Cornelius Amann
October 06, 2026
5/5
Japan: cycling the Shimanami Kaido and the Seto Inland Sea
8 days from Osaka to Hiroshima: two nights in Onomichi, two days riding the Shimanami Kaido by e-bike to Imabari, two nights in Matsuyama with Dogo Onsen, then Hiroshima and Miyajima.
8 days · Osaka to Hiroshima · up to 12 guests
The Kurushima-Kaikyo bridges, the last crossing of the Shimanami Kaido into Imabari Photo: Hiroshi Nakai, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kurushima-Kaikyo_Bridge_310034.jpg)
The facts
At a glance
- Length
- 8 days, 7 nights
- Start and end
- Osaka to Hiroshima
- Group size
- 7 to 12 guests
- Activity level
Active
Two cycling days on the Shimanami Kaido: about 30 km on day 3 and about 40 km on day 4 on e-bikes, on marked cycle lanes and quiet island roads, with bridge approach ramps at a gentle gradient and one optional climb of about 300 m. Each ride day has an easy option of about half the distance, with the support van for the rest. The other days mean 2 to 4 hours on foot, with stone steps at Senkoji, Matsuyama Castle and Ishiteji.
- Meals included
- 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 2 dinners
- Room of your own
- + CAD 1,095 (estimated price)
- Season
- April to June and September to November
Highlights
Why this trip
- Ride across the Kurushima-Kaikyo bridges high above the tidal races, with Imabari ahead of you
- Two days on the Shimanami Kaido by e-bike, with the van alongside carrying your bag
- Onomichi's hillside temple walk to Senkoji at the end of the afternoon, over the strait to Mukaishima
- Kosanji's painted halls and the white marble Hill of Hope in Setoda, and lemon sweets on Ikuchijima
- Oyamazumi Shrine on Omishima, home of a large collection of old armour
- An evening bath at Dogo Onsen Honkan in Matsuyama, after the day visitors have gone
- The fast ferry across the Inland Sea to Hiroshima, the Peace Memorial Park and an okonomiyaki dinner
- Miyajima on an early ferry, before the day crowds reach the torii
What makes this trip different
Free time is part of the plan
Free time and choices are marked on the days they fall.
Solo without the penalty
A room of your own is + CAD 1,095 (estimated price).
Day by day
Itinerary
Tap any stop on the map to open that dayClick any stop on the map to open that day
Arrive in Osaka
Kansai International Airport to your hotel in Osaka
- Welcome dinner
- Stay in Osaka
- Drive about 1 h
Fly into Kansai International Airport (KIX), on its island in Osaka Bay, and a driver meets you in arrivals for the transfer of about an hour into the city.
Evening
Plan to land by mid-afternoon so you have time to settle in before the evening; the exact meeting time comes with your final itinerary. Osaka is a good first night: it is an easy airport, and Shin-Osaka station, where tomorrow's train leaves, is close. In the early evening your See Sight Tours guide meets the group for a short briefing on the week, how the bikes and the support van work, what to pack for the islands and how the onsen bath goes. Then we walk together to Dotonbori, the canal-side food street under its giant neon signs, for a welcome dinner of Osaka dishes such as takoyaki and kushikatsu at a local restaurant.
Included
- Pick-up at Kansai International Airport (KIX)
- Welcome briefing with your guide
- Evening walk to Dotonbori
- Welcome dinner
Free time: Free until the evening briefing
By Shinkansen to Onomichi
Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama by Shinkansen, then the local train to Onomichi
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Onomichi
- By train
Morning
After breakfast we take the Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama, about an hour, then a local train along the shore for about twenty minutes to Onomichi, a port town on a narrow strait where the Shimanami Kaido begins. Our van meets us at the station and takes the bags, so we can walk straight out.
Afternoon
Lunch is a bowl of Onomichi ramen, a soy broth with pork back fat that the town is known for. In the afternoon we fit the e-bikes, set saddles and take a short test ride along the waterfront. Late in the day, when it cools, we ride the ropeway up Mount Senkoji and walk down the temple path, past small temples, steep stone steps and narrow lanes, with the strait and the shipyards of Mukaishima below.
Evening
The evening is free to try the waterfront bars and cafés.
