We got up early in the morning and walked our suitcases to the local branch of Yamato Transport Company. We had our bags shipped to Onomichi Guest House Anago-No-Nedoko in Onomichi. Since this was our lodging for the next day, we carried day-packs with enough clothes and toiletries to get us by for the night. The process at the shipping company was fairly simple, we completed a short form, paid the fee, and they took our bags. We headed back towards the station to pick up our rental bikes. The bike rental terminal was located under the raised train tracks just south of Imabari Station. The terminal consisted of a bunch of bikes surrounded by a chain link fence and the area kind of resembled a freeway underpass. The rental process was quite seamless. Two older gentlemen picked out some nice cross bikes for us, they helped adjust the seat height, and allowed us to go on a short test ride. Afterwards, we were given helmets & bike locks. We paid the fees and were set to go.
Note: Make sure that you are ready to start your trip before renting the bicycles. (I.E. Make sure you ship/arrange for the transportation of your luggage prior to renting the bicycle as it would be difficult to manage both a bicycle and luggage at the same time)
Before leaving the station area we stopped by the Lawson in front of Imabari Station’s East Exit. We picked up breakfast, some snacks, and several large bottles of Pocari Sweat (Japanese Version of Lemon Lime Gatorade). The entire path for the Shimanami Kaido was outlined by a blue line that was painted on the side of the road. The path conveniently started right in front of the Lawson.
The initial ride out of town was a little hectic because there were a decent amount of cars on the road. We opted to take the sidewalk which was open for a good stretch of the road leading out of Imabari. As we exited the city, we started a gradual climb that led to the first of six bridges across the Seto Inland Sea. The incline was quite modest and we took our time. As we started to cross the bridge itself, the sea breeze began to pick up and it got a little chilly.
Once across, we decided to stop by Roadside Station Yoshiumi Iki-Iki-Kan on Oshima Island. One popular thing to do at that roadside station was a special charcoal bbq. We were given trays and our choice of a la carte seafood, much of which was still alive. They had a good assortment of live shellfish in tanks, squid skewers, whole fish, assorted meats, and other non seafood items. We paid for each piece individually and then the cost of using the grill itself. The grills were set outside on a table under a canopy. An attendant noticed we were struggling in the cooking of our food, and gave us some helpful hints (like wrap the whole fish in foil to lock in the moisture & the proper cooking technique for steaming the shellfish). The food was really good and fresh.
This roadside station also had another small outdoor place to eat as well as a shop selling souvenirs and other local goods. We picked up some T-shirts and some locally produced specialty orange juice. The orange juice here was pretty crazy. They had over a dozen varieties with varying levels of sweetness and tartness. We got a middle of the road variety. I would describe the taste as very smooth, it doesn’t have that overbearing tart taste like orange juice in the US. After our refreshing break, we headed out to explore the rest of the island.
It was a short 20 minute ride along the coast to the Yoshiumi Rose Park. Unfortunately the roses were not in season, but we could imagine that they would have been beautiful in bloom. The park itself was quaint, it was a nice contrast to the large number of industrial shipping buildings in the area. Before heading out we stopped by a local shop and tried the local rose flavored soft serve ice cream (ローズソフトクリーム) and got some rose pudding. I would describe the taste as the smell of a rose petal translated into soft serve. The taste was pleasant and light, and it was one of those things where the more you had, the better it got.
We rode around a little more before making our way across another bridge to Hakata Island. Hakata Island is known for its salt. We heard from a local about a great ramen shop in town known for there Hakata Salt Ramen. We knew we had to go. The road coming off the bridge was all downhill and we knew that the road back would be rough. The shop was off the main road and had very distinct green upholstery. We all got the recommended Hakata Salt Ramen with a side of onigiri. The broth looked very watery since it was was so clear. We were pleasantly surprised to find the broth was very flavorful. It was salty as one might expect, but it wasn’t overpowering, it was subtly salty. The room temperature onigiri were a nice contrast to the hot soup of the ramen. The thin noodles absorbed the broth and the chashu slices were nice and tender. After the late lunch, we headed back up the hill and onto the next island.
We crossed over to our third island of the day Omishima. Unfortunately the sun was starting to set and we were only able to make one more stop before heading over to our lodging for the night at Sawaki Ryokan. We forgot to try the Hakata Salt Soft Serve on Hakata Island, so we took a quick break at a roadside kiosk on Omishima Island to try some. The soft serve was good, it was a nice balance between salty and sweet flavors. We enjoyed the views, then were off to get to our lodging before dark.
There was a tough hill going along Highway 21, but once we crested the peak it was smooth sailing. We got in just before sunset and were able to check in without any issues. Our room was very spacious and three futons with fresh sheets were set out for us. The ryokan had a very homey vibe and the service was very accommodating. We were informed by the ryokan staff that our stay included a complimentary trip to the local onsen, with transportation included. We dropped off our bags and enjoyed a refreshing bath. The highlight was an open air bath that overlooked the Seto Inland Sea.
After our bath, we returned back to the ryokan and got ready for dinner. There was a dinner option at the ryokan, however it was quite expensive. We took the 7 minute walk to a local seafood restaurant, and got a nice spread for a fraction of the cost. We chatted briefly with the owner who was quick to tell us about his love for Maroon 5. After dinner we headed back to the ryokan and called it a night.
The bike rental fee for two days came out to ¥3,000/person. That includes the two day rental fee and the deposit fee for not returning the bike to the same terminal it was originally rented from. The cross bikes we got were of good quality, but were well worn. The bikes were easy to petal and two sets of gears made bridges and hills bearable.
More to Come…
Budget: (Does not include food/souvenirs)
- Luggage transfer from Imabari to Onomichi ¥1,610/person
- Bicycle Rental Fee ¥1,500/person (¥3,000/person/2 days)
- Lodging at Sawaki Ryokan (Breakfast Only) ¥7,000/person/night
- Total: ¥8,350/person