Artful meditation at Shinshoji Zen retreat

But first, let us meditate. If you’re coming from outside the Setouchi area, chances are you’ll be riding the shinkansen to Fukuyama Station. From there, a bus goes to Shinshoji Zen Museum and Gardens – a lush mindfulness retreat that provides an excellent segue from bustling city life to the natural tranquility of Setouchi.

The grounds host many reproduced and relocated buildings with distinctive traditional architecture, linked by peaceful walking paths. I stop at Gokando to eat handmade udon with giant oak unsui chopsticks traditionally used by monks. On the hilltop, directly overlooking a classic Zen stone and sand garden, the majestic Shogondo exhibits a delightfully engaging collection of ink paintings and calligraphies by Edo-period Zen master Hakuin.

For a more contemporary Zen experience, I surrender my senses to an immersive meditative session at the Kohtei art pavilion. On the outside, the Kohtei is an imposing elongated structure on concrete stilts, covered with traditional kokerabuki shingles made of light sawara wood that recall the hull of an artisanal sabani sailboat. On the inside, an audio-visual installation plunges me into pitch darkness punctuated only by gently shimmering lights reflected on a pool of undulating water to a recorded soundscape of distant gongs amidst a soothing whir. Exactly 25 minutes later, I emerge from the art pavilion thoroughly relaxed, ready to explore the rest of the garden and the rest of the region.

Onomichi cats, temples, and views

Early morning in Onomichi, excitement builds as the inland sea route beckons just beyond the harbor. This hilly, historical port city is full of character, from its historic Temple Walk and “literature path” to its trendy lifestyle shops and the panoramic sea views from the top of Mt. Senkoji. I begin my pilgrimage at the bottom. 

About halfway up, I start to see cats: lucky stones with big oval eyes and a bright red nose (福石猫, fukuishi neko made by artist Umeji Hakka), a larger-than-life porcelain Siamese, various feline figures painted and carved on concrete walls and stairs or shaped out of wooden planks. A harlequin tomcat slinks down the steps and into the woods. A sly calico perches on a fence, then scampers around the corner.

“It’s so hot these days, most of them come out around dawn or just after sunset,” says an elderly man whom I later recognize to be Hakka-san himself, just before he disappears into the Owl House, one of several renovated old folk houses on Onomichi’s famous Cat Alley (猫の細道, Neko no hosomichi). Next time, I will come back at sunrise.

As the steep path continues upward, I turn toward the sea to catch a glimpse of a quintessential scene: the Tenneiji Temple three-tiered pagoda rising above the Onomichi cityscape, with the Innoshima suspension bridge in the distance.

The narrow maze-like path climbs through the mountainside Senkoji Temple complex, past the smell of burning incense and the jingle of furin wind chimes, past colorful glints of tiny lizards sunbathing on stone walls, all the way up to the park observation deck at the peak.

From 140 meters above sea level, I can better appreciate northern Setouchi’s topography: a lush seascape lined with active ports and dotted with pine tree-covered islands as far as the eye can see.

After taking in the panoramic view, I am happy to sit down with a refreshing bottle of shiranuhi citrus juice sourced from nearby Takaneshima island, before riding the ropeway back down to the city center.

The covered Onomichi shopping arcade (尾道本通り商店街, Onomichi Hondori Shotengai) buzzes with both traditional craft shops and stylish boutiques selling everything from Onomichi ramen and purple yam cheesecake to local pottery and finely crafted swords. The arcade extends over several more shopping streets right up to Onomichi train station.

The recently opened Hotel Beacon Onomichi sits right on top of the station, with compact but bright and tastefully designed rooms, making it an ideal place to get a good night’s sleep before an early morning start. It also serves hearty gourmet meals at restaurant Gen, where I opt to fuel up with a tasty seafood pasta set before setting off on the first leg of my ride.

Cycling on and off the Shimanami Kaido

At the Onomichi Port cycle station I rent a cross bike, grab a helmet, and hop onto the bicycle ferry to Mukaishima Island. On the other side, the blue line leads me around the island, along the coast, and up a winding path to Innoshima Bridge. Cyclists ride on a dedicated lane just beneath the cars, so it’s a thrill to finally let loose and gain momentum pedaling across this 1.27-km-long suspension bridge without worrying about motor vehicles.

