Shimanami Kaido is an epic cycling route that connects Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture to Imabari City in Ehime. You can start the 70+ km journey from either end but I started from Onomichi with friends. We decided to do the journey in 2 days seeing that none of us were fit or experienced cyclists.
Tale of two days
It was really a tale of two days with the first day being bright sunny and relatively manageable with the 2nd day being a rainy hilly nightmare. I did a very poor job recording footage and taking pictures, especially on the second day as I needed every fibre of my being to focus on pedalling. In the end, it was worth it and I highly recommend it in good weather. You can take your time and see the sights or start early and complete it in one day.
Shimanami Kaido box checked
Maybe someday I will return better prepared and attempt it from the Ehime side. I honestly had a memorable experience cycling the Shimanami Kaido and it is right up there close to my Mount Fuji hike in terms of the great feeling of achievement when I finished.
I wonder what the next adventure will be – subscribe to my Youtube channel and follow me on Twitter @Jamaipanese. Thank you for your support!