Included
- Shinkansen Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama and local train to Onomichi
- Onomichi ramen lunch
- E-bike fitting and a short test ride
- Senkoji ropeway and the Onomichi temple walk with your guide
Easier option: Ride the ropeway down again instead of walking the temple path.
More active option: Walk up the temple path to Senkoji instead of taking the ropeway, about 30 minutes of stone steps, then walk down.
Free time: Evening free in Onomichi
Activity: About 2 hours on foot on the temple path, mostly downhill on stone steps and lanes.
Shimanami Kaido: Onomichi to Setoda
Onomichi by ferry to Mukaishima, then by bike over Innoshima to Setoda on Ikuchijima; van back to Onomichi
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Onomichi
- Drive about 45 min
Afternoon
We start at about 8:30 am, before the heat and the afternoon sea breeze. A short ferry carries riders and bikes across the strait to Mukaishima, and from there we follow the blue line painted on the road, the route marker of the Shimanami Kaido. We ride along the shore of Mukaishima and climb the gentle ramp onto the Innoshima Bridge, a suspension bridge where bikes cross on a deck under the cars. Innoshima has orchards and a quiet coast road; we stop for coffee and the view back to the bridge. Over the Ikuchi Bridge we reach Setoda, where lunch is a long sit-down meal of local fish. In the afternoon we walk Kosanji, a temple of bright copies of famous Japanese halls, and its Hill of Hope, a garden carved from white marble. Lemon sweets are Setoda's other draw.
Evening
The van returns us to Onomichi for a free evening.
Included
- Ferry from Onomichi to Mukaishima with the bikes
- Guided e-bike ride of about 30 km over Mukaishima and Innoshima to Setoda, with the support van
- Sit-down lunch in Setoda
- Kosanji temple and the Hill of Hope
- Van back to Onomichi
Easier option: Ride about 15 km over Mukaishima and the Innoshima Bridge, then join the van to Setoda.
More active option: An extra loop on Innoshima to the Innoshima Ohashi viewpoint above the bridge.
Free time: Evening free in Onomichi
Activity: About 30 km on an e-bike, mostly flat along the shore with gentle ramps up to the bridges.
Shimanami Kaido: Setoda to Imabari
Van to Setoda, then by bike over Omishima, Hakatajima and Oshima and across the Kurushima-Kaikyo bridges to Imabari
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Imabari
- Drive about 45 min
Morning
After breakfast the van takes us and the luggage back over the bridges to Setoda, about 45 minutes, and we ride from where we stopped; staying two nights in Onomichi is worth that short repeat drive. The Tatara Bridge, a cable-stayed span, carries us onto Omishima, where we stop at Oyamazumi Shrine, a shrine to the god of the sea and mountains. Its treasure hall keeps a large collection of old armour and swords given by samurai over the centuries.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal on the island. In the afternoon we cross Hakatajima and Oshima on quiet roads past citrus groves, then reach the finale: the Kurushima-Kaikyo bridges, three suspension bridges in a row, about 4 km long, high above the whirlpools of the tidal strait.
Evening
On the far side is Imabari on Shikoku, our home for the night. Dinner tonight is with the group, to mark the ride.
Included
- Van with your luggage from Onomichi to Setoda, then alongside the riders
- Guided e-bike ride of about 40 km over Omishima, Hakatajima and Oshima to Imabari
- Oyamazumi Shrine and its treasure hall
- Sit-down lunch on Omishima
- Group dinner in Imabari
Easier option: Ride in the van to Oshima and cycle only the Kurushima-Kaikyo bridges into Imabari, about 12 km.
More active option: Climb by bike to the Kirosan observatory on Oshima, about 300 m up, for the view over the bridges and the islands.
Activity: About 40 km on an e-bike, the longer ride day, with gentle bridge ramps and short rolling hills on the islands.
Imabari Castle and on to Matsuyama
Imabari to Matsuyama by van
- Breakfast and lunch
- Stay in Matsuyama
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
A slower morning. We hand back the bikes and walk to Imabari Castle, a shore castle whose moat is filled with sea water, so you may see sea bream and other sea fish swimming below the walls. Then it is about an hour by van to Matsuyama, the largest city on Shikoku.
