Cycling The Setouchi

This morning begins with a short walk from the hotel to Shin Osaka Station, an easy start to the day with Linc and Kuni on hand to guide the group. Here you board the Kodama Shinkansen, known for its smooth, quiet ride and generous legroom. The journey takes just under two hours and offers a first look at Japan’s passing landscapes as the train moves from the bustle of Osaka into quieter coastal regions.

You’ll arrive at Shin Onomichi Station and take a brief transfer into Onomichi town. Your hotel sits in a central, walkable area close to the waterfront and the town’s well known shopping lane. Onomichi has a nostalgic, small town feel with narrow alleys, family run shops and an easy pace that contrasts nicely with the energy of Osaka. It’s a pleasant place to settle in and stretch your legs after the train journey.

Lunch is at a local ramen shop. Onomichi is known for its own style of ramen and several restaurants compete for the title of best broth in town. It’s an informal meal and a good way to get a taste of the region’s food culture. In the afternoon you’ll visit a nearby temple before enjoying free time to explore the waterfront, wander the quiet back streets or unwind at the hotel.

Dinner is at a small izakaya, a classic Japanese pub style restaurant. These places often run for decades, usually led by a husband and wife team with menus written only in Japanese. With Kuni’s help the language barrier disappears, giving you a relaxed introduction to shared plates and regional dishes. Overnight in Onomichi.

🥘 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🛏️ Royal Onomichi

Royal Onomichi is a welcoming base in the centre of town, positioned within easy reach of the waterfront promenade and the local shopping street. Rooms are comfortable and well maintained, many with broad views across the harbour and hillside houses. The hotel blends modern facilities with a sense of regional character, offering a pleasant breakfast room, a calm lobby lounge and convenient access to cafés, bakeries and small independent shops.

After breakfast at the hotel, we’ll check out and load your bags into the mini van, which travels ahead to tonight’s accommodation. It’s a short walk to the Giant store where we collect our hire bikes. Linc and Kuni allow plenty of time here to adjust seats, test gears and make sure everyone is set up comfortably. Once ready, you roll straight out of Onomichi and begin the first ride of the tour.

The route starts by following the mainland coast before turning inland through a mix of semi rural and forested landscapes. Expect quiet backroads, small towns and stretches of countryside dotted with rice farms. It’s an easy introduction to cycling in the Setouchi region and a good chance to settle into the pace of the tour. Your destination is the port town of Takehara, a compact coastal hub with a long maritime history.

From Takehara, we then board a short 30 minute ferry to Osakikamijima, the island that will be our base for the next four nights. Unlike many of the larger islands in the Seto Inland Sea, Osakikamijima has no bridge connection, which keeps it quieter and more traditional. The island is shaped by citrus farming, especially yuzu, and you’ll see terraced groves climbing the hills and small processing sheds along the roadside. Life moves at a slower pace here. Fishing boats still line the harbours, old wooden houses sit close to the water and local shops continue long standing family trades. It’s a gentle, lived in place that offers an authentic look at coastal Japan away from the main tourism routes.

Once we reach Tarumi Port, there’s a final 15 kilometre ride across the island to Osaki, where our accommodation is located. Our arrival is planned for mid afternoon at Kato Ryokan, a simple, traditional inn with tatami rooms and shared facilities. It’s comfortable, authentic and well positioned for the next day’s cycling. Those wanting an extra challenge can add a climb to Mt Kannomineyama, a steady five kilometre ascent averaging eight percent, with broad views across the Seto Sea. After settling in, we’ll visit a nearby onsen on a bluff overlooking the islands, one of the real highlights of the region. The group returns to Osaki afterwards for dinner.

🥘 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🛏️ Kato Ryokan
🚲 Approximately 40km, with an optional additional climb to Mt Kannomineyama

Kato Ryokan Osaki offers a genuine small town Japanese experience. Rooms are tatami style with futon bedding, creating a simple and peaceful atmosphere after a day of riding. Facilities are shared, as is typical for this style of accommodation, and the hosts are known for their warm, down to earth hospitality. The ryokan sits in the centre of Osaki, making it easy to reach the onsen, local shops and an ideal base for exploring Osakikamijima’s quiet roads, citrus groves and small coastal communities.

