Explore the Setouchi Region of Japan by E-Bike
Cycle through Japan’s Setouchi region which includes the beautiful island of Shikoku on an exclusive pedal-assisted e-bike tour. Ride through the incredibly diverse and scenic landscapes with rarely a busy road in sight. Enjoy compact ride days with the assistance of your e-bike, allowing you to enjoy the daily destinations, food, hot spring baths and legendary hospitality of Japan to the fullest!
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Highlights
6
Itinerary ideas
Includes international flights from a choice of UK airports, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh and Glasgow.
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1
We’ll gather at 9:30 am at the outdoor dining area of the Green Hill Hotel in Onomichi, just a short walk from the train station. After a briefing about our trip, we’ll get set up with our e-bikes and stash our luggage in the van. Then, we’ll hop on a ferry over the harbor and kick off our adventure.
Once we leave the city behind, we’ll enjoy some fantastic riding through fields and countryside. Passing through a bamboo forest on a quiet road, we’ll reach the water’s edge of the first of many islands we’ll visit. Today marks the start of the Shimanami Kaido, a cycling route spanning seven islands over the next two days, with more in the distance.
Before lunch, we’ll tackle a few hills, but with the help of our e-bikes, they’ll be a breeze. Lunch will be Udon Tempura, a classic midday meal. Finally, we’ll arrive at Setoda, a small town on Ikuchi Island, where our cozy traditional Japanese inn awaits.
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2
After a hearty breakfast, we kick off today’s ride tackling a big hill, where the e-bikes show their strength, offering us a panoramic view of the Seto Inland Sea. We’ll pedal through citrus orchards, a major agricultural feature here.
Today’s journey takes us across five islands, traveling on dedicated bike paths integrated into massive span bridges. We’ll take scenic routes on each island, enjoying views of the water and inland landscapes. The final bridge offers the most breathtaking views.
Our ride concludes in Imabari, where we load the e-bikes onto the van and catch a rapid train to the lively city of Matsuyama. Enjoy the pleasant train ride with snacks and drinks as we zip through the scenery.
As the day winds down and you’ve freshened up, you can take a taxi or tram to visit Matsuyama Castle before we gather for dinner. Tonight, we’ll indulge in traditional Japanese cuisine and sample Japan’s famous drink – sake. You’ll taste a variety of sakes, from dry to sweet, and learn about its significance in Japanese culture. By the end of the evening, you’ll be a sake connoisseur, ready to pair it with your meals!
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3
Early in the morning, we’ll hop on another rapid train to get to the starting point of our next e-bike ride. What begins as an ordinary ride turns into a delightful journey as we leave town behind for quiet roads alongside a river. Moss-covered walls line the hillsides, adding to the charm. As we wind through the valley, you’ll find yourself enjoying the e-bike experience, especially as we climb through the hills.
Our destination is the small town of Yusuhara, home to a boutique hotel designed by the renowned architect, Kengo Kuma. You’ll find Kuma’s work scattered throughout the town, from another Onsen Retreat property to a bridge over a nearby stream, and his most significant contribution, the public library. This afternoon, you’ll have time to explore these sites and wander the charming streets of Yusuhara. Don’t miss the chance to soak in the Onsen—it’s a must-do experience here.
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4
In the morning, we’ll take a quick train ride to start our next e-bike adventure. It starts off simple but becomes wonderful as we leave town for peaceful roads along a river. Mossy walls line the hills, making the ride even more special. Riding through the valley, you’ll enjoy the e-bike journey, especially as we climb through the hills.
Our goal is Yusuhara, a small town with a boutique hotel designed by famous architect Kengo Kuma. Kuma’s work can be seen all around town, from another Onsen Retreat property to a bridge over a stream, and his most famous, the public library. You’ll have time to explore these spots and stroll around Yusuhara’s lovely streets this afternoon. And don’t forget to relax in the Onsen—it’s a must-do here.
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5
With a place like this, you won’t want to rush, so we start the day with a relaxed breakfast and more time for Onsen soaking. We set off late morning for our e-bike tour. The first part takes us along a quiet road by cliffs, with the deep blue ocean below and waves crashing against rocks. We then ride along a ridge with stunning views that might fill up your camera. The ride is enjoyable, with ups and downs all the way to our lunch spot back on the main island.
After lunch, we visit the Blue Dragon Temple, which is temple number 36 on the 88 Temple Pilgrimage Route. It’s a must-see, and you might even meet some pilgrims there.
The ride to Kochi city is enjoyable and passes quickly. We’ll ride along the coast, through a deserted bamboo forest, and then climb a hill with views over the city. Kochi is lively with plenty of food options, bars, and nightlife—a great change after a few nights in the countryside.
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6
This morning, we take a short 45-minute car ride out of the city into the hills. Once on our bikes, we’ll start with a relatively flat and winding 10km ride along the river. Then, we tackle a big 20km hill climb, but don’t worry—the e-bike’s pedal-assist power makes it doable for everyone. If it’s a clear day, the views from the top are breathtaking, and we might even catch a glimpse of Mt. Ishizuchi, the island’s tallest mountain. After that, get ready for a long downhill ride into the stunning Iya Valley. You’ll know when we’ve reached the valley because the water of the Iya River is a mesmerizing aqua color, thanks to the limestone in the surrounding hills and the light-colored silt in the riverbed.
Following the winding road along the river, we’ll have plenty of opportunities for pictures. Eventually, we’ll arrive at a large, comfortable Onsen Retreat-style property where we can enjoy a delicious meal and a relaxing soak.