Afternoon
After a lunch of taimeshi, sea bream cooked with rice, we ride the ropeway or the chairlift up Mount Katsuyama to Matsuyama Castle, one of the castles in Japan that still have their original keep. From the top floor you look over the city to the Inland Sea and the islands we cycled. We drop down to the Dogo Onsen area, where we stay two nights.
Evening
In the early evening, after the day visitors thin out, we bathe at Dogo Onsen Honkan, the old wooden bathhouse, then dinner is free in the arcade.
Included
- Imabari Castle
- Drive from Imabari to Matsuyama with your guide
- Taimeshi lunch in Matsuyama
- Matsuyama Castle with the ropeway or chairlift
- Bath at Dogo Onsen Honkan in the early evening
More active option: Walk up to Matsuyama Castle on the footpath instead of the ropeway, about 20 minutes uphill.
Free time: Evening free in Dogo
Activity: About 2 to 3 hours on foot, with stone steps inside the castle.
Ishiteji and a free day in Dogo
Dogo Onsen to Ishiteji and back on foot
- Breakfast
- Stay in Matsuyama
Today is unhurried, the rest day after the ride.
Morning
After breakfast we walk with your guide about twenty minutes east of Dogo to Ishiteji, temple 51 of the Shikoku pilgrimage of 88 temples. Its gate and halls are old, and pilgrims in white still pass through with their staffs and bells; your guide explains the pilgrimage, which circles the whole island and takes most walkers several weeks. Behind the main hall a short dark tunnel leads to a hillside of small shrines. We walk back through the Dogo arcade, where you can try botchan dango, three-coloured rice sweets, and the rest of the day is yours: a second bath, the Dogo Onsen Annex Asuka-no-Yu, the Shiki memorial museum to the haiku poet Masaoka Shiki, or a nap.
Evening
Your guide has suggestions for dinner tonight.
Included
- Guided walk to Ishiteji, temple 51 of the Shikoku pilgrimage
- Walk through the Dogo arcade
Optional experiences
- Half-day trip by train to the old merchant town of Uchiko (ask your guide; confirmed on the day)
- A morning e-bike ride along the Matsuyama coast (bikes hired locally)
More active option: Take the optional morning e-bike ride along the Matsuyama coast before the Ishiteji walk.
Free time: Afternoon and evening free in Dogo
Activity: About 1.5 hours on foot, with some steps at Ishiteji.
Across the Inland Sea to Hiroshima
Matsuyama Kanko Port to Hiroshima Port by high-speed ferry, then the Peace Memorial Park
- Breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Stay in Hiroshima
- Drive about 1 h
Morning
After breakfast a transfer of about 30 minutes takes us and the bags from Dogo to Matsuyama Kanko Port, outside the city centre. Instead of a long drive back over the bridges, we cross the Seto Inland Sea by high-speed ferry from Matsuyama Kanko Port to Hiroshima Port, about 70 minutes past the islands. Another short transfer takes us and the bags from the port to the hotel.
Afternoon
Lunch is a sit-down meal near the Peace Memorial Park. In the afternoon your guide walks the park with you: the Genbaku Dome, the ruined exhibition hall listed by UNESCO in 1996, the Children's Peace Monument with its paper cranes, and the Cenotaph aligned with the dome and the flame. We give the Peace Memorial Museum a good two hours; it is hard to see and worth it.
Evening
In the evening we eat Hiroshima okonomiyaki together, layered with noodles and cabbage on the griddle in front of you.
Included
- Transfer from Dogo to Matsuyama Kanko Port
- High-speed ferry from Matsuyama to Hiroshima
- Transfer from Hiroshima Port to the hotel
- Sit-down lunch in Hiroshima
- The Peace Memorial Park with your guide: the Genbaku Dome, the Children's Peace Monument and the Cenotaph
- Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum
- Okonomiyaki dinner
Free time: Late afternoon free before dinner
Activity: About 3 hours on foot in the park and museum.
Miyajima early and home
Hiroshima to Miyajima by train and ferry, then back to Hiroshima Station
- Breakfast
- By train
We leave the hotel early for Miyajimaguchi and take one of the first ferries across to Miyajima, about ten minutes, before the day-trippers arrive. From the boat you see the great vermilion torii of Itsukushima Shrine standing in the water, or on the sand at low tide.
