May 23 - May 30, 2026
Shinanami Kaido Blog
Between May 25 and May 30, Youna and I are biking through the island network in southwest Japan. I called this route the Shinanami Kaido, which is the famous 50 island stretch between Imabari and Onomichi through islands and land bridges, but the route I planned loops through the Tobishima Kaido, Kure, Matsuyama, and Zendanyama.
What does the full route add up to?
The planned riding days add up to 243.6 miles with 13,488 feet of climbing. Most of the route is flat with a few noteable climbs. I tried to balance the days with larger climbs with reduced distances, while flatter days have more miles. Wind direction, especially in the island network, can be quite variable, so I hope wind can be our side when we depart!
| Day | Distance | Climb | Descent |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 25 | 38.9 mi | 1,863 ft | 1,346 ft |
| May 26 | 29.9 mi | 3,185 ft | 3,396 ft |
| May 27 | 48.1 mi | 2,228 ft | 2,441 ft |
| May 28 | 44.7 mi | 1,755 ft | 1,620 ft |
| May 29 | 31.4 mi | 2,453 ft | 2,618 ft |
| May 30 | 50.6 mi | 2,004 ft | 2,007 ft |
| Total | 243.6 mi | 13,488 ft | 13,428 ft |
What does each day look like?
May 23
Land in Hiroshima from JFK
No riding planned
We land at 4:25 PM in Hiroshima.
May 24
Hiroshima to Onomichi
No riding planned
Today, we do all the preparations for the trip. We take the Shinkansen to Onomichi, drop off our luggage, and pick up the rental bikes from the Giant store.
May 25
Onomichi toward Kure
38.9 mi, 1,863 ft of climbing
The first real riding day is about 40 miles inland. Higashihiroshima is along the way, but the booking options were not great, so we are staying just outside town. There is a big hill early, but nothing too wild.
Stay: The Cutting Edge
May 26
Zendanyama Climb
29.9 mi, 3,185 ft of climbing
Only about 30 miles, but the day has a killer climb: roughly 2,400 feet over 10 miles. It is "only" 30 miles, but I know this will be a tough day. The reward is a long winding descent down toward Kure.
Stay: Kure stay
May 27
Tobishima Kaido
48.1 mi, 2,228 ft of climbing
A long flat island day, about 43 miles across Tobishima Kaido. Tobishima does not fully connect into Shimanami, so we will use the Okamura-Munakata ferry to bridge the gap. At the end, we get a homestay-style night at Grandma's island home.
Stay: Grandma's island home
May 28
Ride down to Matsuyama
44.7 mi, 1,755 ft of climbing
This is a big connector day from the middle of Shimanami down to Matsuyama. The route hugs the coast with water on the right, and we end near a large onsen, which feels like exactly the right reward.
Stay: Dogoya onsen ryokan
May 29
Matsuyama to Imabari
31.4 mi, 2,453 ft of climbing
A roughly 30 mile inland ride. It should not be the longest or steepest day, but at this point we will probably be tired enough that an easier day will be very appreciated.
May 30
Shinanami Kaido
50.6 mi, 2,004 ft of climbing
The classic full ride back to Onomichi. We will have touched parts of it already, but doing the whole thing in a day and ending where we started feels like the right finale. Hopefully by then we are stronger riders than when we left.
What are we bringing?
Bike rack and two rear pannier bags, which I will carry as our main storage for clothes, food, and extra gear. I used this for Taiwan, and this was a crucial to store everything we need for our long days out there.
Garmin Edge 540 bike computer. For anything with climbs or back roads, this is a must-have..
Brooks leather bike seat. I used this on the last bike tour and it made a huge difference over many hours in the saddle.
What are we riding?
We are renting from the Giant store in Onomichi, which makes the start and finish logistics much easier. These are the two bikes we have reserved.
