SHIMANAMI

SELF-GUIDED CYCLING TOUR

SHIMANAMI

SELF-GUIDED CYCLING TOUR

Season

March-December
Best time: April-June, October-November

Duration

7days
*Friday start suggested for best stop availability, but flexible.

Price

$6,500CAD
$4,500CAD: comfort accommodations including ryokans

+$500CAD for E-bike
+$350CAD for Hybrid
+$750CAD for Road bike

(Canadian dollars/per person)

Location

Start: Fukuyama Station

Finish: Matsuyama Tourist Port or Matsuyama Airport (please choose)

-All five-star quality accommodations
-6 breakfast x 5 dinners (6 breakfast x 3 dinners for comfort plan)
-Daily luggage transfer
-Our complimentary original jersey
-Tokyo self-guided walking tour (1–2.5 days)
-Turn by turn smartphone navigation map

Included

-Airfare
-Rental Bike
-All lunch
-Small fees not payable in advance
-SIM card (eSIM or physical)
-Bike security deposit ($500 CAD)
-Travel Insurance
-Gratuity

Not Included

Pre-trip:
-3 nights in Tokyo

Post-trip:
-1 night in Hiroshima (2 hrs), followed by Kyoto (2 hrs)
-Matsuyama Airport (45mins) to Osaka or Tokyo

Pre/Post Ideas

Highlights

Cycle across six islands and seven bridges
Ride breathtaking coastal roads, with a short ferry crossing
Stay in Japan’s oldest onsen village
Explore a traditional Japanese garden and tea house
Learn about Japan's traditional post-and-beam architecture
Ride past local citrus farms
Explorer the craft of Japanese pottery making
Enjoy a refined mix of Japanese and French course meals
Stay in ryokan, most with open-air onsen, some with private ones

The itinerary blends cycling with cultural immersion along Japan’s most celebrated cycling route, the Shimanami Kaido. Spanning six islands across the Seto Inland Sea, this island-hopping route has been hailed by BBC Travel (2023) as one of the world’s most breathtaking bike journeys.

In 1999, the Shimanami Kaido was opened as a toll road providing access to/from Shikoku. Before this time, the islanders of the Setouchi used ferries for their daily commute. Anticipating the closure of many ferry services with its opening, the islanders made the construction of daily commute roads on the bridges a condition for its development. This marked the beginning of the Shimanami Cycling Road.

Our Shimanami route diverges significantly from the main cycling route, following completely original and quiet back roads. The route exploring Shikoku's heritage sites is one of our top three favorite routes.

We have carefully selected traditional Japanese inns known as "Ryokan" along the route. A Ryokan offers more than just a place to rest; it provides an opportunity to immerse yourself in the traditional Japanese lifestyle and hospitality. Features include outdoor hot springs known as "onsen" and local cuisine.

This is a truly exceptional cycling expedition that places a primary emphasis on the quality of the route for cyclists while also highlighting culture, onsen, and culinary.

Itinerary

11km (7mi)
+185m/-185m (+607ft/-607ft)
—Fukuyama— Once a hub for maritime trade and communication, this coastal area was a key stop between Kyushu and Kyoto, linked by the sheltered waters of the Seto Inland Sea. A short ride helps you settle into your bike and introduces Japan’s road system. Learn about traditional Japanese post-and-beam framework architecture and explore the lingering presence of history from the Muromachi Era (1336–1573). Stay in a ryokan with ocean views for the next two nights.
45km (28mi)
+775m/-756m (+2,543ft/-2,480ft)
—FUKUYAMA— Begin your day with panoramic views of the Seto Inland Sea. Stroll through a serene Japanese garden, where subtle design and seasonal beauty invite quiet reflection. Continue your journey with an island ride along quiet coastal roads, where small fishing boats glide across the water and the rhythms of daily catch lend a living presence to the seascape.

Extended Option +16km (10mi) +181m/-178m (+594ft/-584ft)
62km (39mi)
+803m/-800m (+2,634ft/-2,625ft)
—Shimanami Kaido— Beginning in the early 20th century, the Shimanami coast—especially around Innoshima and Imabari—grew into a hub of Japan’s shipbuilding industry. Watching massive vessels take shape here remains an impressive sight. Cross the water with your bike on an iconic short ferry, a timeless link in the region's maritime life. Ride across the bridges that characterize the Shimanami route, before arriving at a quiet island town where citrus groves thrive under the soft island sun. Spend two restful nights at the same ryokan, immersed in the gentle rhythm of island life.
52km (33mi)
+541m/-542m (+1,775ft/-1,778ft)
—Omishima— Probably the most rewarding island loop along the Shimanami Kaido. Start the morning with a citrus farm route. As cyclists, we know that steady climbs and smooth downhills are what create truly dynamic coastal rides. The reward is in the views that quietly unfold as you descend. Visit one of our favorite shrines along the route—a sacred place once revered by sailors seeking safe passage through island waters. Ride at sea level, with the water close beside you, before returning to last night’s ryokan.

Extended Option +14km (8mi) +188m/-192m (+617ft/-630ft)
45km (28mi)
+520m/-482m (+1,706ft/-1,581ft)
—Shimanami Kaido— The final highlight of the Shimanami Kaido is the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge—spanning over 4 km and soaring 65 meters above the sea, it offers a breathtaking finale to the route. You reach it at day's end, riding westward into the light of the setting sun. Before this, the path winds through islands within the Setonaikai National Park. With this crossing, you have officially completed the Shimanami Kaido and arrived in Shikoku. Your journey continues with a two-night stay in a hot spring town renowned for its over 1,000-year history, imperial visits, and literary mentions—a place where time slows and the steam carries echoes of the past.
44km (27mi)
+295m/-292m (+968ft/-958ft)
—Matsuyama— Begin the day with a walk through Matsuyama Castle, built in the early 1600s. Of the more than 200 castles that once stood across Japan, this is one of only twelve that still preserves its original wooden tenshukaku—a rare survivor of war, fire, and time. Perched atop a hill, the castle reveals a network of clever defenses—maze-like approaches designed to slow and expose intruders. From here, cycle through the quieter side of Matsuyama. Along the way, learn about a centuries-old style of local pottery—a craft shaped by regional earth and generations of artisans.

Extended Option +22km (14mi) +125m/-125m (+410ft/-410ft)
This is the final day of your journey. You may choose to finish at either Matsuyama Tourist Port or Matsuyama Airport, depending on your onward plans. From Matsuyama Tourist Port, a high-speed ferry offers easy access to Hiroshima in approximately 70 minutes, with an additional 20-minute transfer into the center of Hiroshima.