The World longest cable-stayed bridge, Tatara Ohashi Bridge
Tatara Ohashi Bridge is one of the most popular bridges on the Shimanami Kaido. I highly recommend you ride on this bridge, since I believe this will be the highlight of Shimanami Kaido cycling. It's so refreshing to feel the breeze, feel the ocean. I almost wished the ride on the bridge would never end.
The bridge looks exceptionally elegant. The height of the main tower is 220 meters. Despite the high rise, the bridge doesn't look out of place. It makes a complete harmony with the nature surrounding it. The bridge is flat and easy to ride. However, it is a popular sightseeing spot, so you must be careful of pedestrians.
Beyond Omishima Island belongs to Ehime prefecture. After riding through Tatara Ohashi Bridge and taking the downhill, you will find Michi-no-Eki, Tatara Shimanami Koen Park. You can see the amazing view of Tatara Ohashi Bridge from here. It is the best lookout spot to take a rest while enjoying the beautiful bridge. The park has restaurants and shops with various lineups.
Going downhill after crossing over the bridge
Tatara Shimanami Koen Park
Omishimabashi Bridge is only 5 kilometers away from Tatara Shimanami Koen Park
Omishimabashi Bridge is a small arch bridge
After turning to the left from Tatara Shimanami Koen Park, you take the flat coastal road. The cycling road in Omishima Island actually has only about 5 kilometers. After passing through Omishima Interchange, you ride about 4 kilometers on the coastline. Don't miss the entrance to the cyclist/pedestrian road leading up to Omishima-bashi Bridge on your right. From there, you take an uphill ramp heading towards Omishima-bashi Bridge. On the way to the entrance, you can gaze out at Omishima-bashi Bridge and the Hanaguri Seto Strait, the rapid water between Omishima and Hakatajima Islands.
Omishima Ohashi Bridge is the oldest among the Shimanami Kaido bridges. The small arch bridge is built over the formidable Hanaguri Seto Strait. The car lanes and cyclists/pedestrian lanes are separate, and the lane is wide and easy to ride. Although the lane is divided into two with a white line, one for mopeds, and the other for cyclists/pedestrians, since sometimes mopeds approach from behind/front before you know it, you have to be careful.
Omishimabashi Bridge has a wide lane for cyclists
Omishimabashi Bridge is built over the Hanaguri Seto Strait, the dangerous spot with rapid currents. So the view from the bridge looks like it is as if you are gazing out at the river, rather than the ocean.
After passing through the bridge, you'll reach Hakatajima Island. Hakatajima is the smallest island among the Shimanami Kaido islands. The recommended cycling course is to ride straight along the Route 317 for about 3 kilometers. Since it is such a short ride, you can also take a coastal road to fully enjoy the tour round the island. On this trip, though, we take the recommended cycling route. After getting off the bridge, we get back to the cycling road. After riding for about 400 meters, you'll find Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park. It is located nearby the beautiful Shimanami Beach, and Marine Oasis Hakata which is equipped with restaurants and shops. It is a good place to take a break. We enjoy the relaxing moments with a beautiful ocean view. We can also look over Hakata Oshima Ohashi Bridge from here.
The cycling distance is short but it's such a nice ride.
After riding about 500 meters on the coastline from Michi-no-Eki Hakata S.C. Park, you'll find the entrance to the cyclist/pedestrian road to Hakata Oshima Ohashi Bridge. We get on the bridge from here. After crossing this bridge, we'll finally land on the last island, Oshima.
I'll write in details later, but the route in Ohima Island is supposed to be the hardest for cyclists. So it is a good idea to slow down a little bit in Hakatajima Island to prepare for the final ride.
You can see Hakata-Oshima Ohashi Bridge from Hakata Beach
Taking a break at Marine Oasis Hakata.
Ice cream with a hint of locally produced salt is very popular.
Crossing Hakata-Oshima Ohashi Bridge. The sea breeze is refreshing.
