Our second day of the Shimanami Kaido adventure was cycling on the islands of Ehime Prefecture (Island of Shikoku). There are three islands on the Ehime side: Omishima Island, Hakata Island, and Oshima Island. While Tataro Bridge and Omishima Bridge were both not ready for cycling, we bypassed Omishima Island and Hakata Island today and started our cycling on Oshima Island.
Previously, our first day of Shimanami Kaido cycling was full of rain, road blocks, land slides, and closing attractions/stores/restaurants/hotels (read my story about Shimanami Kaido Cycling Day 1 – Hiroshima Section). In contrast, the second day was very sunny and it became brutally hot later in the day.
Our guide Yuji (again, here is Yuji’s facebook. You can also find him on Tours By Locals and on Oka Tours) picked us up in Fukuyama and we started our cycling on Oshima Island heading toward the Murakami Suigun Museum. Suigun means navy force in Japanese. Murakami Suigun was an actual clan of pirates based in the Seto Inland Sea. Only the pirates knew how to get around the swirls, tides and narrow passages of this area of the Seto Inland Sea. Therefore, this piece of water provided natural protection for the pirate base.
We saw very interesting swirls along one section of the coast on Oshima Island while cycling to the Murakami Suigun Museum. Yuji told us that there are more violent swirls in the middle of the sea. Tourists can catch a tour boat to go see the swirling areas.
We were hoping to try the pirate seafood meal in the restaurant across the street from the Murakami Suigun Museum. Of course, it was closed due to the historic rainfall, and so was the museum.
Instead of the pirate seafood meal, we had our lunch, which was very tasty seafood BBQ, at Yoshiumiikiikikan Rest Area. This was the first time during our Shimanami Kaido cycling trip that we felt that we were at a tourist spot. We finally saw tourists and open shops and open restaurants!
The Ehime side of Shimanami Kaido is famous for its oranges. I saw a cute orange bear, who is the local mascot. The bear’s name is Mikyan. I saw all kinds of souvenirs, with Mikyan on them, all over the shops at Yoshiumiikiikikan Rest Area. There is another green bear. He must be the counterpart of Mikyan. He seems to always behave badly, not like Mikyan. I guess this is why Mikyan is an “orange” bear and he is a green “rotten orange” bear. I got a Mikyan ornament for hanging on our family ornament tree.
After lunch, we headed up to Kurushima Bridge, which consists of three successive suspension bridges. It is the longest suspension bridge structure in the world. It connects to Imabari, which is the beginning/end of Shimanami Kaido in Shikoku.
Cycling through Kurushima Bridge was a blast. The bridge and the view from the bridge were both magnificent. There are countless islands floating in the middle of Seto Inland Sea. No wonder why there are usually multiple islands in Japanese video games 😆.
On the return trip from the other end of Kurushima Bridge, Yuji showed us a secret island right underneath Kurushima Bridge, Horse Island. Horse Island is equiped with its own private elevator from Kurushima Bridge. The island residents also have their own private automobile exit, entrance and parking garage to get on and off Kurushima Bridge. Horse Island is just like another world that is peacefully standing right next to the busy Kurushima Bridge.
We waved and said hi to the fishermen as we passed by. The view of Kurushima Bridge from Horse Island was just as magnificent. We took a little hike up a trail next to the coast and came to a small hidden shrine. Behind the shrine, there is a lighthouse standing on the tip of Horse Island facing the Seto Inland Sea.
Back to Oshima from Kurushima Bridge, we cycled toward Rose Park. Along the way, we saw the impressive Kurushima Bridge in the background, we passed by a ship manufacturing factory, and we saw many solar panels installed either on roof tops or on the ground. We were very impressed about how many solar panels we saw along Shimanami Kaido. All along the bike route, there were numerous signs to make sure you didn’t lose your way.
Arriving the Rose Park, we were, again, the only people and none of the attractions, shops and restaurants were open around the park. Luckily, the roses were still beautiful even when the human activities were closed.
For the night, Yuji recommended a traditional Japanese Ryokan, Sawaki, on Omishima Island. The water supply in the area of course was still cut-off, but the Ryokan had enough storage for only one family of three: us 😅. Sawaki was a charming traditional Japanese Ryokan. The room was beautiful and spotlessly clean. The owners spoke little English, but we were able to communicate with each other with some help of body language. We didn’t get to try their meals because of the water supply shortage (the Ryokan probably was closed that night, but only open for us…).
We walked around the town. The place was peaceful and quaint. Ōyamazumi Shrine was within walking distance from the Ryokan. The beautiful sunset colored the sky, the mountains, and the little creek. The view was magical. I really like the Ryokan and the town! I wish we had more time here!
Our original plan was to head to Tobishima Kaido the next day. However, due to this historic rainfall and small unpaved roads along Tobishima Kaido, it was difficult for us to cycle Tobishima Kaido. Instead, we would be cycling around Omishima. Our journey of Shimanami Kaido continued…
Omishima Island
Hakata Island
Oshima Island
Horse Island
Yoshiumi Rose Park
Ryokan Sawaki
Yoshiumiikiikikan Rest Area
Murakami Suigun Museum
Kurushima Bridge
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