Cycled the Shimanami Kaido, and Yamaguchi, Saga, Nagasaki etc.

[rbjhan]

The day started with a good breakfast!


Outside Hotel Beacon there's a terrace with views to the city and port.
Obviously I'd like a sunny day, but as long as it's not raining I'm happy!



These were students and cyclists lined up for the ferry to Mukaishima!
**Unlike all the other bridges, the one connecting Onomichi and Mukaishima was designed for cars only, so everyone takes the ferry here.

 

[rbjhan]

My planned route was a little different, I wanted to take the ferry directly to Setoda, then cycle the whole loop of Ikuchijima, up and over Tatara Bridge to Ehime (a bit), then back to Setoda and ferry back to Onomichi.

On the ferry
**Took about one hour, 1500 one way, plus 500 for the bike.


Started riding!

This is Ikuchi Bridge, I didn't ride it.


Somewhere on the eastern side of Ikuchijima.


Got up to Tatara Bridge!
This was where the extra power really came in handy The bridge itself is 1480m long. But I reckon the ramp leading up to it was about equal distance on either ends, at average maybe 3% incline.
**According to Google the clearance below is 26M.


The border between Hiroshima and Ehime.


Yeah technically I rode across two prefectures

 

[rbjhan]

As I was coming down Tatara Bridge, saw some very pretty Sakura.


Suddendly noticed some bikes parked at the road side...
Why people stopping here? I wonder...Naturally I also stopped

OOOOh there's an observation deck uphill!


OMG OMG

 

[rbjhan]

Just under the bridge there's Roadside Station Tatara Bridge.
I was starving so went straight for the most popular fried Tai burger!


Oishii 美味しい!


Finished the burger, I went to check out the souvenir shop and saw a proper restaurant insde! oh well...

"Cyclist Sancruary"


There were a few raindrops...so I kinda hurry afterwards....

 

[rbjhan]

Back up to the Tatara Bridge again.


Can you guess what's the local specialty here?




Setoda Sunset Beach


Back to Setoda Port.


Took the 3pm ferry to Onomichi, the rain had already arrived! Great timing...
Rode about 30KM, which was not too bad for me (the Capital City Trial is about the same distance in Mel..)

I really loved the experience, am already planning to come back
Next time I want to stayed 2 or 3 nights on the islands and take my time enjoy the scenery.

 

[rbjhan]

So the day before I already booked a private bath with the hotel and asked them to make a dinner reservation for me in a local izakaya

I was sitting at the counter, looking at all the seafood...


Obviously I started with a sashimi


Chawanmushi


Forgot the name of this one...let's call it fish head soup with noodles


Chirashi


Right behind me was a semi-private dining room. There were a big group of people talking in English, hmm they sounded familiar...later someone mentioned something something Lygon St, something something Collins St

 

[rbjhan]

Back to the hotel and my private bath!
After a day of cycling this was most needed.


This hotel has only 16 rooms so there's no public bath. Instead there are two private baths for rent, 2500/hour for hotel guests and 3500 for everyone else.
**If you just want a shower I think they are available at the Municipal bike rental station.

 

[rbjhan]

So, what to do on Friday seeing that it would rain and I had already done the cycling?
I was lounging in the armchair in my hotel room thinking about this...

Ah suddenly I had an idea!
As a train lover, I've done some research re the specialty trains in this region. Most of them run on weekends only, but there's one runs Fri to Mon!
Quickly ran downstairs to the ticket machine, checked, some tickets still available!
That's Friday afternoon sorted

 

[rbjhan]

Friday morning started with another good breakfast!


Fukuyama was a short train ride away.
Looking at my room window on the platform


Fukuyama Castle was right next to the JR Station! It doesn't get easier than that.

The rain had been on the whole night afaik...Sakura certainly took a hit.
So glad I had time to visit Senkoji Park on Day 1.


The original castle didn't survive WWII. So this one you see now is a rebuilt, not in the good way!
Inside it's just like any other building, if you've been to Osaka Castle - it's about the same. With much fewer people, ofc.

Top floor had some nice views though.


The cityscape.


There's even a fancy looking church nearby.

 

[rbjhan]

I was about to leave when I saw some leaflets, apparently the castle's northern side was renovated to its original state: covered by iron plates.
Oh that's interesting!

Almost looked like another castle


Info re the iron plates.


This angle was cool.

 

[rbjhan]

Nothing left of the Honmaru ofc (in any Japanese castle, Honmaru Goten 本丸御殿was the Daimyo's residence).
The only castle I've been where they rebuilt the Honmaru Goten was Nagoya Castle.



Main Gate of the Castle.


Now this is the Daimyo's bathhouse!
Damn the aristocrats and their fancy lifestyle


Some nice Sakura left in this area...


** I was really curious so went to check out the castle's website. Apparently you can rent the bathhouse at 1010 Yen per hour! Very reasonable rate? Ah but there are no bathing facilities in it now....The original bathhouse also didn't survive the war. Guess when it was being rebuilt they didn't bother too much since no daimyo now needing to bath here

For anyone's that's also curious:

貸会場について - 福山城博物館

貸会場について ご利用案内 団体利用・ 学校関係者の方へ 事前予約 バリアフリー対応状況 展覧会図録 博物館販売図書 貸会場について 友の会について お問合せ １　使用の申し込み 福山城では、月見櫓（1階 ... 貸会場について

fukuyamajo.jp

**In Japanese only, English page doesn't mention any of it.

 

[rbjhan]

Went to a restaurant in the station building
Local cuisine, ちーいか天刺身定食 fried squid and sashimi set meal.


Local version of oden, can't say I'm a fan
No the problem was not the offals, it was the sauce....

 

[rbjhan]

And here comes the specialty train etSETOra!


