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Before you go
Your trip to Imabari.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Imabari – Ehime Destination Matsuyama and Shimanami Kaidō about 41 km from Matsuyama
How to get there
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Aeroporto de Matsuyama (MYJ) Matsuyama · 49 km
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Estação de Imabari 1 km
Approximate distances. Check flights and bus, train or boat schedules before you travel.
The Shiokaze limited express stops at Imabari, about 35 minutes from Matsuyama and roughly 2 hours from Okayama. Shimanami express buses link Imabari with Onomichi, Fukuyama and Hiroshima. Matsuyama Airport is about 50 km away.
How many days
One day allows cycling from Imabari to Oshima or Omishima and back. With two days, cross the entire route to Onomichi, staying overnight on one of the islands.
When to go
Spring and autumn usually favor cycling. In summer, the heat and sun on the bridges are intensified; from December to February it is cold and windy. Typhoons, more common from August to October, can close the bridges’ cycle path.
The seasons shown are the most usual ones; nature doesn't always follow the calendar.
Do you need a car?
Not for cycling, which is the classic way to cross the islands. A car or bus is useful to see the islands without pedaling, via the highway with exits to each island.
Suggested itinerary
An order that works
Built with the places on this page. No rush: it's paced so you have time to see them.
One day in Imabari
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Morning
Kurushima Bridge
Rent a bike at the Itoyama terminal, climb to the Kurushima Bridge viewpoint and cross to Oshima.
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Afternoon
Oshima and Hakatajima
Cycle around Oshima, stopping at the Murakami pirates museum, and continue to Hakatajima via the Hakata–Oshima Bridge.
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Late afternoon
Omishima
Arrive at Omishima and visit the Oyamazumi shrine, with its ancient camphor tree and the armor museum.
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Evening
Overnight on the island
Sleep at a guesthouse on Omishima, or return the bike at the island terminal and go back to Imabari by bus.
Check before you go. Opening hours and days change, and places may close for renovations, holidays or events. This itinerary is a suggestion from Cidade Turismo, not a commitment: plan yours by checking directly with each place you intend to visit.
Before you go
Frequently asked questions
Where does the Shimanami Kaido begin in Imabari?
At the Itoyama terminal, beside the Kurushima Bridgehead, where bikes are rented. Imabari Station also offers rentals.
What are Imabari towels?
Imabari is Japan’s largest towel-production center, with its own quality brand. There are shops in the center, in Dogo and at the towel museum on the city’s outskirts.
Who were the Murakami pirates?
A clan of seafarers who controlled routes of the Inland Sea between the 14th and 16th centuries, charging tolls and protecting ships. Oshima’s museum tells their story.
What to eat in Imabari?
Imabari yakitori — pressed grilled chicken on a griddle — and yakibuta tamago meshi, rice with roast pork and a fried egg.
Beyond the guide
