This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page—and get out and discover Kyushu
Text and photos by: Tim Muzik / Follow on Strava / Follow on Youtube
Today we’re continuing on our round Shikoku and Shimanami adventure. When we last left off in part one of this series we were in the small southern coastal town of Toyo. From here we will be continuing on around the southern tip of Shikoku, Cape Muroto, then to the west coast via the Shimanto River before once again heading back to Honshu by way of the Shimanami Kaido.
This second leg of the trip is marked by more of the classic cycling roads that Shikoku is famous for with no shortage of river gorges and small towns to stop in. To get back to Honshu we once again will be exploring the Shimanami Kaido, but this time we will take the longer and slightly more challenging roads off the main route.
The rains of the first part of this trip were replaced with some strong winds, but as we were now entering the second half of March, the days started to feel warmer as well, and even the early signs of cherry blossoms were showing.
This report will detail more options that shouldn’t be overlooked when planning your own Shikoku or Shimanami trip.
If you missed the first half of the trip, catch up here with our ride down the Shimanami and around the east coast of Shikoku through Tokushima.
Full Route Overview
Length: 931km
Climbing: 6700m
GPX File
Day 4-7 Overview
Length: 538km
Climbing: 4084m
GPX File
Around the Southern Horn of Shikoku
One of the most obvious features when looking at a map of Shikoku is the southern horn of Cape Muroto which stretches south into the Tosa Bay and the Pacific Ocean. While on this trip, we wanted to spend most of our time inland, but any cyclist will feel the pull of an interesting feature like this and be inclined to tick it off their Japanese cycling bucket list.
The ride to the tip from Toyo is marked by huge views of the ocean and layered mountains looking down the coast.
Cape Muroto itself is a really interesting spot. Jagged rocks jut up into the air as they are pushed up by the Nankai Trough and Philippine Sea Plate. It’s best to check the weather a few days in advance as this area is known to get some of the strongest winds and storms in Shikoku. Lucky for us, the weather was nice.
To and Through Kochi
As soon as we came around the point the weather improved massively. This section of the ride from the cape to Kochi is really enjoyable and offers some good chances to get creative with route planning, jumping off the main road and riding through some of the small fishing towns.
Leaving the town of Aki, there are also long stretches of nice bike paths which are a welcome sight. Always slower, but worth it for the mental break.
Kochi is one of our favourite towns in Japan, and if this is your first time in the area it is the place to stay. The Hirome Market is one of the best places to grab some grilled bonito, and take in the vibes of a Japanese food market. Having already spent time there recently we opted to spend the night in the much smaller, sleepier town of Tosa. Still nice, but Kochi is the more lively option.
The Shimanto River
The next day we once again left the coast and headed up the Shimanto River. This 196km long river quickly turned into a highlight of the trip. Known to be one of Japan’s last natural rivers due to its lack of large dams, it’s a popular place for kayaking and exploring. There also seemed to be a marathon about to kick off, timed around the blooming of cherry blossoms (unfortunately they were about a week too early).
We followed this river for about 60km before turning north in Ekawasaki. The 145km day we had ahead, plus a ripping headwind, made this one of the more challenging days of the trip, but also one of the best. Ever since, when someone asks about the best part of Shikoku to bike, I always say the Shimanto River.
That night we settled down into the super cool town of Uwajima. An old shotengai, great local restaurants, and all around great vibe make this a fantastic place to stop for the night on a round island trip.
The Push to Matsuyama
Heading north from Uwajima to Yawatahama National Route 56 wasn’t too busy and had some great views of the coast and terraced rice fields below. We chose a route that blended efficiency and enjoyment, turning off the 56 after the town of Seiyo and accessing the coastal 378 via the Gozega Bypass.
National Route 378 between the Kikitsu Fishing Port and Matsuyama is a great section of coastal route. A wide cycling shoulder and pleasant ocean views, combined with, somehow, our first tailwind in days to make this a fast and fun 30km push up the western coast.
Matsuyama
We set down in Matsuyama, Shikoku’s largest city, for the night. This turned out to be a great choice as it was our first time visiting and we got to tick off another one of Japan’s most beautiful castles. I immediately placed it within the coveted top spots for our favourite castle because of its amazing views of the city and general vibe (Himeji, Matsumoto, and Kumamoto being other strong contenders for our favourites)
I’m also a sucker for cities with a classic shotengai and a working tram system, so I found myself being overall very impressed with Matsuyama.
The Shimanami Kaido Extended Route
At this point we were both eager to get back onto the Shimanami Kaido and hop onto the smaller, less cycled sections which wrap around each of the islands. As mentioned previously, the Shimanami is a great entry point to cycling for those looking to rent some bikes, it also has a ton of great routes to be found which lay just off the standard 70km direct route.
(Image options: Extended route of the SNK) SNK Climbers route
After crossing the Kurushima Suspension Bridge once again, we hugged the west coast of Oshima. This section passes a number of large shipbuilding yards and is noticeably flatter than much of the rest of the route. It’s a good option for anyone looking to extend their ride without adding too much difficulty.
We then looped Hakata Island clockwise. While there are a few short, punchy climbs, this is still a very manageable extension. The direct route across Hakata is only about 4 km and doesn’t offer much, but taking the coastal roads extends this to around 16 km and makes it feel like a proper part of the ride. Also, being Fukuoka residents, it felt like we should spend more time on an island named Hakata.
On Omishima, we went for a larger loop, cutting through the center via Prefectural Route 21. This was one of the bigger additions to the route, with around 350 m of extra climbing. Worth it if you’re on a road bike or anything with decent gearing, but probably not ideal if the term mamachari was used during the rental process.
Ikuchi Island leans into its citrus identity; even the post boxes were yellow. Setoda is a good place to stop, with a cool cycling-focused shop and some decent food options and places to explore on foot. We even stayed at a nice cycling oriented hotel here.
Innoshima is probably the island most people choose to explore in order to visit Oyama Cycling Shrine, which has become something of a pilgrimage site for cyclists. Here you can get really cool cycling shrine plaques and even bless your bicycle for safe passage ahead. It also got huge points from us for being the only shrine we have been to with a bike rack. Continuing around the east coast adds a legit climb, so it’s another section best taken on with the right mindset (or gearing).
For Mukaishima, the final island (or first, depending on your direction), we stuck to the east coast. This was one of the flatter alternatives to the standard route and, in our opinion, the better choice. It’s quieter, easier, and a nicer way to finish the ride than the more direct western side.
The internet is full of guides, routes, and opinions on the Shimanami Kaido, and after a couple of days riding and exploring, that makes sense. The best part of it, though, is how flexible it is. You can keep things easy and efficient, or build in loops and climbs to make it as challenging as you want.
This Shimanami Kaido/Shikoku trip ended up being one of our favourite multi-day cycling adventures in a while, but also one of the more demanding. Cold mornings, headwinds, rain, and a few overly ambitious route choices meant several long days on the road. If you’re planning something similar, it’s worth building in a bit of a buffer and not assuming that every day will go to plan. That said, it’s absolutely worth it. We’ll be back to explore more of Shikoku and likely add a few more unnecessary kilometres to the Shimanami next time.
This article is part of our collection of cycling routes and reports for Fukuoka and Kyushu. Explore more rides on our index page—and get out and discover Kyushu