Photo to addThe Shimanami Kaido cycle path running out across the islands
Shimanami Kaido
Days 13 to 14, 1 night, unusual detour
Two days on a bike across six islands, between Honshu and Shikoku
This is the part of the trip people file under "next time". Do it now.
Day 13
Onomichi, then out onto the islands
Early train to Onomichi. Rent bikes there and start riding.
The Shimanami Kaido is a cycle route across a chain of islands between Honshu and Shikoku, and the whole thing is built for bikes. There is a road, but there is a dedicated cycle path running alongside it the entire way. Same for the bridges: either there is a separated section for bikes, or there is a second deck underneath the traffic just for cyclists. You are never fighting cars.
If the weather is with you, this is the day you will still be talking about in a year.
We stopped in the early afternoon at Setoda rather than pushing on. There is more to do there than you expect: a small museum, little shrines, and enough to fill an afternoon off the bike.
We stayed at Bonapool, which was seriously stylish, and went to the onsen at X Spa.To confirmis "X Spa" the real name of the place, or a placeholder you meant to fill in?
For dinner, grab an okonomiyaki.
Everything here is lemons
The islands grow lemons and they have built a whole food scene on it. Juice bars, ice cream places, all lemon, all specialized. They close pretty early, so plan to get there in good time.
Stop at one. Then stop at another one. It is the single most local thing you will eat on this trip and it costs nothing.
Photo to addThe dedicated cycle path running alongside the road
Photo to addThe lower deck of a bridge, reserved for cyclists
Photo to addSetoda in the early afternoon, off the bike
Photo to addA lemon stand on the islands
Day 14
Imabari, then Kyoto
You still have a fair bit of riding on this second leg, so start early, especially if you want to stop along the way.
There is a very well documented website listing all the sights along the route, so you can pick the ones you like and draft your own journey.To confirmthe address of that website.
Finish the crossing to Imabari, then take the bus back to Onomichi and pick up the train to Kyoto from there.
What to do with your big bag for these five days
You are not riding a bike across six islands with a suitcase. You have three options and none of them is wrong:
Leave the bags in Osaka, come back through Osaka to collect them, then go on to Kyoto.
Take the bags to Kyoto first and leave them there before you head south. This is what we did.
Have them forwarded to your next hotel in Kyoto by luggage delivery.
Pick whichever fits your route. The only bad version is dragging them with you.
You will likely arrive in Kyoto around 5pm, so take the time to check in, then go for dinner at one of our recommendations.To confirmwhich recommendations? The Kyoto section does not name a dinner spot for this evening yet.
Where to sleep
We stayed here
Setoda Island, hostel, €30 per night
A must on the Shimanami Kaido, so aesthetic and cool, and only five minutes from an onsen.
Where we ate
Okonomiyaki in Setoda
Setoda
Okonomiyaki, after the ride
To confirmthe name of the place in Setoda where you ate okonomiyaki.
Lemon stands across the islands
Setoda and the islands
Lemon juice, lemon ice cream, anything lemon
All specialized, all cheap. Stop at one, then stop at another one.
Getting around
Hiroshima to Onomichi
Early train
Covered by To confirmwas this leg covered by the JR Kansai-Hiroshima Area Pass, or did you pay for it separately?
Onomichi to Setoda
Rental bike, on the dedicated cycle path the whole way
We stopped in the early afternoon
Setoda to Imabari
Rental bike, finishing the crossing
Imabari to Onomichi
Bus
Onomichi to Kyoto
Train