4 Best Sights in Shimanami Kaido, Shikoku

By far the most scenic way to travel between Shikoku and western Honshu is the Shimanami Kaido, a 70-km (44-mile) expressway built with bicyclists in mind. The route, a series of roads and six long bridges, connects Imabari, just north of Matsuyama, with Onomichi, just east of Hiroshima, by way of islands in the Seto Inland Sea. Most of the islands were accessible only by ferry until the expressway was completed in 1999. By the early 2000s, the Shimanami Kaido was already one of western Japan's most popular cycling routes.

A bicycle trip across this road-and-bridge network takes in fishing villages, tangerine orchards, pearl farms, seaweed pastures, and long stretches of sparkling sea. A separate cycling track runs along each bridge, so you don't have to deal with car traffic for most of the ride. Cycling paths are clearly marked on the islands, and maps are readily available. The cycling isn't strenuous, so don't get discouraged by that first big corkscrew pathway up from Imabari to the Kurushima Ohashi Bridge. After that it's clear sailing.

Biking to Onomichi takes about six to eight hours. If you decide you've had enough cycling along the way, you can leave your rental bike at any of 15 stations and complete your journey by ferry or bus. The well-informed staff members at the stations have all the schedules. Your hotel can even send your luggage ahead. The best starting point for planning a ride is the Shimanami Japan tourism website, which has a downloadable cycling guide in English.

For centuries Hakata Island has been famous for its high-quality salt, and the Hakata Salt Company offers daily, free, self-guided tours of its factory on Omishima Island that take about 30 minutes to complete, though they were suspended during the pandemic and expected to resume sometime in 2022. As you stroll along a marked visitor’s path through the factory, you’ll see workers turn seawater into table salt, package it, and ship it all over Japan. There’s also plenty of information, though most only in Japanese, about the history of salt. If the factory touring has you craving something salty, try the salt ice cream sold on-site. If that’s not enough, you can also take a dip in the salt baths at the Mare Grassia bath complex next door.

This public bath complex is like your average friendly Japanese town bathhouse, except for one thing: the extremely salty water. One or two of the baths in the multi-bath bathing area are salted with Hakata salt from the factory next door. Islanders believe salt baths help draw out impurities and beautify your skin, but if self-pickling is not your thing you can always take a dip in the non-saltwater indoor or outdoor baths.

Omishima, three islands over from Imabari, is home to this expansive shrine. Founded in the 6th century, it honors the Shinto god of mountains, sea, and war. In the 8th century, victorious warriors started leaving their weaponry here after battle as thanks for divine favor. The museum on the shrine's grounds holds more than two-thirds of the nation's designated National Treasures in swords, spears, breastplates, and helmets.