Cycling the Shimanami Kaido is an amazing adventure, and it's one better started when you're well rested. While plenty of people travel to Onomichi early in the morning of their cycle, it's far more common to spend the night before in this pretty little seaside town. When I did my...

In early October this year, I found myself sitting on a bike on top of a 4km long suspension bridge, nothing but water below me. I was soaking wet, my waterproof jacket having long given up on doing its job. My legs ached, one of my backpack straps was digging...

If you've ended up here, you're probably planning your Shimanami Kaido adventure and frankly, I'm pretty envious of you. I've put together the ideal two-day Shimanami Kaido itinerary, based on personal experience and what I've learned since. While it's possible to complete the entire route in a day, it means...

You've booked your bike, you've stuffed your packing cube, you've planned your stopover and now you're asking: How do I get to the Shimanami Kaido? Japan's famous cycle route runs between Onomichi and Imabari, and most cyclists start at either end. I've put together this Shimanami Kaido access guide to...

Cycling the Shimanami Kaido is an incredible experience, and it doesn't need to break the bank. In this post, I've broken down the Shimanami Kaido cost: from bike rentals to accommodation, and what you can expect from the journey. Every traveller's style will be slightly different, so while I've done...

Cycling the Shimanami Kaido is an awesome adventure, and it's best enjoyed at your pace, not rushed. While many people do cycle the whole route in a single day (and honestly kudos, my backside could never), doing a multi-day trip gives you the time to enjoy the islands, stop for...

Completing the Shimanami Kaido cycle route in Japan is an incredible experience, but for most of us foreign travellers, we're not going to have our own bikes with us. Luckily, because it's such a popular and well known cycle route, renting a bike is super easy and there are plenty...

If you're cycling the Shimanami Kaido, you're going to be passing through the islands of the Seto Inland Sea. This collection of islands takes you through some incredible views, quiet towns, and plenty of nature. In this post, I've broken down the Shimanami Kaido islands one by one, so you...

Introduction Planning a vegan Shimanami Kaido cycle? It's easier than you might think, but it does need some forward planning. In October, my husband and I visited Japan for the second time. He's a keen cyclist, but we weren't able to make the cycle happen last time round. We'd agreed...

Travelling through Japan is pretty easy with the extensive train network and great metro links in the major cities, and it's a country known for its efficiency and service. Luggage forwarding, or takuhabin, is one of the country's most innovative ways to make travel easier, and frankly I wish we...