Shimanami Kaido Sea Kayak & Cycling
Guided Kayak & Self-Guided Cycling TourPrice from
94,500 JPY
Duration
3 Days | 2 Nights
Level
Experience the breath-taking beauty of the Seto Inland Sea as you journey by sea kayak and bicycle on this three-day adventure. One day sea kayaking and two days of cycling, travelling from Honshu to Shikoku, staying in traditional Japanese hotels, eating exceptional local food from the area. Suitable for cyclists of all levels.
Quality Bikes
Fantastic Accommodation
Kayak Guide
Fully Supported
Choose Start Date
Exceptional Local Food
ABOUT THIS TOUR
Leave the city behind as you venture into rural Japan, experiencing the best that the Seto Inland Sea has to offer – dramatic landscapes, epic bridges, beautiful seascapes, great accommodation, and fantastic local cuisine. This is the only sea kayaking and cycling tour in the area and is the perfect way to truly experience the Shimanami…from the sea and the road. It’s perfect for those who love the outdoors and adventure, but also want to experience traditional hotels and interact with locals.
This tour lasts 3 days and 2 nights, with two days of cycling and one day of sea kayaking. The tour starts in Onomichi, near Hiroshima and finishes on the other side of the Inland Sea, in Imabari on the island of Shikoku. To find out more about the Shimanami Kaido, click here.
Read MoreStart of the trip
Onomichi
Day 1
Day 1
Day 2
Day 2
Day 3
Day 2
- Duration: 3 days, 2 nights. One day sea kayaking and two days cycling.
- Difficulty: 3/5 – suitable for those with a reasonable level of fitness. You do not have to be a cyclist to enjoy this tour. We have e-bikes (subject to availability) if you need a helping hand.
- Requirements: You need to be able to swim and ride a bike to take this tour.
- Group size: We can work with groups of most sizes, from couples to larger groups. (contact us for information about solo travellers)
- Things to see
- Things to eat
- Things to do
- Sea Kayak through the stunning Seto Inland Sea and get a totally different perspective on this beautiful location.
- Cycle the world famous Shimanami Kaido.
- Truly experience the Seto Inland Sea with our local knowledge, gathered from years of living in this area.
- Explore temples and shrines, mountains and beaches.
- Leave the tourists behind as you travel closer to Shikoku and really see rural Japan.
- Eat lunch with your sea kayak guide. This is usually a bowl of noodles cooked on the beach.
- Eat seafood caught from the Seto Inland Sea. This area is famous throughout Japan for its quality of fish. The currents are strong here, which makes the fish really tasty.
- Enjoy products from the islands - from green lemons (trust us, they are better than they sound), to spicy pizza made with locally grown chillies.
- Drink locally produced craft beer, locally distilled sake, or even limoncello made from locally sourced lemons. We point all these places out in our guidebook and leave you to make the decisions!
- This area has it all, from fishing with locals, travelling to rabbit island, stand-up paddle boarding with a local guide, mountain climbing, or just chilling on the beach.
- We leave you to make the decisions. We'll give you plenty of information so you can have a fantastic trip, but you're in control, you decide where to do, what to do, and what to see.
- Quality Bikes
- Guided Kayak
- Tour Leader & Support
- Fees
- E-Bike Options
- Top Hotels
- Food
- Life-long Memories
- Quality cross bike and helmet rental included. We use Giant, Specialised, and Marin bikes.
- If you would prefer to rent a road bike (carbon or aluminium), we can make arrangements for you and ensure you bike will be ready for you on Day 1 of your tour.
- Alternatively, if you bring your own bike, you can send it to us (this can be done at an airport if you are travelling to Japan) and we will bring it to the start of the tour. We can then send it back to you (or send it to your departure airport for you to pick up if you are travelling to Japan).
- The sea kayak portion of the trip is led by a responsible guide with many years of experience. He knows the waters around the islands well and will help you traverse the currents.
- Life jackets included and must be worn while in the sea kayak.
- You will be shown how to paddle and steer the sea kayak before starting.
- A fantastic English speaking tour leader will meet you in Onomichi and again in Imabari.
- The lovely sea kayak guide speaks a little English.
