Kenta-san's Travel Bookmarks
| 8:45 | Departure from the inn |
|---|---|
| 10:00 | Rest at "Shimanto-gou Mizuguruma-ya" |
| 12:20 | Lunch at "Toowa Shokudo" |
| 14:30 | Nagaoi Chinkabashi Bridge (sunken bridge) |
| 16:00 | Take a break at SHADE TREE COFFEE |
| 16:30 | Sada Chinkabashi Bridge (sunken bridge) |
| 17:30 | Arrival at the hotel "New Royal Hotel Shimanto" |
DAY 8 is over!
are based on
word of mouth.
A morning that begins with community service
Kuresaka
The eighth day begins with a 6km stretch of the Kure Slope immediately after departing the inn. After crossing Nanako Pass, the route heads downhill on National Route 56. Today also began with Tsucchi's community service. (Tsucchi, who tends to get knocked on the uphills, always says he falls behind because he has to do his community service in the middle of the slopes.)
Recharge our lost energy from the early hill climb
Shimanto-gou Mizuguruma-ya
At the first rest stop, we stopped at the "Shimanto-gou Mizuguruma-ya" for a light meal of puff pie and iced coffee.
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Everlasting spectacular views, smooth roads, and descents
"Best Road Award" nominee for this trip
Beautiful scenery and comfortable roads continue. As an added bonus we had almost an all-day descent which felt like an average incline of about -1%.
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Excellent shiitake mushroom lunch
Toowa Shokudo
I had lunch at the Toowa Shokudo (restaurant) in Shimanto Toowa, a roadside station along the banks of the Shimanto River. We ordered the "Tataki" (chopped raw shiitake mushrooms), which was recommended by word-of-mouth. Kenta-san is actually not fond of shiitake mushrooms, but he was surprised that the taste of shiitake in this dish, wasn't too unusual to me. Tsucchi ordered the "Toowa Kagozen" (1,380 yen), which was the most popular dish in the restaurant and made with plenty of local ingredients. The colorful side dishes, including tataki, were a feast for the eyes!
Nice and cozy, after-meal coffee
Ochakuri Cafe
I had an after-meal coffee at "Ochakuri Cafe" adjacent to "Otowa Shokudo. Their specialty is Mont Blanc made with chestnuts, a specialty of the Shimanto River area, but it was sold out today. An iced coffee with a view of the Shimanto River, one of the three clearest rivers in Japan, which flows right in front of the store, restores my strength and energy before the second half of the ride!
Cycle tube found in vending machine
Vending machine in Roadside Station Shimanto Toowa
Perhaps because so many people visit here by bicycle, we also found "cycle tube vending machines" along the Shimanami Kaido.
Nature's power and fear are side by side
Nagaioi sunken bridge
At about 8km from the cafe, turn off the national highway and stop at the Nagaioi Submerged Bridge. This bridge, built in the mountains, allows visitors to feel the mountains approaching from both sides and the Shimanto River running at their feet without the use of handrails. However, the bridge is just wide enough to allow a single car to pass through. It is a frightening thing to be without handrails! As we were shooting, a car approached us. I was terrified that we would have to pass each other on the bridge, but to my surprise, it was a follower. As we talked about our schedule for the next day, he recommended that we make every effort to stop at "Kashiwa Island" . The clarity of the ocean near the island is exceptional, we heard.
Take a break at a café in the shade of a tree
SHADE TREE COFFEE
Kenta-san was able to stop by the cafe, which is open only twice a week (Sundays and Mondays), at just the right time. A little off Route 441, he saw a small sign at the end of the road. He went ahead and found a wooden café. The counter facing the Shimanto River had a nice atmosphere with a shade of green and the shade of the trees. Coffee was recommended, but it was too hot, so we ordered lemon squash. It was also exceptionally tasty. It was a drink for adults, not too sweet and the bitterness of the lemon peel. We happened to be the only two customers and had the pleasant space all to ourselves, but we heard that this is a very popular restaurant that usually attracts a lot of customers.
Another sunken bridge to take advantage of the downhill trend
Sada sunken bridge (Imanari bridge)
With the entire day being downhill, we had already covered 110 km in 8 hours of riding. After taking a break at a café, we decided to stop at one more sunken bridge. The second bridge, the Sada sunken bridge, is a little wider than the one at Nagaoi, so we felt more secure.
Goal!
New Royal Hotel Shimanto & Shokusuitei Motoya
Arrive at today's lodging. Bicycles can be left in the room, and there is a coin-operated laundry conveniently located a 3-minute walk away. Afterwards, we had dinner at a tavern near the hotel, Shokusuitei Motoya. We enjoyed fresh sashimi, as this is a port town, but we were feeling quite tired from today's long ride as we approached the second half of our itinerary. We went to bed early.
Places we stopped this time
Kuresaka
Shimanto-gou Mizuguruma-ya
Toowa Shokudo
Ochakuri Cafe
Nagaoi Chinkabashi
SHADE TREE COFFEE
Sada Chinkabashi (Imanari Bridge)
Shokusuitei Motoya
Where we stayed
New Royal Hotel Shimanto
ROUTE
About the Day 8 route
Today's ride was an inland route. Immediately after the start, a 6km hill climb up Kurezaka (average gradient 4.6%), then mostly downhill along the Shimanto River downstream in the Kubokawa area. The run finishes in Nakamura, located about 10 km from the mouth of the river.
Distance traveled: 116km
Elevation Gain: 645m
Travel time: 8 hours and 45 minutes
Weather: fine
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.