Imabari Castle is only 1 to 2km from the hotel. Coming to this historical sightseeing spot, I finally felt that I was in Shikoku. There are few people, and the water in the moat is quiet and solemn. We were all fired up to complete the day's run safely, and off we went!

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Visit the gallery on the 5th floor (admission fee: 800 yen). Visitors can see the manufacturing process of Imabari towels. The colorful towels on display are a sight to behold!

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I made up my mind during the first half of the trip to buy Imabari towels and use them along the way, immediately went to the museum gift shop to check out the goods. I found a thin and compact gauze towel and chose a vegetable pattern that my daughter would love.

After another 8km, you will arrive at "Shuchan Plaza". Here, visitors can purchase agricultural products from Shuwa, and nearby areas, as well as processed products made from local ingredients. At the "Shuchan Marugoto Café" on the premises, I bought one of only a few available, the popular "Melon Mountain" (880 yen). It was a whole melon cut in half (!) and topped with soft-serve ice cream. The ice cream also contains melon pulp, making it an extravagant treat. The ice cream cooled my burning body, and the juicy melon rehydrated me.

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Next, they went to the neighboring city of Saijo. They stopped by Uchinuki no Mizu, which is selected as one of the 100 best waters by the Environment Agency. As expected from word of mouth that the water is used for Asahi Super Dry, the clear underground water is mild and just the right amount of coolness. Kenta-san said I couldn't help but drink a little too much. Tsucchi, who is picky about the taste of water, was excited. Of course, they also filled cycle bottles.

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After dinner in Imabari the day before, they stopped by Miyabiya in Niihama City on the strong recommendation of a local brother they met in town, Saito-san. The popular soy sauce ramen has a clear soup, but it tastes as if a lot of effort has been put into it. The toppings are also delicious, with fresh and crispy shredded leeks. The char siu pork, grilled right in front of you, is also delicious and savory, and is enough to make you want to eat more rice. The chef was obviously very skilled and told me he trained in Tokyo for 10 years. I ate until I was full but had to leave the restaurant reluctantly after seeing a delicious looking char siu donburi dish on the menu.

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They stopped at "Minna no Coffee" to take a breather before climbing the 4-km hill of Tenma Pass, the most difficult part of the day's itinerary. They had heard that Minna no Coffee was a favorite of local cyclists, but when they visited, it exceeded their expectations. The aroma of roasting coffee wafted through the air inside the store, and when they stepped outside, the ocean was right in front of me. Sitting at a table in the shade of a tree they enjoyed drinking aromatic iced coffee which had a light aftertaste. The owner of the store is also a cyclist, and his four cats play with customers. The pleasant sea breeze and the view made them stay longer than they thought they would.

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While riding through Shikokuchuo City, they were approached by a young boy standing on the road with his road bike by his side. The young lad, Kentaro-kun, told them he had learned about this project on YouTube and had been here for 4 hours with his family waiting for Kenta-san to pass by! KENTARO's chromoly RALEIGH is matching with Kenta-san's. They enjoyed talking about bicycles while gratefully eating "Bakudonuts" from G.B.C KIRIYAMA BASE that he brought for them.

Everyone recommended "Chichibugahama Beach," a sightseeing spot also known as Japan's Lake Uyuni. I wanted to take a shot of the sunset to use as a thumbnail for the video, but as sunset was approaching, I hurriedly switched to Ichinomiya Park. This beach is also photogenic with the ocean beyond the grass. Kenta-san taking a picture of a bicycle as a candidate for a thumbnail.

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Entering today's destination town, Kanonji City, they visited the sightseeing spot "Zenigata Sunae" from the observatory. The 2-meter-high giant sand painting, which is said to have been made in one night more than 350 years ago, is still repaired twice a year by volunteers from the city. In fact, the slope to the observatory is the steepest slope of the day (maximum gradient of 13%!). After climbing up the slope, they were able to see the magnificent scale of the scenery with the setting sun in the background.

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Arriving at today's hotel! The inn standing on the seaside is the Kotohiki Kairo, which consists of a splendid hot spring and a detached private lodging house. The inn is a renovated nostalgic apartment, and there is a washing machine inside the room, which is great for cyclists. For some reason, the wallpaper in the rooms evokes a strong emotional sentiment from Kenta-san.

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