Seaside Towns of Hiroshima Prefecture | 3-day trip
Read more about Hiroshima’s seaside towns: https://www.japan-guide.com/ad/seaside-towns-hiroshima/
Hiroshima Prefecture sits next to the Seto Inland Sea and hosts a number of quaint seaside towns and islands. On this three-day trip, we explore the beautiful coastal scenery on foot and by bike, stopping at Tomonoura and Onomichi before tackling Japan’s premier cycling route, the Shimanami Kaido.
This video was made in collaboration with JR-WEST.
*Video Credits*
Host: Raina Ong
Videographer: Aimee Gardner
Produced by: Stefan Schauwecker
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*Chapters*
0:00 Intro
0:31 Getting around Hiroshima
1:28 Day 1 Itinerary
2:15 Shinshoji Zen Museum and Gardens
4:12 Tomonoura
5:50 Migiwatei Ochi Kochi
7:06 Day 2 Itinerary
8:16 Onomichi Hondori Shopping Arcade
9:22 Tea Stand Gen Yamate
10:03 Senkoji Park
10:42 Onomichi’s Temple Walk
12:10 Hotel Cycle
12:44 Day 3 Itinerary
13:41 Shimanami Kaido: Mukaishima to Innoshima
15:14 Hakko Park
15:47 Shimanami Kaido: Innoshima to Ikuchijima
16:20 Kousanji Temple
17:10 Setoda Port
17:50 Outro
31 Comments
guys, do cover more on Tohoku region
Absolutely marvelous video… The clear weather, perfect sunlight and impressive drone cinematography has added a different level of beauty to this video… Totally loved this video…
I was stationed several times at MCAS Iwakuni and travelled this area. I also ran races along the Seto Inland Sea. Good times.
I stayed in Onomichi for a week in November 2024. It''s a very nice, calm city with a provincial charm:) From Onomichi easy to get to Kure, Fukuyama (Tomonoura), Iwakuni, Takehara etc
What an excelent video!
I rode the Shimanami Kaido in April 2024 and also rented an electric-assist bicycle. Set off at 8am and managed to reach Imabari just before 4pm. The downside of this though is that you don't really get to enjoy the sights along the way and my bum was on fire for the 2nd half of the ride😅.
I was just back in Onomichi last week as I didn't have the time to visit the town during my cycling trip. Having 2 cats come up to me for pats was probably the highlight of the trip!
Somehow, you always know the places I want to go or the places I have been and loved. The Seto Inland Sea is my favourite place I've been so far, and there's also a good book about it by Donald Richie.
I see you visited Setoda briefly. I loved the lemon island the hotel I stayed at twice that is lovely.
Raina is living the life!
Hey japan guide 👋
This is one of the best video i have seen on ur channel. video quality and cinematography by drone made this video best. Also raina ong as a host makes the video more amazing.
Love it ❤
Here's my suggestion for videos
Best scenic train routes in japan
Best scenic road trips in japan
Visiting Most beautiful villages in japan
Thanks a lot for such amazing video's
Lots of love from india 🇮🇳❤️
Have a great
We just came back from our road trip in Japan, and Onomichi and the Shimanami Kaido was the highlight of our trip! The seaside towns are just such a vibe! If there was one area I could live in Japan, it would be the Seto Inland Sea.
Great work continues to deliver more ♥
What did you guys use for your video pan's? Those were amazing, perfectly smooth and not too fast either. Great Job!
This was by far a phenomenal 🔥 video on Ong!! The sea was breathtaking and the temples were incredible!! I love how the town is nestled by the water making it more beautiful than ever!! This is definitely worth visiting for sure!! Magnificent ✅ video and Thanks for Sharing 🙏🏽💯🎆🤗
Tourists, when there are signs up not to take photographs in temples that means YOU! Don’t act like a brat when doing exactly that and someone tells you to stop! It’s infuriatingly offensive and rude! In my opinion when caught doing this your phone should be taken from you and not given back when you leave.
Very nice video! Seen both cities a couple of times and I always look for the places less travelled, but never got a real interest in the cities before. This video changed my mind! The 3 day trip seems amazing with so much versatility! On the bucket list they go! Thanks again for this amazing content you guys continue to create.
I wanna go back a 3rd time to Onomichi and Imabari cycling 🙂
Fabulous information about this marvelous area! Gold medals for host, camera operators and producers 🥇🥇🥇
Sugoi!
I miss Onomichi! Thanks, Raina.🚲
🙏🙏👍👍
Thank you for the wonderful video, you transformed my breakfast into a dreamy moment
Nice to see Onomichi and the islands again, but it is a bit sad that even in such places buildings are removed or replaced. The new observation may be better, but the fake castle was a nice building.
This is the kind of trip I'm planning to do on my next visit to Hiroshima. There's so much more to see!
ADDITIONAL TIPS:
– Fukuyama to Tomonoura – no need to hire a car. Bus leaves from Fukuyama station regularly and if travelling with suitcases, leave them in a station locker.
– Onomichi hondori is great and if ur there during the summer months, fri / sat evenings are alive there will night markets. U2 cycle hotel is a lil over-priced for what it is, albeit their breakfast buffet is great (u don't have to be a guest to have the buffet). Unless money is no issue, don't hire from the attached Giant shop rental attached. There many many bike shops around at reasonable prices.
– Shimanami Kaido is awesome. If ur a decent cyclist u can do the return trip in a day but id recommend stopping and smelling the mikan. the cycle depot drop off points mentioned in the video are great but not for electric assist / e-bikes. some shops will aloow u to hire these bikes with rechargers over multiple nights but best book in advance with a japanese speaking friend as many of the shops dont have english speakers. One way to maximise your cycling journey is to catch a ferry or bus to the imabari side and then ride back to onomichi. then everything you see is new as opposed to doubling back.
IMPORTANT: it is NOT as simple as just following the blue line. be sure to see the intermittent labelling of either Imabari or Onomichi with distance to go. There is a blue line which takes the most direct route, but there is ALSO a blue line that circles each island. although great to do, it may significantly stuff up ur schedule.
– Ikuchijima is my fav of the islands. kousanji temple is pretty good but a lil pricey at around Y1400, there is a gelato shop (dolce ice-cream) and italian restaurant on the island (fantastic). if u like sweets, Shimagokoro SETODA Honten is a hidden gem – award winning. the cream puff!!!
❤
🟢 Hello from Bucharest, Romania – a huge underrated city in Europe.
There is ship clusing between Tomonoura and Onomichi on Saturday, Sunday and National holidays from March to November.
Can you speak any more to the bicycle return process? I hoped to do the whole trip from Onomichi to Imabari, is it easy to drop the bike off in Imabari?
Always laughing when a video mentions its easy to just follow the blue line, we managed to still take the wrong turn on one island 😂 (also managed to fall which made the bike trip…not great 🫠) Shimanami Kaido is nice but if you're used to German/Austrian bike ways the streets are a bit meh (traffic). The view is great tho.
Japan-Guide is by far the best source of Japan travel info out there! I've been selling travel to Japan for 25 years and do not give out praise like this lightly
This channel makes me want to go back to Japan every single time!! ❤️🇯🇵
really inspiring. thanks for sharing information of less touristy spots around japan.