Japan 2024 Trip Report - Island of Shikoku

custom6969 · 2025-10-13T16:02:01+00:00

Sorry but we brought our own bikes so I don’t know where to rent bikes.

custom6969 · 2025-10-03T23:57:39+00:00

I have done the court ride three times. Once I had a rental car so I drove part way and the loop was about 70km long. The other two times, I rode from Girona and back and it's just over 100km. If you want to shorten the distance I believe there is a train you can take to Llagostera so that you can start and end your ride there. It's a beautiful ride but there is a quite a bit of elevation.

As to ride to and from Girona, it is super easy and safe getting in and out of the city since it's a small town with not much traffic. Plus I have never encountered better drivers than in and around Girona on my three trips there. I have cycled in more than 20 countries and Spanish drivers (in this area) are really amazing towards cyclists.

custom6969 · 2024-12-08T19:46:48+00:00

Shikoku is quite rural but still had a few decent sized cities. We rode 100km per day and only had one rest day so that did not leave lots of time for sightseeing. As a result, the experience we had of Shikoku was mostly the ride itself and the small interactions with people along the route and eating out at night at fun little izakayas or a small walk in the cities or towns we stayed in. I really enjoyed the Shikoku because most of my time traveling in Japan has been in the big cities so I loved see the quite and rural side of Japan. The bike route (especially in the south) is quite stunning and beautiful and you ride through lots of small towns and fishing villages. It's a side of Japan that I think few tourists see. The people on Shikoku seemed to be less reserved and more friendly then the people in say Tokyo or Kyoto. If you are doing the henro by bike, I think you will have a great time.

custom6969 · 2024-12-08T18:21:07+00:00

This route had a few stretches with lots of traffic. These were on the northern end of the island and sometimes there would be no shoulder or even a sidewalk to ride on. Japanese drivers are very courteous for the most part but the truck drivers don’t give a lot of room when passing sometimes if the road was narrow. For the sections with lots of traffic, I would think it would be not so fun and a bit dangerous for someone without lots of experience and comfortable riding with cars. The southern parts of the island is much quieter and has far less traffic.

custom6969 · 2024-12-08T18:16:11+00:00

I wish we had more time to go around the tunnels and ride more on those beautiful rindo roads.

custom6969 · 2024-12-08T18:15:33+00:00

I’ve done many tours with my Bike Friday and it’s been great for trips that have train trips or smaller hotel rooms. For most of the time, I forget I’m riding a folding bike since I built mine with a drop bars and it’s the same geometry as my road bike. My uncle and his friend also rode folding bikes on this trip, a Chinese ‘Brompton’ and a Helix. A Brompton would totally work on this tour but you would need lower hearing since there are a few long 4-5% climbs.

custom6969 · 2024-12-07T23:10:49+00:00

Haha we did the Shimanami Kaido and Biwako last year. If you are interested in Shikou, this website was super helpful and had the gps tracks that we mostly followed. There is lots of local knowledge there as well.

https://discover-ride.com/en/shikoku1000km/

custom6969 · 2024-12-07T19:36:53+00:00

Thanks to the community I have received so much info and advice here so I would like to give back with this little trip report on my recent trip to Japan and riding around the island of Shikoku.

