Shimanami Kaido is one of the most scenic cycling routes in the world. To ensure no dramas on your trip, avoid these 5 mistakes at all costs!
As someone who “successfully” completed the Shimanami Kaido cycle route from Onomichi to Imabari in 8 hours, I can tell you it wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. However, if you avoid these 5 mistakes, you’ll be just as happy as the two lads in the picture above (photo taken moments before disaster).
1. Do NOT Trust The Blue Line
If you’ve done your research before embarking on the Shimanami Kaido bicycle ride, you would’ve heard a lot about the infamous “blue line.” For the most part, this line helps keep cyclists on track as they make their way from Onomichi toward Imabari City.
However, one thing I learned the hard way was to never solely rely on the blue line, as there are times when it will diverge into another route. The key is to use the blue line in conjunction with the big blue signs to Imabari and your own navigation map, or else end up looping back toward the start of the cycle as I did!
2. Do NOT Rely On “Retire Taxis”
The concept of “retire taxi” services is not exclusive to Japan alone, as you’ll typically find them on long cycling routes similar to this one. This service allows you and your bicycle to get picked up by a special taxi and driven to your desired destination or checkpoint.
As its name suggests, retire taxis are a service for those who have “retired” from the cycle due to exhaustion or technical issues with the bicycle. In my case, having taken the wrong route by blindly following the blue line (see point 1), I was in need of a retire taxi to fast-track me to the next checkpoint so I could make it to the beautiful Shimanami Kaido sunset point in time.
After calling and messaging countless times, they finally picked up the phone, only to tell me there are no taxis available to pick me up, resulting in me missing the sunset and retracing my steps all the way back to the point in which I diverged. To add salt to the wound, I received a message from the retire taxi company several days later asking if I still needed their service (so much for emergency pick-ups).
3. Do NOT Start In The Afternoon
If you plan to get the best out of the Shimanami Kaido cycle, then you probably don’t want to rush. If you start the ride in the afternoon, it would be almost physically impossible to make it to the sunset point on time, so be sure to start in the morning!
On top of that, there is a magical feeling about starting the cycle in the early hours of the morning, as you get to enjoy the stunning scenery of the rising sun and the oxygenating effect of the crisp morning air. Also, starting the ride in the morning will ensure you leave ample time to get to the bike shop at Imabari on time to return your bicycle before they close at 8 pm!
4. Do NOT Sleep Late The Night Before
As you know, I missed the sunset for a different reason (curse that blue line!) but I did start the ride early as my riding buddy and I intended to make that damned sunset. Sadly, I still ended up sleeping late the night before, and perhaps my lack of sleep is what caused me to lose focus at the pivotal moment and make that costly wrong turn.
I suggest avoiding sugary treats the night before, as I believe the sweet whipped cream sandwiches I ate that night is what prevented me from sleeping at a reasonable hour. Hopefully, you won’t have to resort to multiple cans of coffee in the morning to wake yourself up like I did!
5. Do NOT Forget Your Phone Charger
Perhaps the most important thing you can pack with you is a phone charger or, better yet, a battery pack before you head out to the Shimanami Kaido starting point in Onomichi. If you plan to ride at a leisurely pace, you’ll need at least 8 hours to cover the 80 km or so of the cycle path to reach Imabari City, and you can bet your phone will reach the dying point by then.
While there are plenty of Family Mart and Lawson convenience stores along the way, their power sockets won’t serve your phone battery any good if you don’t have a charging cable with you! Fortunately, I brought my phone charger with me which proved to be a life-saver when I took that wrong turn, allowing me to continue using my navigation map to eventually make it to the end of the cycle (and to catch the last ferry to Imabari!).
Of course, if you are planning to visit Japan, you’ll need a way to get around the country as efficiently and affordably as possible. Japan Rail provides an abundance of travel passes to suit your travel needs. So whether you are traveling individually or as a group, the JR Pass is every traveler’s go-to for getting around and making the most of your time in Japan!