and groups of Japanese bikers.
And then commences the 35km-long descent. The type that really manages to stretch out the fun, never going too steep. Once I join the Tani River as it gently meanders to the Seto Inland Sea, I’m really flying – keeping up with the occasional car. I pray no insect decides to fly into my face or helmet gaps right now. At times, the scenery resembles inner Balkan river gorges, at others it really does feel more subtropical.
As I approach the coast, I choose to veer off on a quiet road looping Lake Kurose – carving through farms before reaching the man-made lake. Civilisation truly returns on the coast near Saijo – a real contrast to the mountainous scenery just a couple hours ago. Rice paddies, onion, barley and citrus are only some of the crops I pass on the way to today’s destination. Looking over my shoulder, Shikoku’s dramatic peaks from this morning now seem so distant in the afternoon haze.
The rest of the way is a relaxing and mostly pleasant spin through a mix of farm and coastal roads, avoiding the busy main artery route to Imabari as much as possible. On a coastal pine forest trail, I manage to narrowly avoid running over another snake – they just seem to love chilling on the tarmac.
Imabari is today’s end point. As cities go, it’s fairly unremarkable by Japanese standards, save for a lake-surrounded castle and a pleasant harbour with the view of Seto Island Sea and its many islands. It’s only really known as the start/finish point of Japan’s most famous cycling route – the Shimanami Kaido – so there are hotels aplenty.
Day 10: Shimanami Kaido – Extended Route
An epic island hopping day
Distance: 137km
Elevation: ~870m
I’ve saved Japan’s most famous cycling route for the penultimate stage of the tour. From now on, it’s mostly flat, easy riding all the way to Hiroshima.
Shimanami Kaido is a dedicated 70km route spanning 6 islands linked by spectacular suspension bridges, with Shikoku’s Imabari and Honshu Island’s Onomichi being the official start and end points.
I’m sure there are more than enough resources on the official 70km route, but given it’s easy riding I decided to double the distance by exploring more of the different islands.
The first climb out of Imabari is the “biggest” climb of the day – a gentle 80m incline up to Shimanami Kaido’s longest and most impressive bridge – the Kurushima Kaikyo Suspension Bridge. The views to the islands down below are splendid, but what’s even more impressive is the level of thoughtful bike-friendly engineering that went into Shimanami Kaido. The bike-dedicated circular ramps that cyclists take up and down the bridges are epic and fun, making sure to keep the gradient soft.
Reaching the island of Oshima, I decide to take an alternative route along the island’s western coast. Despite the detour from the main route, the coastal road is meticulously marked with a blue cyclist line throughout. It’s a very quiet road through a mix of fishing villages and shipyards interspersed with citrus plantations – and although there are plenty of houses, there just seems no one around – besides a few passing cyclists. Where did everyone go?
I explore the equally quiet Hakatajima and Omishima Islands before taking a lunch stop on Omishima. There is a nice Cyclist Sanctuary south of Tatara Bridge – with a nice view of the bridge and some very refreshing local citrus juices. It’s weird to see so many other cyclists here – after 9 days of barely passing one or two tourers all day.
Innoshima Island proves my favourite island, with the best and most varied coastal views of Inland Seto Sea islands, some giant shipyards and even a few sharp hills for a change of pace. After crossing Innoshima Bridge, I turn back around, deciding not to cycle the last official bit to Onomichi. The reason – I need to get to Hiroshima tomorrow, and much prefer to do this via another set of islands than through the busier Honshu Island – so I choose to stay on Omishima Island to catch the ferry the next day.
Heading west along the northern shore of Ikuchi, I come by an excellent gelato shop called Dolce Ice Cream just before closing time. I recommend the citrus flavour! I cross back onto the sleepy Omishima, and find a hostel room (all to myself!) in the fishing village of Miyaura. Pretty sure I’m the only tourist in the entire village. Tonight all restaurants are closed so it’s the first time on the trip I source my dinner in a local konbini (convenience store).
Tip: 137km is a hefty distance to cover in a day (although it helps that it’s mostly flat) – and if you have more time it’s a perfect opportunity to take it more slowly and spend another day on one of the islands – there is plenty of bike-friendly accommodation and minshukus along the way.