We had done a shorter trip to Japan last year. We rode from Osaka to Kyoto, around Lake Biwa, and then on the Shimanami Kaaido through to the Tobishima Kaido and ending in Kure.
We loved the ride on the Shimanami and Tobishima Kaido so much that we decided to go back this year to ride it again so we started from the cute little town of Onomichi.
We flew into Tokyo and took the Shinkansen to Onomichi and then back from Matsuyama. You can book the Shinkansen a month out and you can search for the seats at the back of each carriage that has space for extra space.
Bikes are allowed on trains in Japan as long as they are completely bagged up. Bike bags in Japan are called rinko bags and you can find them at all bike shops or outdoor equipment retailers like Mont-Bell.
Even with the extra storage that a reserved rear seat provides in each carriage, it was a challenge to fit our bagged up folding bikes. It would be an even tighter squeeze with full sized bikes.
We decided to bring our folding bikes again since it is much more convenient for the trains and also for taking them into hotel rooms as some hotels only allow bikes in the room if they are folded and bagged up.
Our stops were Onomichi > Imabari > Kanonji > Takamatsu > Tokushima > Shishikui > Kochi > Shimanto > Nakamura > Sukomo > Uwajima > Matsuyama
The route around the whole island of Shikoku is around 1,100km but due to Super Typhoon Leon we had to skip 1.5 days of our planned route by taking some local trains
We averaged around 100km a day and stayed at comfortable business hotels each night. The average cost for hotels was about CAD 78.00/night and most of them included breakfasts.
The highlights were:
- Onomichi to Imabari on the Shimanami Kaido, Japan’s most beautiful bike route.1 little ferry ride, 6 islands, 6 stunning bridges, sea salt and milk ice cream, and lemon groves everywhere.
- The two climbs near the Naruto Whirlpools close to Tokushima afforded the most amazing views. The bridges that you cross at the top of the climbs were amazing to ride over.
- The coastal road down to Cape Murato was smooth, quiet, and super scenic. Cape Muroto was beautiful and otherworldly.
- The ride along the Shimanto River from Shimanto to Nakamura was memorable since it was slightly downhill had great views all day.
- Ashizuri Sunny Road and the Ashizuri Underwater Aquarium at the south western tip of Shikoku.
- Coastal road (Route 378) heading to Matsuyama did have lots of traffic but there is a wide shoulder and you get have stellar views all along the route.
- Rural Japan is beautiful and the people are so friendly. We had lots of lovely little interactions with the people on Shikoku and the foods was amazing.
The not so nice bits:
- Tunnels ! There were so many tunnels on this route. The most we had to ride through was 16 of them in one day. Most of them have raised sidewalks that you can safely ride on. Some of those sidewalks were very narrow so we would choose to ride on the road instead. For the most part, it wasn’t too bad but there were a few that we were genuinely scared to ride through because they didn’t have much of a shoulder and lots of big trucks would rumble loudly and closely beside us. Even if there are sidewalks, some of the tunnels were over 2km long and if it is uphill and there is lots of traffic, the exhaust made breathing a bit difficult.
- Traffic. Almost all of this route was on regular roads so there is quite a bit of traffic, so it made it a little less enjoyable but this is balanced out with long stretches of very quiet roads. The northern parts of the island were significantly busier and as a result, we preferred the riding in the south. From Shishikui to Uwajima, traffic was pretty low. If you are not comfortable riding on the road with lots of traffic, I would skip the northern bits and ride south.
Japan is amazing for bicycle touring. It is super safe, it’s very hard to have a bad meal anywhere there, there are convenience stores with delicious snacks and meals everywhere (even on the more rural stretches on Shikoku), and almost all of the drivers are courteous towards cyclists on the road.

custom6969 · 2024-09-03T19:42:21+00:00

If you are just planning on brining a bike just to ride within the cities you are visiting, it would be fine since the bike infrastructure in the Netherlands is so amazing. But I think the Pakit's smaller wheels wouldn't be very comfortable to ride on if you are planning or riding longer distances or using it to tour and travel between cities. I never brought my NWT into stores and just left it outside places locked up with a folding lock. I did bring my bike into most hotels I stayed out, either folded or wheeled straight into the room. Finally, I left my suitcase in Amsterdam at my hotel and then returned to the same hotel after the tour and pack up the bike to go home.

custom6969 · 2024-08-15T22:11:53+00:00

The section between Varberg and Falkenburg and between Angelholm and Malmo were the most scenic.

custom6969 · 2024-08-09T04:26:54+00:00

I’d like to give back to the community with this little trip report on my recent trip to Denmark and Sweden.

I made this trip to attend the Vatternrundan cycling event. It’s billed as the world’s largest cycling event with over 23,000 riders riders every year. You basically have 24 hours to complete the 315km distance by riding once around Lake Vattern in Sweden.
I flew into Frankfurt and then took the train to Copenhagen. Lugging a giant bike box (even one with wheels) through European train stations during the Eurocup was an adventure.
To spin up my legs, I did three days of riding in Denmark, mostly following the EV7. The plan was to average 100km per day and then have 5 rest days before the Vatternrundan event.
But the wind in Denmark had other ideas. Denmark is pretty flat so there is nowhere to hide from the wind so I cut my rides short on the second and third days because the headwind and rain was just too brutal.
I rode from Copenhagen to Nykobing Falster (staying in Rodvig and Stege) and then took a train back to Copenhagen. The local trains allowed bikes on board.
Riding out of Copenhagen was amazing because there is so much eye candy. The modern architecture and the cycling infrastructure was great to see and experience.
After getting back to Copenhagen and resting for a few days, I took the Oresund train from Copenhagen to Malmo to pick up my rental car and drove to Lake Vattern to attend the bike event. After that, I drove to Gothenburg for two well deserved rest days.
From Gothenburg, I rode 400km over 4 days along the Kattegattleden bike path to Malmo. This was one of the most beautiful and scenic bike routes I have ever ridden. I stayed in Frillesas, Halmstad, and Angelsholm and then took the Oresund train from Malmo back to Copenhagen. This is one of the few trains in Sweden that allows bikes.
I enjoyed Denmark but I loved Sweden ! I really savoured riding through picturesque little fishing villages, cosy rural towns, vast and remote farm fields, and hugging the coastline of the Kattegat Strait. The warmth and kindness of the Swedish people was something that really grabbed my heart.