In case you don't know where to board


Since I only booked ticket the night before, not much choice in terms of seating...I grab whatever was available...which was 4A in Car 2.


Car 1 was kinda brown...


This train runs between Hiroshima and Fukuyama, as it goes by the coastal Kure line, it takes 3 hours!
I didn't think that would be necessary (and I was right!) so only booked halfway to Takehara. Total cost was 1990 Yen.
**if you have an applicable pass it will cover the 990 basic fair only.

Each guest got a coaster for souvenir, and the stamp ofc.


And your special train journey will not be complete without the board to prove it


Details of this train can be found here:

etSETOra（エトセトラ）│観光列車の旅時間：JRおでかけネット

列車名の「エトセトラ」という言葉は、ラテン語で「その他いろいろ。等々。…など。」という意味があり、「えっと」は、広島弁で、「たくさんの」「多くの」という意味ももっています。「エトセトラ」で行く旅は、多くのせとうちの魅力を感じることができる、自分だけ、自分たちだけの自由な時間を愉しむ旅。

www.jr-odekake.net

There were some very pretty coastal views outside, shame about the weather!

 

[rbjhan]

Got off at Takehara about 80 mins later.

Takehara, is known as "Little Kyoto" of this region.
**There are a bunch of these Little Kyotos in Japan. None of the ones I've been to looked like the real Kyoto though if you ask me....

Anyway, Takehara was a prime producer of salt and sake back in its heyday. Now it's famous for the preserved historical townscape. I wouldn't say it's a must visit for anyone, but if you are in this region, and have a few hours to spare, it's not a bad place to come. I do recommend driving though!

Went straight to Saiho-ji




Looked a little like Kiyomizudera, right?




Ah but I was the only one there (beat that, Kyoto!)

 

[rbjhan]

It was about 4pm at this time?
Damn I was the only tourist there, and didn't see many locals either!
Now if they get some of those tourists in Kyoto....sigh, I understand why it's not gonna happen...

The preserved area was indeed quite pretty.






There's even a Nipponia Hotel

 

[rbjhan]

Got back to the train station, oh sxx_ forgot to check the timetable when I arrived.
You see why I recommend driving now


50 mins to wait!
And what's worse, there's nothing to see near the station. No shops, no nothing!
Luckily I had my earphones, so some podcast to the rescue...

The train finally came.


We went back the same way on the Kure line. And views were better coz it stopped raining.

The Seto Inland Sea area is very underrated imho.

 

[rbjhan]

Back to Onomichi and just made my massage appointment, phew!

Noticed this oyster restaurant the day before - oysters are a Hiroshima specialty

Ceviche, occationally I do eat some non Japanese food too you know


Oh my this was so big the photo didn't do it justice..


Another one!
Can't you tell I love oysters


Paella, had to show my Spanish friend and he went "the pot looks nice "

 

[rbjhan]

Saturday, time to leave Onomichi - I'll be back!

Went straight to Kurashiki, which was about 1 hour by local train.
Some of you might remember I bought a custom made TN cover last year... @ShelleyB

Guess what, back for another one
TSL Kurashiki changed their policy though, now they only accept 5 orders from international customers per day, on a first come first serve basis (one cover max per person).
So I tried to get there as early as possible! Arrived at the store maybe 10.30? They open at 10am, luckily that day was not busy.
I was able to put my order in, the design process took about 1 hour. And they advised it must be picked up at 5.30pm the same day - shipping service (to your hotel) is also not offered anymore!

This was probably the 2nd most important thing the whole trip, I was so relieved

There was even time for lunch!
Went to a unagi restaurant.


Fried bones.

 

[rbjhan]

Kurashiki is a very pretty small town, but I've been there twice before already.

So the plan for that afternoon was Bichu Matsuyama Castle - the only mountain top castle of the 12 original castles.
I have a thing for original castles
This pic was taken at Iyo Matsuyama Castle in Ehime during my 2023 trip.


Out of the 12, I've already been to 6: Himeji, Hikone, Matsumoto, Inuyama, Matsue and Iyo Matsuyama.
The remaining ones are a bit tricky, but I'm getting there, slowly but surely! (TBF Uwajima, Kochi and Marugame can be done in one trip, just need to plan one in Shikoku)

**coughu Matsuyama Castle was originally constructed in the 1200s when castles primarily served as defensive fortresses and were often built on steep mountains.
Later in the 1600s daimyos started to build castles on more easily accessible hilltops and in the flatlands, more as status symbols and administrative centres, ie Osaka Castle, Nagoya Castle...

 

[rbjhan]

I'd say coughu Matsuyama is probably the most difficult one to visit out of the 12, certainly out of the 7 I've already seen.

First of all you'd need to be in the region.
Next, visitors must hike for about 20 mins from the nearest car park, with no public transport options available.

Local tourism office to the rescue! They organise a share taxi 4 times a day to go up to the car park, you can even book the share taxi online which was exactly what I did, of course.

coughu Takahashi station, about 40 mins by train from Kurashiki.
Just outside the ticket gates you will find Takahashi City Library, together with a lovely Tsutaya Bookstore, and the tourits info office is also inside.


That's the share taxi.
***They do speak some English here...but generally this part of the country a little Japanese can help, a lot.


Re the bottom bit, during winter the castle can sometimes be shrouded in clouds in the early mornings. There's an observation deck in a completely different location, from where it's possible to see the castle floating in a sea of clouds, if you are lucky! So that's a share taxi to go to the observation deck.

I didn't bother as April is not really the time...maybe one day...

Pic from the internet...



Confirmed my reservation for the share taxi, got this ticket.


I arrived a bit too early, but not to worry!




Remember the day before I was stuck in Takehara with nothing to do?
Oh my the difference was night and day!