I continue riding across the length of Innoshima to the southwestern shore of the island, where I stop in front of a pair of stone lanterns and a steep staircase leading up to a stone torii gate. I have arrived at the foot of Oyama Jinja (大山神社), also known as Japan’s one and only Bicycle Shrine. Bike access is via a steep hill around the corner.

Oyama Jinja was originally established in 773 as a place of worship for seafarers seeking protection – most famously, the local Murakami Kaizoku sea tribe, who dominated vital waterways of the Seto Inland Sea during the 15th and 16th centuries. To the right of the main shrine, steps lead to an observation platform that they used to survey the southern waters.

Since 2015, Oyama Jinja officially extends its divine protection to cyclists traveling the Shimanami Kaido, offering a playful range of bicycle-themed amulets, stamp books, and other souvenirs. The head priest, Takashi Makihata, is also a devoted cyclist, and the shrine hosts a festival to celebrate bicycles every autumn.

From Innoshima, I ride across the cable-stayed Ikuchi Bridge and along the northern coast of Ikuchijima Island, past Dolce gelato shop, Kosanji Temple and its white marble Hill of Hope, continuing along the lively Shiomachi shopping street that leads to the ancient merchant quarters of Setoda Port.

Located about halfway along the inland sea route, Ikuchijima is one of the most tourist and family-friendly islands along the Shimanami Kaido, and where many people choose to spend the night. Its entire coastline is flat and scenic, it has a Sunset Beach, a Nihonga museum (Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art), many open-air contemporary art installations, and several ferry connections to neighboring islands, as well as to Onomichi and Mihara on Honshu.

The Setoda Port area is full of beautifully restored wooden kominka that have been renovated into hotels, bathhouses, shops, restaurants, and cafés. SOIL Setoda is one such gracefully renovated guest house and lounge where I check in for the evening. Just a few steps up the street, I enjoy a hot soak at yubune, a new building whose architectural style blends seamlessly into the neighborhood, with a traditional-style bathhouse that features elaborate mosaic murals depicting local scenery.

The next morning, I awaken to a delicious breakfast downstairs at Minatoya – a hot sandwich with Shinmei chicken from Mihara, melted cheese, and leeks on pain de campagne, accompanied by fresh Setoda lemon juice mixed with kombucha – right in front of the seaside cycling path.

I ride along the beach and across the spectacular 1.48-km-long cable-stayed Tatara Bridge, passing the dotted borderline between Hiroshima and Ehime Prefectures, to Omishima Island. Just a few kilometers further north, I pull up to the welcoming white walls of WAKKA. This comprehensive cycling facility offers all kinds of services geared toward bicycle tourists, such as bicycle taxis (land or sea), e-bike charging, tools and spare parts for self-service repairs, bike rentals, guided tours, and on-site showers. You can even spend the night in an individual cottage, glamping tent or dormitory.

But I’m here for WAKKA’s open terraced café, whose menu includes healthy salads, dainty desserts, colorful cocktails, and fresh brewed coffee, and where every sofa has an intimate view of the inland sea and the majestic Tatara Bridge. I take a moment to savor a homemade pear tart with Omishima mikan juice.

The Shimanami Kaido continues southward along the eastern coast of the island, across the short but charming Omishima arch bridge, through Hakata Island, and across the hybrid Hakata-Oshima Bridge to Oshima Island. The route runs lengthwise through the island, with only a short detour to the Murakami Kaizoku Museum perched above the notorious Noshima tidal currents, and I begin to feel the hills.

By the time I find myself climbing the steep mountain road snaking up to the Kirosan Observatory Park, pushing the pedals in the lowest gear on an incline of 9-13% for almost 3 kilometers, I wish I’d rented an e-bike. Nonetheless, the 360-degree view from the peak, at 301 meters above sea level, is absolutely worth the climb. (The moshio seaweed salt gelato isn’t bad either.) Not to mention the feeling of gratification that comes from knowing you’ve earned it. 

