Where to Travel if You Can’t Sit Still on Vacation

Japan is never a bad idea, and its seamless transit options especially reward the traveler who’d rather wake up somewhere new than linger too long in one hotel or one neighborhood. A four-hour Shinkansen ride west of Tokyo, the laid-back islands of the Seto Inland Sea are a little-visited corner of Japan that form the base for the Shimanami Kaido cycling route, which stitches together six islands across nearly 50 scenic and blissfully crowd-free miles.

In just a few days on the route, you can pedal through a highlight reel of the region’s forest-cloaked hills, pristine beaches and island-hopping bridges, while a short train ride from the finish line, the unhurried city of Matsuyama awaits for a few blissful days of hot-spring soaking.

This isn’t a hardcore cycling trip requiring an athlete’s endurance. The terrain is mostly flat, roads are meticulously maintained and for longer bridge crossings, ferries offer an effortless alternative. It’s not so much about checking off a list of sights, but about being nimble and spontaneous: a coffee break here, a temple stroll there and enough time to veer off track if a yuzu farm—this is citrus country—or art museum catches your eye.

Fly in through Tokyo, then head to Onomichi, a hilly port town dotted with temples, bike rental shops and an old-timey shopping arcade that seems stuck in the 1960s. From here, navigation is foolproof. Just follow the blue line that hems the road all the way to the end point in Imabari—no need to decipher maps or signage.

You could race the entire track in half a day, but the appeal lies in stretching it out with an overnight stop (or two) and detours along the islands’ ring roads. Setoda, roughly midway, on the island of Ikuchijima, makes for a natural layover: This low-key harbor town offers nostalgic mom-and-pop restaurants and excellent onsen baths to revive exhausted legs. Stay for a night or two, and, like the rest of the route, the best parts will find you.

Where to Stay

Shake off the jet lag with at least a night or two at the recently renovated Park Hyatt Tokyo. (Photo courtesy of Park Hyatt Tokyo/Jouin Manku Yongjoon Choi)

Shake off the jet lag jitters with at least a night or two in Tokyo. From the sky-high rooms of the recently renovated Park Hyatt Tokyo, the city stretches out onto the horizon. For something more central, the sleek, whip-smart Tokyo EDITION, Ginza offers easy access to Tokyo Station for the bullet train ride.

In Onomichi, stay at the aptly named Hotel Cycle in ONOMICHI U2 before you pedal off. This industrial-cool complex in a converted waterfront warehouse comprises everything from a bike rental to a concept store (pick up some hand cream with local yuzu) and a cyclist-friendly drive-through for an espresso shot. En route, the standout stay is Azumi Setoda on Ikuchijima, a straight-lined haven of blond hinoki wood and a French-inflected restaurant in a 140-year-old merchants’ mansion. Yubune, the modern sento (community bathhouse) across the street, offers simpler guest rooms, and is worth it even if you’re just taking a soak.

The easiest city for onward travel is Matsuyama, a 30-minute train ride southwest from the route’s finish line in Imabari. The city is home to the 3,000-year-old Dōgo Onsen hot springs; the ryokan-style Yamatoya Honten puts you in the heart of the steamy action.

Eat and Drink

Stop in the old-school Matsushige Liquor Shop for a beer and okonomiyaki pancakes.

Eating along the Shimanami Kaido is all about charming local restaurants, humble cafés and roadside snacks. Sample Onomichi’s chill café culture at TOTEM, which serves milky chai blended with freshly ground spices; don’t leave without picking up cannelés from the stamp-sized Nekonotepan Factory around the corner. For dinner, score a seat at Sushi Yakushidou, where the red vinegar, brewed by a 440-year-old local producer, is a surprising highlight. Hole-in-the-wall (though hardly secret) Maruboshi hits the spot for ramen and karaage chicken.

If you’re cycling on a weekend, stop by the farmer-run COGO café for a curry lunch, and make the short detour after the first bridge to Hassakuya for pillow-soft daifuku mochi stuffed with local fruits and sweet white bean paste. In Setoda, seek out Hama Tei for all things tuna, or the old-school Matsushige Liquor Shop for a beer and okonomiyaki pancakes. Wrap your ride with an Imabari soul-food staple (yakibuta tamago meshi, or pork and egg rice) at a Chinese-style diner like Hakurakuten. In Matsuyama, the wickedly creative Le Club bar mixes cocktails that could taste like melon bread or even ramen—a well-earned reward.

Things to Do

Before you begin, take a cable car to the hilltop Senko-ji temple for an aerial view of the route.

Before getting your rental bike in Onomichi, take a cable car to the hilltop Senko-ji temple for an aerial view of the route ahead. Or, if you have time to spare and calories to burn, hike the 1.5-mile Temple Walk, weaving through residential alleys and public parks, with 25 temples along the way.

Your starting point on the Shimanami Kaido is a short ferry hop across from Onomichi. From there, the scenic route itself is probably the highlight of any ride, and with the freedom that comes with having your own wheels, you can stop as often as you wish: There’s no shortage of roadside shrines, lookouts (the Shiratakiyama Observation Deck and Kirosan Observatory Park are standouts) and ancient castles (like Imabari Castle near the finish line). Plot a visit to Setoda’s Kousanji temple for its dazzling marble sculptures and cave lined with a thousand Buddha statues, while the hot springs of Dōgo Onsen near Matsuyama help soothe cycle-weary muscles.

How to Go Big

If you’re planning to rent an e-bike for the route, reserve one in advance, as inventory thins out quickly. Seek a rental shop that offers the option to drop off your bicycle at the end station in Imabari to avoid having to backtrack, and ship your suitcase ahead between overnight stops, so you can ride light with just a day pack; most hotels and convenience stores (look for the TA-Q-BIN black cat logo) can help arrange this.