- A support car in case of any problems. Fingers crossed everything is fine, but good for peace of mind in case.
- Luggage transfer while on the tour
- Two nights in traditional Japanese hotels. We have hand picked the accommodation using our extensive experience of the area. Sea views, great food, and warm hotel baths - we've got everything to allow you to experience the best that this area has to offer.
- Prices are based on shared rooms. Please enquire for single supplement.
- Exceptional local cuisine.
- Tour price includes lunch and dinner on the first day, breakfast and dinner on the second day, and breakfast on the third morning. We will order a set menu for you after consulting with you about nutritional requirements. Additional orders and alcoholic drinks are not included in the tour price.
- We provide a broad recommendation of lunch spots.
- Incredible views and lifelong memories.
- We'll give you our water bottle as a reminder of your time cycling through hidden Japan.
- We also have Hidden Japan Travel cycling jerseys available for purchase.
- Did we mention the amazing views?
Adults (12+) – 94,500 yen per person based on shared room.
Children (under 12) – 60,000 yen per person.
- After reading the Terms & Conditions, click the Enquire about this Tour button and submit the form.
- We will get back to you to confirm your reservation and send you a registration form.
- Once you’ve sent this back to us, we’ll arrange for payment of your deposit, which is 10% of the trip price. We accept credit cards and wire transfer.
- Full payment is due 21 days prior to the first day of the trip.
Please click here for our terms and conditions.
The cycling portion of this tour is self-guided…maybe you’re thinking “Is it worth doing a self-guided tour?”. Well, yes!
Not only do we take care of everything – accommodation, luggage transfer, bike rental – but we’re also on hand in case you need support. We’re never too far away! We also provide very detailed maps. These have information about the history of each island and our favourite places to enjoy the local culture, nature, and cuisine. We send you this information as a PDF prior to your tour so you can start planning your adventure from the options we suggest. We hand-pick these locations based on our local knowledge of the area and the needs of our guests. We also choose great hotels – the ones with the most character, the best food, and the most relaxing views. We can provide a phone in case you need to get in touch and electronic maps so you can navigate to your hotels easily. All this means that you can concentrate on having a unique experience that’s facilitated by local knowledge and supported safely if anything goes wrong.
So yes, doing a self-guided tour (with us), is defintely worth it!
ITINERARY
Day 1: Sea Kayak
35 kms | sea kayak | Stunning seascapes, spectacular bridges, and remote beaches | Lunch, Dinner | Japanese
On the morning fo the first day, meet at Onomichi train station and travel to the start of the sea kayaking. Meet your guide and get a lesson in kayaking, then head out to sea, following your guide. You’ll stop along the way for some lunch, and then carry on to your accommodation. In total, it’s about 6 hours on the water. When you get to your accommodation, your bags will be waiting for you and your dinner will be ordered.
Day 2: Cycle over the Islands
Day two starts with a traditional breakfast. After leaving your luggage at reception, we’ll meet you to pass you the bikes and helmets. You’ll then set out for a day on the road. There’s approximately 30kms of cycling on the second day with lots of opportunities for detours – temples, beaches, mountains, and street food. Arriving at your accommodation, you’ll once again find your bags and a spectacular dinner of local specialities waiting for you. Sitting on the sea front and breathing in the sea air, before a first-class meal and a relaxing bath, that’s how to truly see Japan.
Day 3: Ride to Imabari
35 kms | Some ups and downs| Next to the sea, spectacular bridges | Breakfast
After another traditional breakfast and leaving your bags for us to pick up, it’s back on the bike one last time. On the final day you’ve got two islands to explore and the most picturesque bridge of the lot to look forward to…leave at least an extra 30 minutes for photos! After that, Shikoku awaits. Once you arrive on the island, you will head towards Imabari train station where we’ll be waiting with your luggage and a smile. This is a wonderful springboard into Shikoku proper or an easy place from which to return to Honshu (by train to Okayama or boat to Hiroshima). Either way, we’re sure you’ll have special memories of this hidden part of the Japan, and a better sense of this fantastic country.
AFTER YOUR TOUR, WHY NOT…
SOBA MAKING