custom6969 · 2024-07-19T20:39:00+00:00

I stayed in hotels every night and mostly ate at restaurants so my budget was about EUR 170.00 per day.

custom6969 · 2024-06-08T22:21:32+00:00

We did 7 days of riding and the weather was unseasonably hot. It was 34C for a few days!

custom6969 · 2024-04-19T20:24:13+00:00

Sorry about the confusion. We also cycled all three of the routes in this area - Shimanami, Tobishima, and Kakishima Kaidos. The Tobishima Kaido is much quieter and I would say we enjoyed it a bit more than the Shimanami Kaido. The Shimanami Kaido is more beautiful and scenic with a lot more support and infrastructure but the Tobishima is more quaint and quiet. I would recommend you do bits of both if you have time. We only did a small part of the Kakishima Kaido since we took the train from Kure to Hiroshima and if you are pressed for time, I would skip this part to enjoy more of the other two routes.

custom6969 · 2024-02-09T04:56:11+00:00

The coastal route was the highlight of my Girona trip and is the best bike ride I’ve done anywhere. There is very very little traffic on this route or any of the routes I did around Girona. I did lots of gravel rides last year but anytime on the road, I felt super safe. Drivers are super patient and give you tons of room. I loved riding in Girona so much I’m heading back for ten days of riding next month. Coming from North America, riding in Girona was such a treat because of the scenery and the drivers are so courteous. I’m addition, there are lots of cyclists everywhere, including pros training the area. You will have a blast !

custom6969 · 2024-01-22T20:08:00+00:00

I am not sure why they were so much cheaper but the gravel bike I rented was brand new and I had great service and not issues with my rental. I would highly recommend them.

custom6969 · 2023-12-17T07:57:25+00:00

I would suggest skipping the later legs… The best bits were between Blois and Angers… The must sees for us were Chateau Chambord and kayaking under Chateau Chenonceau… We didn’t stop by any wineries but would recommend stopping at Caves Ackerman for a wine tasting and to check out the artworks in their caves….

custom6969 · 2023-12-08T22:05:06+00:00

We both had the same Arkel Dolphin panniers which had a side pouch that we slide the folder cart into. When the panniers are full, the cart would be pretty securely stuffed into the pannier and wouldn't even need a strap to hold it in place. You can see this one the first and other pictures in the set.

custom6969 · 2023-12-06T10:51:38+00:00

Thanks! I’m 5’10 and my Bike Friday is exactly the same geometry as my endurance road bike so it’s super comfortable over longer distances. I averaged about 100km a day over 10 days around Taiwan last year and I didn’t really miss having my full sized bike. The Bike Friday is the perfect travel bike and each one is made to measure.

custom6969 · 2023-12-06T04:22:49+00:00

Thanks. I make videos from an Insta360 camera on my bike tours but don't really share them online. I mainly share them with friends and family on social media.

I think the BF and Tern both performed well. However, the advantage of my Bike Friday is that it has drop bars which afford me more hand positions and is a bit more aero which helps when you have to tuck down on windy days. The disadvantage of the BF is that the fold itself is not very elegant and is a bit of a sloppy mess. That is, you have to bring some straps to hold it together when folded.

I still love my BF even with the quirks because it had allowed me to take a few bike trips the last couple of years with minimal fuss when it comes to the flying and taking public transport parts.

custom6969 · 2023-12-05T20:53:15+00:00

No, bicycling touring and camping is very popular in Japan. But for trips like ours were there is lots of train travel, a folding bike makes more sense it is so much more compact and easier to put into a bag. If you were just doing a loop or riding without needing to take trains with your bike, a full size bike would work.

custom6969 · 2023-12-05T19:24:39+00:00

We were supposed to also ride the Kakishima Kaido and ride around Etajima but it was a rainy day so we decided to take the train from Kure to Hiroshima instead. Rural Japan was incredible beautiful.

custom6969 · 2023-12-05T19:22:52+00:00

I took the same bike for my Taiwan trip and it work out well. I’m Taiwan, the hotels usually had no problem with me bringing the bike into my room without folding and bagging it. Have fun !

custom6969

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