Kenta-san's Travel Bookmarks
| 8:00 | Depart hotel and meet today's support rider, Carson, at Takamatsu Chikko Station. |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Coffee and excellent granola at "Hama Cafe" |
| 12:30 | Gorgeous Sashimi Set Meal at Bimbi-ya |
| 14:00 | Arrive at the "Yomomi Observatory" & "French Monster". |
| 15:30 | Okazaki ferry to Shikoku mainland |
| 17:00 | Check-in at Hotel Kiraku |
| 19:00 | Tokushima Ramen at Todai |
DAY 4 is over!
are based on
word of mouth.
Meet at Takamatsu Chikko Station!
Meet up with our support rider, Mr. Carson!
We met up with our first support rider for this trip, Carson, at Takamatsu Chikko Station. He seemed like an experienced rider, but it was his first group ride and he had recently started wearing binding shoes. Surprised, we changed the plan to make it a day to show him how fun group riding can be! We started riding on Route 11 toward Sanuki City. As we rode along, we had to watch out for ruts caused by the many trucks, and it started raining early on.
Change cycling wear
Rain jacket and rain shoes for the changing weather
It started to rain hard, so we took shelter from the weather and changed into rain jackets and shoes. In the wet, Tsucchi's carbon rims were less effective than my disc brakes. While discussing the specifications of our bicycles, which are unique to long trips, we decided to be cautious on our next leg of the trip.
Arrival at the first recharge stop
Hot coffee & excellent granola at "Hama Cafe"
We entered the store to warm our cold bodies with a cup of hot coffee. While looking for some food, I found my favorite granola (170 yen, small enough to eat). It was easy to carry, so I decided to buy some. We ate it later in the day and were surprised at how tasty it was. The somewhat unusual ginger flavor, with its tangy spiciness and syrupy sweetness, is perfect for when you need a pick-me-up! If I had noticed this deliciousness at the store, I would have bought more!
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Lunch today in Tokushima, the third prefecture
Live Fish Cuisine "Bimbi-ya" with many reviews
The omakase lunch (2,000 yen) is a sumptuous set meal that includes the "wakame soup" that has received rave reviews, hamachi sashimi, assorted tempura, and bonito tataki. The wakame-jiru is made from thick, hearty Naruto wakame, a specialty of Tokushima, and the miso soup has a rich flavor similar to arajiru. The fresh hamachi sashimi is also thick and satisfying!
Struggle with 9% uphill gradient
Naruto Skyline
We took the Naruto Skyline to reach the Yomomi Observatory overlooking the Uchino Sea, which had been recommended by word of mouth. The drizzle helped to cool down the heat, but the uphill climb with a maximum gradient of 10% was a challenge with the bike (17kg with bike and luggage), which had become heavy from packing. Batteries and equipment, essential for YouTubers, weighed heavily here.
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Here we are! Yomomi Observatory
Getting excited about the Uchinoumi Sea below
We arrived at the Yomomi-Observatory overlooking the Uchinoumi Sea. Just before reaching the observatory, we looked back at the Yomomi Bridge, from where we had just ridden through the drizzle, and it looked like a roller coaster ride through the clouds. We were impressed by the powerful panorama we were able to see after all the hard work.
Take a break after a hard day's work at the cafe next to the observatory
French Monster Setouchi Food Art
Enter the chic and stylish French Monster. We had the recommended lemonade and the hand-baked sablefish "Tsuki-e Naruto-e (green tea and kumquat)". The lemonade must have come from the Seto Inland Sea region, as the menu featured dishes made with local ingredients. The "Tsuki-e Naruto-e" is a baked sweet with cream sandwiched between two pieces of sable. The sable dough, which is not too sweet, is firm and chewy.
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Crossing the Konaruto Straits on the Okazaki ferry
Ferry with cute waiting area and castle view
Tokushima has long had many ferry boats, and a lot of us are still in existence. After reading a word-of-mouth recommendation for a good view of the beautiful Konaruto Straits and the keep of Natsuyo Castle, I decided to detour to Okazaki Ferry on my way back to the Shikoku mainland from the Yomomi Observation Deck. The boat ride is about 1 km (2-3 minutes) across the Konaruto Straits (free of charge).
Meet the Minimalist Guest House for Cyclists
Kiraku
We split up at Tokushima Station with Carson, who enjoyed the group ride despite the bad weather. Then we visited the guest house "Kiraku," where we stayed in a Japanese-style room for the first time on this trip. It was a simple inn with only tatami mats, a chabudai (tea table), and futon,but we had no complaints, as we could use the washing machine and air conditioner, and the owner was kind enough to let us bring our bikes inside. It is not fancy, but it is a lodging that has stuck to the "minimalism for cyclists."
Finish the day 4 ride with some Tokushima Ramen!
Todai
After dinner at the inn, we decided to go eat Tokushima ramen, which was Kenta-san's long-cherished wish. Tokushima ramen is a thick ramen with a pork bone-based soy sauce broth. The main topping is thinly sliced pork belly cooked sweetly. A raw egg is added to give it a sukiyaki-like flavor. It is perfect after a day of physical exertion.
