{"id":3237,"date":"2016-03-15T08:00:28","date_gmt":"2016-03-14T23:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/?p=3237"},"modified":"2020-03-27T11:39:14","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T02:39:14","slug":"island-hopping-onomichi-mukaishima","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/voyapon.com\/island-hopping-onomichi-mukaishima\/","title":{"rendered":"Island hopping with the Shimanami Kaido, Onomichi and Mukaishima"},"content":{"rendered":"

Onomichi’s Dazzling Views<\/h2>\n

At Onomichi<\/strong>, I stepped off the train and into a\u00a0small square.\u00a0 Cars passed by, as necessarily busy as they could look in the sea-centric town. A small mall rose a few stories.\u00a0 However, from the plaza, the most prominent view was of the inlet and Mukaishima island<\/strong>, opposite Onomichi. Here begins the Shimanami Kaido bicycle route ending on Shikoku island. The air was inescapably nautical in mood, as cranes towered over water on land flush to the water.\u00a0 Boats traced the inlet, like hats on creeping sea giants wandering just submerged around harbor shallows.<\/p>\n

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\"Shimanami<\/a><\/p>\n

Bicycle Rentals in Onomichi<\/h2>\n

Bicycle rental as an unspoken focus, we curled right, centered as sea-gulls on a meal. The road continued out of sight past the mall, tracing the small bay.<\/p>\n

Across the road and parted from the water by a metal slice of boardwalk was an open two-story car park and small strip mall. We wandered first to the mall, not surprised to only notice\u00a0cars at the car park. The mall, unsurprisingly only had cross bikes at high rental fees. \u00a0We followed the boardwalk.\u00a0 No spokes could be spoke of until a chance peek into the car park revealed a line of darkly-colored bicycles.\u00a0 This was Ekimae-Kowan Car Park rental bicycle of Onomichi port.<\/p>\n

\"Hold<\/a><\/p>\n

Renting Your Bicycle<\/h2>\n

The bicycle rental<\/strong> was a 1000 Yen deposit plus an nonrefundable 1000 Yen. The honest-faced oji-san<\/em> (term of endearment for elder men) keeping the bikes promised a return if we ourselves returned.\u00a0 The Shimanami Kaido had another bike past a day’s worth of bridge where we could return these bikes, though without collecting our 1000 Yen deposit. \u00a0Signing and addressing a rental document, we chose of the selection.<\/p>\n

The bike felt strong in my hands, and light enough that I wanted to swivel it overhead like a helicopter. The price was less than the bicycle I had rented on Naoshima, yet in all ways superior. Leaving the car park up a ramp and onto the boardwalk, we hopped on to roll out. \u00a0Here we pedaled our first Shimanami Kaido rotation, fluid as the water swimming by just in front of us.<\/p>\n

Boarding the Ferry to Mukaishima<\/h2>\n

The fluidity of the bicycle movement ferried us fairly better than the small rocking ferry soon facing us. \u00a0Though there isn’t a conveniently crossed bridge from Onomichi to Mukaishima, ferries make a crossing between the two sides every few minutes. \u00a0Boarding alongside us were an athletic older couple with complete biking gear and a student or two, likely returning to class.\u00a0 When we boarded, we pursed open for coins and handed them in for tickets.\u00a0 The ferry shortly rocked back into its sea-sway.<\/p>\n

It was three to five minutes before we entered the Shimanami Kaido first island \u2013 Mukaishima\u2019s – concrete cove. There appeared to be houses of industry squatting down to the water on either side of the docking area.\u00a0 Our ferry peaked upwards, low to the water like a turtle paddling to a nice rock.<\/p>\n

The grey sheet-metal of the welcoming area was a slightly grim sight.\u00a0 The murk of the water-wearied stained the town, Onomichi was a sweet setting, though this place rounded the impression with roughness. I knew it was simply the industrial side of a wind-weathered seaside town. Out of the docking area and my compulsive worry of imagining myself slipping under the waves, we met the road.<\/p>\n

Touring the Island By Bike<\/h2>\n

Speed was the first objective.\u00a0 Wind sweeping back loose strands of hair, we pedaled with speed to match the updraft of wind.\u00a0 The first town center was split by a wide avenue, and we were soon pedaling bicycle to the right and onwards.<\/p>\n

After the first fifteen minutes of the gentle decline, we met a telling bend in the road.\u00a0 A drastic turn after an island\u2019s calm drive meant an opening, and became the first sea-saw split. Across a watery wedge lied the next green isle \u2013 Iwashi island. I wondered at the sandless interstices between the land and water, and what depths whispering waves kept silent.<\/p>\n

\"Second<\/a><\/p>\n

From the dark water protruded a tuft of rocky green, like nodules on a toad\u2019s head.\u00a0 Though there were no sand bars, the metal beams of a massive suspension bridge rose in the distance.\u00a0 Innoshima bridge. \u00a0It was a simple geometric feature; a man-monolith that seemed heaved out of the murk of sea monstrosities to rest in beautifully scoured skeletal composition amidst the islands.\u00a0 The ocean gateway was calling us on.\u00a0 We sped down the coastal road with wind singing and water murmuring in our ears.<\/p>\n

\"Innoshima<\/a><\/p>\n

Innoshima Bridge: A Dizzying Crossing<\/h2>\n

Knuckling out close to the water was a rest space with a magnificent view to the well-placed bridge. Grey met blue met green: a sublime view to be seen.<\/p>\n

Our tour finally led us to town on the southern face of the island.\u00a0 We wheeled in after passing under the structural superimposition of the bridge, looking only for a bicycle passageway over the water.\u00a0 Shouldering out to the bridge was a wooded knoll, and we rounded around below a key intersection between the island circuit and a town road.\u00a0 We then wound upwards to the guardrail and grate-floored walkway.<\/p>\n

Dismounting our bikes and walking the walkway, we could peep a perilous drop to the low road.\u00a0 Cars buzzed and whirred over the bridge, strung high up ahead and soon over our heads.\u00a0 They were rhythmic flashes of reality crossing Innoshima bridge\u2019s median line of a panorama in a world at sea.<\/p>\n

\"Divisions<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Fruity<\/a><\/p>\n

The passageway was girded snug to the underside of the highway.\u00a0 It was open to the air on both sides, and there were fat margins between the stretching bicycle way and the drop to open waters.\u00a0 My bicycle thrummed a continual rhythm as hypnosis hitched a ride.\u00a0 A group of engineers or construction workers marched dutifully on inspection to the audial drone.\u00a0 The procession made this crossing feel a little religious, as I attuned myself to the currents in space, air and sea.<\/p>\n

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Onomichi access:<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Shinkansen from Shin-Osaka to Fukuyama, JR Sanyo line for Mihara, get off at Onomichi. 105 minutes and 8500 Yen.<\/p>\n

Shinkansen from Hiroshima to Mihara, JR Sanyo line for Fukuyama, get off at Onomichi. 64 minutes and 3740 Yen.<\/p>\n

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Ekimae-Kowan Car Park Bicycle Rental\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Address:\u00a0Higashi Gosho-cho Onomichi-city, Hiroshima<\/p>\n

Hours: 7:00-18:00<\/p>\n

Pricing: 1000 Yen deposit (ONLY refundable at Ekimae-Kowan Car Park), 1,000 Yen<\/p>\n

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For more information:\u00a0http:\/\/www.go-shimanami.jp\/global\/english\/<\/p>\n

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My Onomichi Route from Onomichi through Mukoujima and Innoshima<\/p>\n

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