After breakfast you set out for your first day of island riding. Today’s route follows the Tobishima Kaido, a quieter counterpart to the well known Shimanami Kaido and a section that many cyclists overlook. The day begins with a short ride to the nearby ferry port and a quick crossing to Osakishimajima. From here you start a mostly coastal ride across a chain of islands linked by small bridges, each with its own mix of fishing hamlets, family farms and quiet bays.

The roads are peaceful and scenic, offering steady riding with the occasional short hill or bridge approach. The last bridge of the outbound route is Akinada Bridge, your first taste of the region’s larger engineering structures. From its high span you can see across to Kure, your turnaround point. The approach into Kure includes some light urban cycling with well marked bike lanes and good visibility. It’s a refreshing contrast to the rural sections and adds variety to the day’s rhythm.

Lunch is planned in Kure, though timings may mean you begin the return ride before stopping to eat. Linc and Kuni will read the conditions on the day. Before heading back to the ferry there’s an optional stop at a small local brewery, subject to opening hours. This part of the Seto region is known for its microbreweries, many of which use local produce such as yuzu or tomatoes to create distinctive seasonal ales. It’s a low key way to sample the flavours of the islands.

The day finishes with a ferry ride back to Akashi Port and a short ride into Osaki. An evening visit to the onsen is again available and highly recommended, especially after a longer day in the saddle. Dinner is in Osaki town and usually features relaxed, home style dishes prepared with local ingredients.

🥘 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🛏️ Kato Ryokan
🚲 Approximately 70km

Kato Ryokan Osaki offers a genuine small town Japanese experience. Rooms are tatami style with futon bedding, creating a simple and peaceful atmosphere after a day of riding. Facilities are shared, as is typical for this style of accommodation, and the hosts are known for their warm, down to earth hospitality. The ryokan sits in the centre of Osaki, making it easy to reach the onsen, local shops and an ideal base for exploring Osakikamijima’s quiet roads, citrus groves and small coastal communities.

After breakfast, we start with an easy ten kilometre ride across the centre of Osakikamijima to Kinoe Port, the island’s main link to the wider Shimanami network. The morning roads are quiet and tree lined, passing small farms and citrus groves before descending towards the harbour. From Kinoe, it’s a short 15 minute ferry ride to Omishima, the central island of the region and one of the more culturally rich stops on the tour.

Omishima feels a little more developed than Osakikamijima, with cafés, galleries, small museums and family run workshops spread around the island. Today is built around exploring rather than riding from point to point. Linc and Kuni will shape the stops depending on the group’s interests and timing. Expect a mix of short rides, scenic detours and visits to local makers. A set lunch is included, showcasing regional produce and the seafood the area is known for.

In the afternoon, the route continues east towards Hakatajima, a compact island linked to Omishima by bridge. Your destination is the small harbour town of Kinoura, an understated community with fishing boats, narrow lanes and a slower rhythm. It’s an inviting and peaceful place to spend a couple of nights, with plenty of short walks and small local eateries nearby.

Your accommodation for the next two nights is Salt House, a restored wooden townhouse with tatami rooms and warm common areas. Bathrooms are shared in the traditional Japanese style, divided between men and women. The atmosphere is welcoming and homely, making it a great base for exploring Hakatajima’s quiet corners. Dinner is in Kinoura town, usually at a local restaurant serving regional dishes and simple home style cooking.

🥘 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🛏️ Salt House
🚲 Approximately 50km, with optional hill climbs available

Salt House Kinoura blends traditional craftsmanship with a comfortable, lived in feel. The building has been carefully restored, keeping its timber structure, sliding doors and tatami floors. Shared spaces include a light filled lounge and a small kitchen area, giving it the feel of a relaxed family home. Its position near the harbour allows you to step out to the waterfront in moments, and the quiet residential streets around it offer a calm setting after a day of sightseeing and riding.

After breakfast, we leave Kinoura and begin a full day of riding through the far eastern islands of the Setouchi. This remote cluster, known as Kamijima-cho, is one of the quietest parts of the region. The islands are lightly populated, the roads are almost empty and the scenery shifts between small fishing ports, forested slopes and broad sea views. It’s a peaceful corner of the archipelago and a rewarding place to explore by bike.