Day 11: Tobishima Kaido to Hiroshima
Ferries and more island hopping to Honshu
Distance: 109km
Elevation: ~600m
It’s the final, and flattest leg of the tour! I kick off the day with a short hop to Munakami on Omishima’s southwestern tip, where a local ferry takes me on a scenic 20-min trip across to Okamura Island. Keep in mind the ferries aren’t so frequent (timetables here) so plan ahead.
Okamura is the official start (or end) of Tobishima Kaido – the other, less touristy and equally epic hidden gem alternative island hopping route. As another option to start this route – you can get also reach Okamura on one of the more frequent ferries from Imabari.
Unlike Shimanami Kaido, Tobishima Kaido shares the road used by cars – but the roads here are so quiet it’s just as pleasant as dedicated bike paths. The route links 7 islands all the way to the “mainland” – Honshu – and feels even more relaxed than Shimanami Kaido.
Along Okamura’s perfectly smooth and flat southern coastal road, the view ahead opens up to three arch bridges connecting Okamura to Osaki-Shimozima Island via 2 more islets. There’s some very fun riding ahead as I cross onto the bigger Osaki-Shimozima and turn left for a little detour to the historic port town (and a little hidden gem!) of Mitarai.
It’s as quiet as all the other islands in the past two days, but with a especially pretty Edo-era architecture along its narrow stone-paved alleys, and a picturesque harbour with a cool Japanese lighthouse and a shrine. The town was once an important port on the Seto Inland Sea trading route – and it shows.
There is something more intimate about the Tobishima Kaido route – maybe because it’s less set up for tourism in the way Shimanami Kaido has. Most of the bridges aren’t as grandiose or impressive as the ones on its more famous sister route, but to me the coastal scenery is somehow even more pleasing to the eye.
I cross over to Toyoshima and find a place run by a very friendly lady which specialises in Japanese pizza. A white pizza similar to the Alsatian flammenkueche – with a topping of seaweed It’s a great lunch spot from which you can watch the fishermen and the mostly elderly locals go about their busy and not-so-busy days. The place is called Shima Caffee Kitatani.
At the other end of the island, I stop on the Toyoshima Ohashi Bridge and spend far too long watching the angry and mesmerising whirlpools below.
Right before the bridge connecting Kami-Kamagari and the final Shimo-Kamagari islands, there is a nice citrus-themed rest stop – a good spot to fill up on some local souvenirs and delicacies. And Hiroshima Cola.
The final bridge – crossing onto Honshu itself – is my favourite and also the longest. The sky blue Akinada Bridge stands out against the cloudy backdrop today – I imagine on the clearer days it must camouflage quite well into the sky.
Soon as I cross onto Honshu, I’m forced to briefly join an unpleasantly busy coastal road to Kure – with no hard shoulders most of the way. I exit the road soon as I can and aim for local streets. It’s no wonder I wanted to minimise Honshu coast cycling – those roads tend not to be very bike-friendly, often with fast-moving lorries to add to the fun.
I fast-forward through the busy and fairly uninteresting city of Kure and decide to escape mainland and its traffic for a little longer – by routing through 2 more islands: Kurahashi-Jima and Etajima. These are no longer on any official cycling route, but the traffic is still very light and they are hardly less pleasant.
Although after all that island hopping, I can’t help but feel that by now, a lot of these islands are starting to merge into one – a rotation of coastal roads, fishing harbours, villages and some shipyards. At this point in the day I just want to get to Hiroshima and fly my way through Etajima all the way north, before hopping on my final ferry. There’s no better beer than a cold one while sat on a ferry after a long day of riding, watching Hiroshima grow in the distance.
Off the ferry, there’s another 7-8km or so of mixed roads to the city center – and no landmark in Hiroshima is more apt for the final point than Hiroshima’s symbolic Atomic Bomb Dome.
The Tour of Western Japan has concluded! I make the most of Hiroshima’s vibrant food, landmarks and shopping scene before packing the bike up into a rinko bag for a next-day shinkansen back to where it all started – Fukuoka.
I hope you’ve found this Shikoku, Shimanami Kaido and Tobishima Kaido cycling itinerary helpful for your bike tour planning and if you have any questions – don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below.
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