Hakata-Oshima Ohashi Bridge literally connects both Hakata and Oshima islands. With this bridge, we would have crossed all the five bridges on the Shimanami Kaido. Each of the bridges is unique and different. It is fun to actually feel the difference.
After dashing through the bridge, we've landed on Oshima island, getting off at Miyakubo cho area on the north side of the island. From here on, we ride on the coastline for a while. It is nice to ride while gazing out at the rapid currents. We could also see the main base of Murakami Pirates, Noshima Island. From Noshima Island to the Funaori Seto Strait is the hardest area to maneuver due to the rapid and complicated currents. The speed of the current is genuinely amazing.
We make a right around the Tourist Information Center, parting from the coastline. Here starts an uphill. We will cut across the center of the island. Before we reach Kurushima Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge, two steep uphills await us. One is the uphill peaking at Ishi Bunka Undo Park. Many cyclists riding on a rental bike are forced to push their bikes around this area. Take it easy and ride at your own pace.
After entering Yoshiumi cho area, a downhill begins. But another uphill begins near Oshima Minami Interchange. Unfortunately, there are hardly any scenic views up to this point. The reason why Oshima is called the hardest cycling route is that you have to go through these steep ups and downs. Also, since the cycling road is on the Route 317, many buses and trucks pass by. Overall riding experience is rather difficult, but after the second uphill, an amazing view enfolds. The climax of this trip will come at Kurushima Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge. The finish line is around the corner!
Riding on the coastline with a view of Noshima Island
Uphill continues near Ishi Bunka Koen Park
Uphill starts again near Oshima Minami Interchange
Kurushima Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge has come into view. We dashed down the downhill.
Riding on the gradual slope after crossing the bridge
After riding a few hundred meters away from Yoshiumi Ikiki Kan and Shitadami-ko Port, you will find the entrance to the cyclists/pedestrians road to Kurushima-Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge, to the side of mountains. This uphill ramp to the bridge will be the final one on this trip. Kurushima-Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge, the last and the longest bridge on the Shimanami Kaido, is the world's first three successive suspension bridge. And the bridge is built on the highest altitude compared to the four other bridges. There is a moderate slope leading towards the bridge. Beware that the lane for mopeds will diverge at some point.
Riding on this ramp gives me a feeling of going up in the air. After finishing the uphill ramp to get on the bridge, Kurushima Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge is right in front of me, stretching ahead. It is an amazing view.
I thought that the road on the bridge must be flat, but I realize that there are slight ups and downs. The total length of the bridge is 4,105 meters. It is long enough to enjoy the ride over the bridge.
Here comes Kurushima Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge, 4-kilometer road over the ocean.
Kurushima Kaikyo Ohashi Bridge has come into view. We dashed down the downhill.
Although cyclists and pedestrians share the same lane, moped riders are separate on this bridge which makes our ride much easier. But since it is a popular tourists' attraction, the lane is populated with pedestrians and cyclists. You should especially pay attention to young children, elderlies and group tourists taking pictures over the bridge.
Feeling somewhat reluctant, we've crossed over this last bridge and made a finish line! After getting off the slope, we proceed on the regular road for a few hundred meters, and you see the cycling terminal, Sunrise Itoyama. You can drop off your rental bike here.
The distance between Onomichi City ferry terminal and Sunrise Itoyama on my meter shows 71.73 kilometers. The average speed was 22 kilometers per hour. The cruising speed was about 30 kilometers per hour, since we had to stop for photo shoots. The total length of the trip was about 3 hours and 15 minutes. It might be a bit too slow for serious riders who regularly ride 30 to 35 kilometers per hour. But personally, if you want to enjoy the scenary, this pace is quite appropriate.
Crossing the finish line! We can't stop smiling.
Although we took a few short breaks, we basically dashed through the Shimanami Kaido in a few hours. Naturally, we felt pretty tired after the vigorous ride, but the sense of accomplishment overshadowed our exhaustion. If you love cycling, believe me, try this course. Scenic beauty is waiting for you.