From Kinoura, we take a ferry to Iwagijima, one of the westernmost islands in Kamijima-cho and almost entirely rural. Once we dock, we begin riding along coastal roads before crossing a series of bridges that link the nearby islands. The terrain is rolling and varied, with sheltered bays, old harbour settlements and stretches of open water that appear and disappear around each bend.

We continue towards Yuge, the most established island in Kamijima-cho, though still relaxed and unhurried. If the group has the legs for it, we may ride a full loop of the island. The eastern point of Yuge is one of the scenic highlights of the day, with an outlook that extends far across the open sea. Lunch is taken en route, giving us a chance to pause and enjoy the slower rhythm of these small communities.

In the afternoon, we make our way back towards Hakata-jima using a slightly different route, taking advantage of the quiet backroads and lesser known bridge crossings. It’s a satisfying day of riding, covering a good distance while still leaving space for stops, photographs and moments where the scenery slows us down. Dinner is back in Kinoura and very well earned after the day’s effort.

🥘 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🛏️ Salt House
🚲 Approximately 70km

Salt House Kinoura blends traditional craftsmanship with a comfortable, lived in feel. The building has been carefully restored, keeping its timber structure, sliding doors and tatami floors. Shared spaces include a light filled lounge and a small kitchen area, giving it the feel of a relaxed family home. Its position near the harbour allows you to step out to the waterfront in moments, and the quiet residential streets around it offer a calm setting after a day of sightseeing and riding.

After breakfast our final day of cycling begins, and it’s a fitting finale: the complete Shimanami Main Route.

We start with an hour long ferry ride to Imabari, the main port city of northern Shikoku. From the terminal, we rejoin the familiar blue line that marks the Shimanami Kaido and its connected routes. Within the first ten kilometres, we leave the city behind and reach the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridges, one of the engineering highlights of the entire region. Completed in 1999, this chain of suspension bridges was the longest of its kind at the time, and cyclists have their own dedicated lane all the way across.

This opening section sets the tone for the day. The route unfolds across island after island, with sweeping sea views, gentle climbs to bridge approaches and long, relaxed descents back to the coast. Each island has its own character, from citrus groves and fishing coves to small settlements and stretches of quiet farmland. There are plenty of convenience stores and small local shops along the way, ideal for snacks, drinks and a casual break. Lunch is taken en route and usually features fresh local ingredients.

As we travel north towards Onomichi, the landscape becomes gradually more populated, though the cycling remains comfortable with clear bike lanes and space on the road. It’s enjoyable riding through everyday life again after several days of quieter islands. We roll back into Onomichi by mid afternoon and return our bikes before following tradition and walking to the Setouchi produce store for a well earned yuzu juice, microbrew, ice cream or a Setouchi lemon cake.

Our hotel, Royal Onomichi, is a short walk away and our luggage will already be waiting. After showers and a short rest we gather for one final izakaya dinner, a relaxed way to celebrate the week’s riding and the shared effort that brought us back to where the journey began.

🥘 Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
🛏️ Royal Onomichi
🚲 Approximately 80km

Royal Onomichi is a welcoming base in the centre of town, positioned within easy reach of the waterfront promenade and the local shopping street. Rooms are comfortable and well maintained, many with broad views across the harbour and hillside houses. The hotel blends modern facilities with a sense of regional character, offering a pleasant breakfast room, a calm lobby lounge and convenient access to cafés, bakeries and small independent shops.

After breakfast at the hotel we gather for a short transfer to the station, where we board trains to our onward destinations. Hiroshima is just a short ride away, while Kyoto, Osaka and Tokyo are all within easy reach thanks to the speed and reliability of the Shinkansen network. It’s an easy and well connected departure point, giving everyone flexibility depending on their post tour plans.

As the train pulls away from Onomichi it’s time to say a final farewell to the Setouchi Sea. After a week of islands, ferries, quiet roads and long days on the bike, this part of Japan tends to leave a lasting impression. Most travellers promise themselves a return visit - we’ve done the same every time we leave.

🥘 Breakfast