Shimanami Kaido, 1Day Relaxed Island Hopping Cycling Tour
Overview
Available languages
9 hours
Mobile ticket
Are you ready for something slow, calm and welcoming? Immerse yourself in the peaceful rhythm of the Seto Inland Sea and enjoy a relaxed cycling experience, on a dedicated cycling path that is webbed with fishing villages, hillside citrus orchards and historic shrines. Welcome to the Shimanami Kaido, voted one of the “Seven Best Bike Routes in the World”.
Explore a different side of Japan, away from the overcrowded tourist sites with our cycling and ferry tour. A perfect addition to complete your Japanese experience!
WHAT MAKES THIS TOUR UNIQUE
-Designed to highlight all “must see” spots
-A mix of cycling and ferries to make it suitable in the summer heat
-Free time at our main destination, to explore at your own pace
-Expert Guide and native english speaker who designed the tour from years of experience
-An immersive rural and cultural experience you will never forget!
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
What To Expect
Onomichi
The day will start in the beautiful Onomichi, where you meet your guide at JR Onomichi station, have introductions and a debrief on your day ahead. Then you will collect your bikes and head to a ferry port.
Mukaishima
After a short ferry trip to Mukaishima, here you will hop on your bikes and join the Shimanami Kaido and a short ride out of town will bring you to the coast, where you will see the beautiful Seto Inland Sea for the first time. Following the coast around, you will soon see the Innoshima Bridge emerge from the horizon—a sweeping span of steel gracefully arcing across the shimmering blue waters below. A striking gateway to the next leg of your journey.
Options
Shimanami Kaido, 1Day Relaxed Island Hopping Cycling Tour
What‘s Included
Bottled water given at the start of the day
Cycling insurance
Ferry from Onomichi to Mukaishima, from Setoda to Onomichi
Use of bicycle
Light snacks such as bars and fruit
Please come to the meeting point, Onomichi station, by yourself
You will have free time to choose your own lunch
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
8 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Strongly recommend!!
roshnij352,Mar 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a wonderful time exploring the beautiful Shimanami Kaido with Damien. We felt safe and really appreciated his knowledge of the area. It was a bit cloudy and misty, but with Damien’s infectious positive attitude and the stunning views, we had an awesome time. Highly recommend and would definitely do it again!
Great way to experience the Shimanami passage
mvtinajen,Nov 16, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Damian is a terrific tour guide who brought snacks, showed us the way, and made it a perfect day! The pace was quick with no pressure and plenty of stops. He has loads of interesting information about the history and current places of interest among the islands. It was a great day.
Wonderful relaxing bike ride
Stan v,Oct 20, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00Very nice trip! Guide Damian is an experienced Japan connoisseur and cyclist. Very relaxed Aussie style, he leads the way and tells about the islands and Japanese and the Japanese
Awesome bike ride with an amazing guide!
Ruben D,Aug 29, 2025
- Review from Viator
5.00An incredible ride with breathtaking views—challenging enough to be fun but still accessible for most riders. Damien is a fantastic guide: super knowledgeable about the area and full of great tips, like an optional detour to a scenic temple and local spots for gelato, the regional citrus mochi, and all the great restaurants in the area. He’s a top notch guy and made the whole experience fun and memorable. If you're doing the Shimanami Kaido for the first time, I highly recommend taking this tour!
Just the best day!
rachaelb574,Aug 24, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Fantastic day riding this beautiful coastline with our excellent guide Damien. With limited time, it was so nice to just turn up and have the bikes booked and ready to go. Damien really looked after us, keeping us hydrated and topped up with snacks during the insane August heat! The optional climb to the mountain top shrine was so worth the view (and much easier on the e-assist bike!) Damien's recommendations for sights to see and local snacks to try were top notch. Would have loved to spend more time enjoying Setoda. Next time I'm definitely going to do the full trip to Imabari over 2 days. Really sad I couldn't fit it in this time but so grateful to Ayumi for doing all the research for us on where to stay and putting together a potential package.
The reason this cycle trip was so special was the guide, Damien. He was fun, chatty and his knowledge of the area ensured a grea
Aoibheann L,Jul 23, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We loved our cycle trip with guide, Damien across the first three islands. On a scorching hot day there was plenty of opportunities to cycle, enjoy the scenery and relish any cool breeze that came our way. Thank you to Damien for introducing us to the delicious Hassaku Daifuku, an orange specific to Innoshima and wrapped like a little rice dumpling.
Day in paradise
michaelvG4179ZL,Jun 11, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Shimanami Kaido is a wonderful cycling route across several islands connected by bridges in the Seto inland sea. It’s a small paradise with temples and beaches along the route. The English speaking guide arranged bicycles and ferry tickets in advance and along the way explained interesting facts about interesting places.
Great getaway with a friendly English speaking guide!
Escape60178029038,Jun 9, 2025
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was my first time visiting the Shimanami Kaido, and I was deeply moved by the breathtaking scenery! Our guide, Damian, prepared everything needed for cycling, which saved us time and allowed us to fully enjoy the experience. He's so friendly and knowledgeable, and he shared lots of local tips like great lunch spots and fun things to do in the area. It was truly an unforgettable day!
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