The Kirosan Observatory is a minimalist multi-level wooden platform designed by renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, which invites visitors to contemplate the surrounding landscape and seascape from various viewpoints. By far the most compelling sight is of the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge, three connected suspension bridges spanning 4.1 kilometers across the Kurushima Straight among small fuzzy green islands from Oshima to Imabari. From here, I imagine the Murakami Kaizoku studying the tides and navigating the currents, guiding other ships safely through the strait in exchange for a fee.

When it’s finally time to ride back down the mountain, I relish every second of the descent.

For many cyclists, the highlights of the Shimanami Kaido are tackling its six bridges, each with its own unique character. I love the anticipation in climbing the narrowly twisting access ramp, emerging onto a long stretch of runway, feeling the dip after passing the midpoint of each span, and the joyful release as I coast down the spiraling exit ramp, with spectacular sea views along the way.

The Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge takes all of the above thrills to the extreme, as if the Shimanami cycling road from Onomichi to Imabari was specifically designed to save the best for last. The ride across this series of suspension bridges, traversing the misty island-dotted seascape just viewed from the peak of Kirosan, is truly exhilarating, like moving through a living postcard.

I already feel a tinge of nostalgia as I race the sunset over Shikoku, not wanting the adventure to end. Fortunately, I have one last stop on the Shimanami Kaido, and roll right off the ramp as soon as I touch ground in Imabari.

At the southern end of the inland sea route, Sunrise Itoyama is no doubt the most deluxe of the Shimanami Kaido’s 10 official cycling terminals. It includes not only bicycle rental/returns and facilities, but also a complete hotel and gourmet restaurant built on the side of a cliff gazing directly out at the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge. A fine dinner of red sea bream and little neck clams from the Kurushima Straight steamed with fresh vegetables and Shimanami lemon, followed by a hot bath facing the sea, makes this a classy end to a fulfilling journey.

Next morning, a brisk, flat ride brings me to Imabari Station, where I return the bike and board the train to Matsuyama, the historical capital of Ehime Prefecture.

Deep history and legendary hot springs in Matsuyama

Matsuyama Castle has the privilege of being the tallest of Japan’s only 12 surviving original castle towers, built in the style of the late 16th century Momoyama period. Part of what makes it so striking from afar is its distinctive architectural style and position, with the tenshu (main tower) surrounded by smaller towers, all standing on a hill above a plain within a park.

It’s even more fun to explore the inside of the beautifully preserved tenshu, as polished wooden steps link multiple levels under high ceilings, following a labyrinthine path lined with Edo-period armor, weapons, and other artifacts. The final reward is the fortress view from the top, all the more dazzling when accented by spring sakura or autumn leaves.

If Matsuyama Castle is the city’s historical symbol, its soulfully beating heart is Dogo Onsen. And this famous hot spring town has its own symbol, believed to be Japan’s oldest public bathhouse: Dogo Onsen Honkan – mentioned in Japan’s ancient texts, immortalized in Natsume Soseki’s 1906 novel Botchan, and beloved in Hayao Miyazaki’s 2001 animated film Spirited Away.

But the most amazing thing about Dogo Onsen Honkan is that it’s still operating as a bathhouse today. As the entire building, an eclectic patchwork of architectural styles and elements, currently undergoes extensive conservation and repair work, the Tama-no-Yu baths on the ground floor, featuring luxurious granite, marble walls, and tiled murals, are open for business daily from 6am to 11pm.

Just around the corner, the annex Asuka-no-Yu bathhouse, which opened to the public in 2017, is a recreation of Dogo Onsen Honkan’s Tama-no-Yu drum tower building and its legendary white crane with a contemporary twist. Here is yet another mystical place to reinvigorate your body and cleanse your soul in a curative bath.

More than just a cycling route, the Shimanami Kaido is a cultural and geographical voyage through the Seto Inland Sea, full of hidden art treasures, revitalized folk houses, seasonal citrus fruits, grand seascapes, and at least six different feats of civil engineering. It’s also an opportunity to intimately explore the Setouchi region at ground level, from the heights of Onomichi to the steaming hot springs of Dogo Onsen and everywhere in between, while cherishing the journey as much as the destination. I’ll be back!

Photographs and text by Cherise Fong

You can get more information about the route followed in this article by checking out our itineraries in the "Plan Your Trip" section of this website.

https://www.setouchi.travel/en/plan-your-trip/itineraries/ph2-sta-st-016/