Morning
The shrine, listed by UNESCO in 1996, is built on piers over the bay, and in the morning its long corridors are quiet. Deer wander the lanes, and Omotesando street opens for grilled oysters and momiji manju, maple-leaf cakes. We are back in Hiroshima by late morning, and your guide sees you to Hiroshima Station by about 1 pm. From there the Shinkansen reaches Shin-Osaka in about an hour and a half, with Kansai International Airport an hour or so beyond. Book a flight from Kansai after about 6 pm, or from Hiroshima Airport after about 4 pm.
Included
- Train and ferry to Miyajima, and the Miyajima visitor tax
- Itsukushima Shrine with your guide
- Return to Hiroshima Station
More active option: Stay on Miyajima and walk or ride the ropeway up Mount Misen, travelling back on your own.
Activity: Book a flight from Kansai after about 6 pm, or from Hiroshima Airport after about 4 pm.
- Osaka1 night
- Onomichi2 nights
- Imabari1 night
- Matsuyama2 nights
- Hiroshima1 night
- Overnight stop
- Day trip
- By boat or train
Wildlife and weather: Spring and autumn bring mild riding weather, with cherry blossom on the islands in early April and clear autumn days into November. June can be wet in the rainy season, and a typhoon in September can stop ferries or close the bridges to bikes; then we ride that day in the van and reshape the plan.
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Before you book
Right for you?
Good for you if you want
- Travellers who want a week in Japan with two real days on a bike, not a fortnight of hard riding
- Repeat visitors who have done Tokyo and Kyoto and want Shikoku and the Inland Sea
- Couples where one rides the whole route and the other rides half in the van
- Anyone who likes onsen baths, castles and seafood after a day outside
Not for you if you want
- Riders who want long daily distances or road-bike training rides
- Travellers who are not confident on a bike on a shared road
- Those who want Tokyo, Kyoto and Mount Fuji on one trip
- Step-free access: castles, temples and the Onomichi temple path have steep stone steps
Book flights after we confirm your seat.
7 nights
Where you'll stay
Your hotels are named in your trip confirmation.
- Osaka1 night
- Onomichi2 nights
- Imabari1 night
- Matsuyama2 nights
- Hiroshima1 night
One price
What's in the price
Included
Accommodation
- 7 nights: 1 in Osaka, 2 in Onomichi, 1 in Imabari, 2 in the Dogo Onsen area of Matsuyama, 1 in Hiroshima
- Central hotels of at least a 3-star-plus standard, named when we confirm your dates
- Rooms shared, or your own for a supplement
Transport
- Pick-up at Kansai International Airport (KIX)
- Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama and the local train to Onomichi
- Our own van and driver from Onomichi to Matsuyama, running alongside the riders with your luggage on both ride days
- E-bike hire with helmet for both Shimanami Kaido days
- The ferry from Onomichi to Mukaishima
- The high-speed ferry from Matsuyama to Hiroshima and the port transfer
- Train and ferry to Miyajima and back
Your guide
- A See Sight Tours guide for the whole trip, riding with the group on both cycling days
Activities
- Dotonbori evening walk (Osaka)
- Senkoji ropeway and the temple walk (Onomichi)
- Kosanji temple and the Hill of Hope (Setoda)
- Oyamazumi Shrine and its treasure hall (Omishima)
- The Kurushima-Kaikyo bridges by bike (Oshima to Imabari)
- Imabari Castle (Imabari)
- Matsuyama Castle with the ropeway or chairlift (Matsuyama)
- A bath at Dogo Onsen Honkan (Matsuyama)
- Ishiteji temple (Matsuyama)
- The Peace Memorial Park and the Peace Memorial Museum (Hiroshima)
- Itsukushima Shrine and the Miyajima visitor tax (Miyajima)
Meals
- 7 breakfasts
- 5 lunches, including sit-down lunches on both ride days
- 3 dinners: a welcome dinner in Osaka, a group dinner in Imabari after the ride and okonomiyaki in Hiroshima
Not included
- International flights to Osaka and from Osaka or Hiroshima
- Visa, if your passport needs one
- Travel insurance (it should cover cycling)
- Meals not listed
- Drinks
- Tips
- Optional activities, such as Uchiko or the Mount Misen ropeway
- The Shinkansen or airport transfer after the trip ends at Hiroshima Station
- Personal expenses
Extras
- Room of your own
- CAD 1,095 (estimated price)
When you can go
Dates and prices
Pick your start date when you request to book. We check that date and confirm it in your quote.
