日本夏2026年 - Day 16 Imabari to Hiroshima
Afterward, we rode to Barrel Coffee, a recommendation from a friend. The sky was gray and hazy—perfect for cycling, though not ideal for photos.
Our ride began along the Shimanami Kaido, Japan’s most famous cycling route, spanning the Seto Inland Sea between Shikoku and Honshu via a chain of islands and bridges. After a steep climb, we reached the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge. Completed in 1999, it was once the world’s longest suspension bridge complex, composed of three consecutive spans supported by six towers. Crossing it felt monumental.
There were more cyclists out than I’d seen on the entire trip—serious racers, families with children, foreign tourists, and plenty of e-bikes. The faster riders gave Ayano a steady challenge on the climbs.
On Hakata Island, we stopped at a michi no eki for exceptional orange juice, bowls of lemon ramen, and curry bread. I picked up a few small souvenirs as well.
Leaving the main Shimanami route on Omishima, we turned toward Munakata Port to catch a ferry. With a 2:30 departure, we had time to spare. The island’s coastline was quiet and beautiful, with almost no traffic. Offshore, hundreds of rugged islands stretched to the horizon.
As the noon bell echoed across the hills, we looped toward the port. From a climb, I could see the three spans of the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge fading into the distance.
Along the way, we passed an open garage where two French cyclists were relaxing with bottles of local orange juice. Inside was a small fridge, a money tray, a salvaged car seat, and a radio playing softly. Ayano chose a Seto no Madonna juice, and I picked a Kiyomi. With no prices listed, we looked it up and left 650 yen each in the tray.
At the ferry terminal, there was nothing—no food, no shops—just as Ayano had predicted. With two hours to wait, we set off for a short ride and stumbled upon the Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture. It consists of two striking buildings: the Steel Hut, a black, angular structure rising like a cubist fortress above the promontory, and the Silver Hut, a reconstruction of Ito’s former Tokyo residence—simple, prefabricated units with curved galvanized roofs. As an architecture enthusiast, I found both spaces fascinating to explore.
The 20-minute ferry brought us to Okamura Island, where we joined the Tobishima Kaido toward Kure—a route I had ridden two years earlier. We crossed the Okamura-Ohashi Bridge into Hiroshima Prefecture and continued over a series of rolling climbs and bridges linking the islands. At 4:20 PM, we crossed the Akinada Bridge and reached Honshu.
We stopped at a 7-Eleven for a quick refuel—smoothie, onigiri, and peach juice—before continuing along Route 185, now busy with traffic. The Yasumiyama Tunnel was the nicest I’ve ridden in Japan, with a glass partition separating cyclists from vehicles. It was bright, clean, and surprisingly calm, with cyclists, runners, and pedestrians moving in both directions.
In Kure, we turned inland and began climbing again on Route 31. Ayano pushed ahead as we tackled roughly 400 meters of elevation across two climbs. The second section offered a welcome break from heavy traffic, followed by a fast descent.
Entering Hiroshima, the traffic intensified. We navigated wide roads, often using the sidewalks. Ayano had an 8:50 Shinkansen reservation, and we were on schedule. Near Hiroshima Station, we stopped at Daruma Sushi for our final meal together.
After dinner, we rode to the station, where I helped Ayano disassemble and pack her bike for the journey home. From there, I continued to my nearby hotel and began writing this entry.
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| Shimanami Kaido, Japan's most famous cycling route |
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| Shimanami Kaido, Japan's most famous cycling route |
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| Kiyomi. orange juice |
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| Steel Hut; Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture |
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| Silver Hut; Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture |
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| Silver Hut; Toyo Ito Museum of Architecture |
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| The Yasumiyama Tunnel |
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| Bidding Ayano farewell |
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| Map/Elevation Profile |
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