Places we stopped this time
Takamatsu Chikko Station
Hama Cafe
Live Fish Cuisine Bimbi-ya
Yomomi Observatory
French Monster
Okazaki ferry
Todai
Where we stayed
Hotel Kiraku
ROUTE
About the Day 4 route
Starting at Takamatsu Chikko Station, the tour runs along the right shoulder of the Shikoku mainland by the sea, from Naruto Skyline through neighboring Shimada-jima and Oke-jima Island, and back south to the Shikoku mainland via Okazaki ferry. Finish at a guest house near Tokushima Station.
Distance traveled: 96 km
Elevation Gain: 553m
Travel time: 9 hours
Weather: Cloudy, rainy later
Today's side-trip video
Here's what happened on the other days!
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DAY 1
Matsuyama City - Imabari City Area
Distance travelled: 50km
Day 1 begins with the start of the ride, moving and assembling. After praying for a successful trip at Matsuyama Airport, we set off for Imabari. We enjoyed a nice ride while enjoying local recommendations and B-class gourmet food at a restaurant overlooking the sea, but then we ran into a bike store due to mechanical trouble. Fortunately, it was not a big problem, and we were able to inspect the bike before the long-distance ride started in earnest, so it turned out to be a good first day.
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DAY 2
Imabari City - Kannonji Area
Distance travelled: 103km
Finally, the full day of riding begins in the morning. We'll be touring the manufacturing process of Imabari towels, now a global brand, and taking in the sights of giant old coin sand paintings, while also going on a gastronomic expedition of ramen, melon dessert, and coffee, plus a surprise meeting with a fan, and lots of fun!
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DAY 3
Kannonji - Takamatsu Area
Distance travelled: 83km
Kagawa and Takamatsu are a treasure trove of famous sightseeing spots and gourmet foods, such as Mount Kompira, the Great Seto Bridge, and udon noodles. We changed from cleats to sandals, climbed 1,300 steps to visit the shrine, and rode to get udon for breakfast and lunch. It was a day of riding in Shikoku!
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DAY 4
Takamatsu - Tokushima area
Distance travelled: 96km
Day 4 with the first support rider of this trip, "Carson-kun". Despite the rainy season finally baptizing the day, the riders will head through the Takamatsu-Tokushima area at cruising speed, enjoying exquisite granola, a sumptuous seafood lunch, fashionable sweets, Tokushima ramen, and more.
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DAY 5
Tokushima - Shishikui Area
Distance travelled: 96km
Before we left, I found something wrong with my tires and had to ride the entire day with a time bomb. In addition, rain was forecast, and we thought it was going to be a hard day, but we were lucky to have a great lunch, good road conditions, and the rain held off! We arrived at a guest house with a private beach and toasted our good fortune.
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DAY 6
Shishikui - Kochi Area
Distance travelled: 124km
Finally, the trip is about to turn around. We hit Route 55 and headed for Kochi via the UNESCO-designated Geopark Cape Muroto. The 124-km ride, the longest of the 11-day itinerary, was underway. We rode along the coast in fine weather, but a bulge in the rear tire had been a source of concern since yesterday. We finally made it to the bike store and were relieved!
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DAY 7
Kochi City - Tosa-Kure area
Distance travelled: 74km
We will continue to ride around in the second half of the day with our well-maintained bicycles in great shape. Today's support rider, Saito-san, provided us with a perfect local guide, and we were able to enjoy not only Katsurahama Beach, but also Kochi's largest morning market, a tour of powerful local industries, and a run-through of local delicacies.
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DAY 8
Tosakure - Nakamura Area
Distance travelled: 116km
Today's ride is down the Shimanto River, the longest first-class river in Shikoku. We will ride to a sunken bridge surrounded by mountains and clear water with a break for shiitake mushrooms and a cafe overlooking the Shimanto River! The weather, pleasant route, and spectacular views all combine to make this Shikoku trip the best yet!
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DAY 9
Nakamura - Otsuki City Area
Distance travelled: 112km
We finally have three days left on our trip. Today, we will change our itinerary completely and head for Kashiwa Island, which has received a lot of recommendations. When we get there, the sea is unbelievably beautiful! We were satisfied with the sudden change in our itinerary and marveled at the unfathomable charms of Shikoku, which we might not be able to fully explore in a single trip around the island.
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DAY 10
Otsuki City - Uwajima City Area
Distance travelled: 62km
Kenta-san has finally reached the end of his trip and returned to Ehime, the prefecture of his departure. Today was the second shortest daily itinerary, but he had plenty of time to enjoy Uwajima's specialties for lunch and dinner, and almost bought a piece of bonito at a roadside station he stopped at along the way. It was a day to get in shape for the last leg of the ride.
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DAY 11
Uwajima City - Matsuyama City Area
Distance travelled: 106km
The last leg of our 11-day cycling tour is finally over. After a hill climb at the beginning of the ride, passing a roadside station that boasts the largest selection of ancient creatures and orange juice in Japan, and an emotive unmanned train station, we finally reached the goal! After getting out of the saddle, we will continue to enjoy Matsuyama City without any worries.