Around Shikoku Various Ranking
In addition, our trip around Shikoku lasted 11 days and I encountered many places I would like to go back to and many foods I would like to eat again. Here are the rankings for each category.
Hotel Ranking
No. 1: Pension Shishikui
The inn where we stayed on the fifth day. This pension is located in Shishikui, a mecca for surfers. The log house is handmade by the owner, who lived in Hawaii for a long time, and the food, interior, and music are all in Hawaiian style. The location in front of the pension is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, where you can enjoy the calm sea.
No. 2: Kuroshio Honjin
On the seventh day, we stayed at the most luxurious ryokan of the trip, at about 20,000 yen per night. The hotel's hospitality, sumptuous breakfast and dinner, and hot spring bath overlooking the Pacific Ocean made us feel rich and comfortable.
No. 3: Kotohiki Kairo
Stayed the second day. A shared house-style accommodation next to a hot spring facility. The wallpaper had a 'strong character', but the price was reasonable. There are plenty of rooms and they come equipped with a washing machine, they are also very comfortable and easy to use, with bathing and dining available at the hot spring facility next door.
Meal Ranking
No. 1: Yanagawa Udon
On the third day, we stopped by an udon shop near our hotel for breakfast. The small local udon shop has a gentle broth that makes you want to eat it every day.
No. 2: Bimbi-ya
On the fourth day, we stopped for lunch at a set meal restaurant serving delicious local seafood. The miso soup with wakame seaweed was so flavorful and memorable that it managed to upstage the main course. We also received many word-of-mouth reviews about this restaurant.
No. 3: Hozumitei
On the 10th day of the ride, we stopped for dinner at an izakaya where we could enjoy the local cuisine of Uwajima. For the first time, I was recommended the sashimi type Uwajima sea bream rice, and I was very impressed. The atmosphere of the restaurant was very local and quaint and the staff were extremely thoughtful .
No. 4: Monpuku
On the evening of the 11th day, I wanted to eat Chinese food to end my seafood-filled trip, so I went to Monfuku, located next to the pink street of Dogo Onsen. The Szechuan-style mapodofu (bean-curd soup seasoned with red bean paste) was very tasty. When I told the owner of the restaurant that I had completed a round trip of Shikoku, he was happy to celebrate by treating me to a glass of Asahi Super Dry.
No. 5: WUTOWURK
A restaurant where we stopped for lunch on the fifth day. The meat-wrapped hamburger steak made with Awa beef would be the best if there was a meat ranking.
Cafe Ranking
No. 1: Minna-no Coffee
A cafe we stopped by on the second day. The location is right in front of the Seto Inland Sea. We stayed longer than usual not only because of the coffee, which we had to have another cup, but also because of the fun photo spot and the conversation with the owner and staff, who are bicycle enthusiasts.
No. 2: Toubai-chan no Baked Xiaolongbao
A drive-through small basket store run by a Chinese owner, where we stopped for a break on the first day and got a small basket and tapioca ice cream. Good taste, good ambiance, strong restaurant quirks! And high marks for the location, which makes it easy for cyclists to stop by!
No. 3: SHADE TREE COFFEE
A cafe we stopped at on our 8th day ride. The lemonade we drank in a hut built on a slope was the best we had ever tasted. The atmosphere is stylish, and when you sit down to enjoy the view of the Shimanto River, the shade of the trees envelops you comfortably in the cafe, just as the name of the store suggests. The cafe is open only on limited days, so please check the website before visiting.
Spectacular Spots Ranking
No. 1: Shimanto River
Eighth day ride. This is an area where you can ride all the way along a long, flat, signal-free road, and where all the scenery is spectacular. The sunken bridges that rhythmically appear along the way seem to be set up. As you ride alongside the beautiful Shimanto River, you will feel like you are approaching the realm of the gods.
No. 2: Cape Muroto
The cape located southeast of the mainland of Shikoku, which we visited on our 6th day ride. From 4-50km before that point, a superb seaside course & almost zero traffic lights & flat (slightly downhill?) Road surface. The clean road has few cars passing by and is in surprisingly good condition even for Kenta-san, who runs seaside courses all over Japan. There are no restaurants, so don't forget to bring some refreshments.
No.3: Yomomi Observatory
This is the lookout we stopped at on the 4th day. The view was amazing, even though we visited in bad weather, but we are determined to come back here again someday when the weather is better.
People we met
It is truly a once in a lifetime experience. The people I've met on this trip!
Kentarou-kun
High school roadie we met on the second day of the ride. When Kenta-san found out that we were going to ride in his hometown, his whole family came out to help us find him. Thanks for the baku-donuts!
Owner of Minna no Coffee
The owner of Minna no Coffee, an overly cozy cafe in Niihama City, where we stopped on our second day's ride.
Mr. Saito
Support rider for day 7. Experienced guide rider who introduced us to the various points of interest in the area.
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.
Equipment for Kenta-san's 1,000km run this time
ROUTE
Outline of the route: 1000km Round Trip Shikoku
The route starts in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, rides clockwise along the Shikoku coastline, and returns to Matsuyama City 11 days later, for a total distance of approximately 1,000km.