Prefer to travel without a group or guide? Ask us about arranging hotels, transport and city tours for you to travel independently.
Before you book
Booking terms
Nothing is charged now. Full terms and the cancellation schedule come with your quote, before you accept.
Business addresses
See Sight Tours Trips (USA): 3172 N Rainbow Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89108, United StatesSee Sight Tours Trips (Canada): 5305 50 Avenue, #1091, Red Deer, AB T4N 4B6, Canada+1-888-961-6584Guest reviews
What guests say
Reviews from guests on our day tours.
Jane
October 06, 2026
5/5
Susan
October 06, 2026
5/5
Tom L
October 05, 2026
5/5
MandL83
October 05, 2026
5/5
Darren O
October 05, 2026
5/5
Good to know
Questions
What does the price include?
Seven nights in central hotels, 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 3 dinners, e-bike hire and a support van on both ride days, the Shinkansen, ferries and trains in the plan, an airport pick-up, your See Sight Tours guide throughout, and every entry in the day plan, from Kosanji and two castles to the Dogo Onsen bath and the Peace Memorial Museum.
How fit do I need to be to cycle the Shimanami Kaido?
Reasonably fit and confident on a bike. The rides are about 30 km and 40 km on e-bikes, mostly flat, with gentle ramps up to the bridges. Each day you can ride about half and sit in the van for the rest, or add the climb to the Kirosan lookout on Oshima.
Do I have to ride an e-bike?
No. E-bikes are included because they make the bridge ramps easy for everyone, but you can ask for a standard hybrid or road bike when you book, subject to sizes. Bring your own pedals or saddle if you like; helmets are included and worn by everyone.
How big is the group?
The small-group trip runs with 7 to 12 guests, small enough to ride together, stop at island cafés and fit around one table at lunch.
Who leads the trip?
A See Sight Tours guide travels with you from Osaka to Hiroshima and rides with the group on both cycling days, while our driver follows in the support van with the luggage. We name your guide when we confirm your departure.
I am travelling alone. What is the single supplement?
A room of your own costs from CAD 1,095 more. Japanese single rooms are often very small, so solo travellers get a full twin or double room for themselves, not a cramped single, and you are seated and treated the same as everyone else in the group.
When is the best time to cycle the Shimanami Kaido?
April to June and September to November. Early April brings cherry blossom, May and October are usually the most settled riding weather, and November is clear and cool. We avoid July and August, when the heat and humidity make riding hard.
What happens if it rains or a typhoon comes?
Light rain does not stop the ride; we carry rain jackets in the van. In heavy rain, strong wind or a typhoon the bridges can close to bikes and ferries can stop, so we ride that stretch in the van and your guide reshapes the day to keep the visits.
How does booking work?
Pick a start date and request to book. We check hotels, bikes and ferries and confirm your trip within 24 hours. No payment is taken until we confirm. Prices are per person sharing a room, taxes included, from CAD 6,295 for the small group.
Can we go privately or on our own dates?
Yes. The private style is your party only, with your own guide, bikes and van, on a date you choose, from CAD 11,330 per person. If you would rather travel independently on your own dates, ask us from the dates section and we will quote the same route without a guide.
Do I need a visa for Japan?
Canadian, US, UK, Australian and most EU passport holders do not need a visa for a short tourist stay in Japan. Rules change and depend on your passport, so check with the Japanese embassy before you fly. Your passport should be valid for your whole stay.
Is the onsen bath at Dogo mixed, and can I go with tattoos?
The baths at Dogo Onsen Honkan are single-sex and you bathe nude, after washing at the taps. Tattoo rules vary between baths and change, so your guide checks the current rule; if you cannot use the public bath, we arrange a private bath instead.
See Sight Tours has been providing travel services across North America since 2006. Operating in 20 cities across Canada and the USA, the company specializes in small group tours that offer personalized, high-quality experiences for travelers.
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