This is an automated archive made by the Lemmit Bot.
The original was posted on /r/japantravel by /u/nadoya on 2025-05-06 04:30:41+00:00.
Hi! I went to Onomichi this past friday during golden week, and I just found out about Shimanami Kaido a few days before my trip.
It was kind of a last minute plan, but i’m so glad i read some reviews of it on reddit, and decided to give it a try; it was definitely an experience I’ll remember.
I’m not a cyclist, the last time i rode a bike was probably 10 years ago. So i kind of jumped into this on a whim. If you are unsure about doing Shimanami Kaido or not, please at least try! You don’t have to finish the entire route (Onomichi > Imabari)— which is 70km— or the opposite, as they have stops along the route. It took me 8 hours total that day to finish my trip, with some stops along the way.
Some notes during my trip:
-
I started at Onomichi. Didn’t have a bike reservation, so i waited in line to get my bike by Onomichi Ferry bike rental from 11am to 12pm on Saturday. I was lucky to get one as there was high demand during golden week.
-
Get a battery assisted bike if you can. I got regular bike (3000yen/day) because it was the only available one left, but the 4000yen battery assisted one would be so much worth the upgrade.
-
That is because there are lots of elevations when going up to pass the bridges. I did a lot of cardio (running, hiking, at home workouts) but this is another level lol. Feel free to walk up your bike! Lots of people do this as well.
-
Get the local 名物 (specialty food). You will notice one island is famous for oranges, another lemon, etc. Imabari is famous for yakitori.
-
There are lots of vending machines along the way, stay hydrated!
-
Don’t worry to stop by a path that is a bit off track from the blue bike path. You will see interesting places and it’s worth to check out since you have come so far.
-
I stopped at the last stop, which is Imabari. You can drop it of by the JR Imabari station by 8pm.
-
If you would like to go back to Onomichi that day, the last bus (Fukuyama line) ends at 7.30. So make sure to plan your time accordingly.
-
In case you don’t, like I didn’t and missed the last bus, and all the hotels were fully booked, I recommend staying at a net cafe nearby (the one i went to is called Banbees). It’s a lot more affordable— about 1500-1700yen per night— and you can catch the early bus the next morning. because you can’t wait in the train station as it must be locked by 11.30pm, and reopens at 5am.
-
Also, please bring a bike pad or wear a padded shorts. This will save so much trouble afterwards.
Enjoy the enchanting views!