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7
Today, we take our time in the valley. At 9 am, we check out and enjoy an early lunch before hopping on our e-bikes for the final 30km ride. It’s a fantastic 30km journey along a quiet road that twists and turns along the river and valley contours. Even on a regular bike, you wouldn’t need to pedal much here. As we leave the valley, there’s a nice steep hill, but don’t worry—the e-bike will make it easy. We’ll reach the small town of Awa Ikeda, where we’ve arranged an Onsen for you to shower, pack up, and then catch a train to one of Kyoto’s many wonderful destinations. Happy travels!
Accommodation options
The itinerary price includes suggested accommodation. However, My Way Travel are fully customizable, and a specialist can help you choose the best option for your preferences and budget.
Booking Policy
- 6 nights in comfortable accommodation selected for high standards & local flavor
- 6x Breakfasts, 7x Lunches, 5x Dinners
- Healthy snacks & water during cycling
- Expert local guide
- Quality well-serviced bikes and helmet for riding
- Grasshopper souvenir jersey and water bottle that are yours to keep
- Comfortable van for support and transfers
- All tickets and entry costs included in the itinerary
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Alice B
22 March 2024 ★★★★★Vietnam is just epic in every sense! Stephen at My Way Travel built us a bespoke tour to our requested place's from HoChiMin to Phan Thiet, DaLat, NaTrang, HoiAn, Halong Bay ending in Hanoi & it was amazing! All hotels, 3 tour guides over 5 day tours , drivers & transport worked very well & Stephen responded very quickly to any queries. We can’t thank or recommend him highly enough for helping us create an amazing adventure for a 70+ couple where everything was booked & organised but we had plenty of free time to explore on our own & find places for dinner most nights of our 18day trip. I’ll admit I was a little worried about using an unknown to me online agent but I really didn’t need to worry. The only thing I/we got wrong was not realising how tiring a busy tour can be especially in the heat so I’d recommend having a few days on a beach or round a pool relaxing before retuning back to Europe of further afield! Thanks Stephen for creating a well priced pretty last min wonderful tour for us!
Kyle M
17 January 2024 ★★★★★Wow, what a trip and experience. My Way Travel did an excellent job in creating a customized private tour itinerary for our 5 week trip to Indochina. Stephen was very responsive and easy to work with in creating a perfect itinerary, customized to our interests, budget, and timeframe. The logistics were well managed and all the tour guides and drivers in all 4 countries were fantastic. Stephen kept in touch throughout our trip to ensure everything was going well. The drivers were all excellent, prompt, and very safe drivers. Special call out to our guides; Tony, Kay, and Loc in Vietnam, Sony and Sambath in Cambodia, and Anne in Thailand for a fantastic cultural and historical experience in your respective countries. These guides were the best and really made our trip special. The sights that we saw were incredible, including Ha Long Bay and of course, Ankgor Wat. We really enjoyed the elephant sanctuary in Laos and the Laos city of Luang Prabang is a hidden gem. The bike tours that we did in Hoi An (Kay) and the Mekong Delta (Loc) to really get into the countryside and engage with local families was an incredible experience that we really enjoyed and will always cherish. We even got to stop at a local school and interact with some of the school children trying to practice their English which was pretty cool. We had a great bike tour in Siem Reap (Sambath) and all the incredible temples around Ankgor Wat. The tours that we had to understand and experience these countries from a historical and cultural perspective, brought to life by our tour guides, really made this trip a unique experience. We were well taken care of throughout our travels and the service and people were so friendly. We would highly recommend My Way Travel for your next trip to SE Asia and will not hesitate to use them in the future. Hopefully you get lucky enough to have some of the tour guides that we had.
Garethbradburn
12 April 2024 ★★★★★This was the fourth trip we have done with My Way Travel and arranged by Stephen. As always it was impeccably organised from arriving in Bangkok, flights to Chiang Rai, tour to the elephant sanctuary, to Krabi for a few days at the beach then transfer to Phnom Pen for the higlight of our trip, a cruise up the Mekong on a seriously luxurious boat, then transfer to Seam Riep. The hotels were excellent, the transfers seemless with good english speaking guides. We cannot recommend Stephen more highly.
Leslie
16 May 2024 ★★★★★An amazing trip out together by Stephen at My Way Travel! This was our second trip ( went to Vietnam and Cambodia 2019). Stephen is great to work with- very flexible and listens to what we wanted to do. This trip was originally scheduled for April 2020. A honest company that asked if I wanted my deposit back and I said no - that I would use it in a future trip! How many companies around the world did this???? We had great guides In Bangkok and Chiang Rai and Chiang Rai. Fon was full of energy and fun in Bangkok. Ann was one of the best guides I have ever had- she took us to a couple of places not noted on the tour. We went for a hike at a waterfall and visited the cave where the Thai boys were rescued in the cave. Both Ann and Fon gave us wonderful suggestions for restaurants. I would absolutely recommend Stephen and My Way Travel! We plan to use him again in planning Bali!
Dzintars Naglis
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18 December 2024 ★★★★★We had a fantastic time exploring Vietnam, Thailand & Cambodia with My Way Travel. The trip was beautifully organized to ensure we saw it all, yet paced so that we had plenty of time for spontaneous discovery. The guides were superb, they clearly love their work and as a result, we received fascinating insights into the culture of each country. The pre-planning by the My Way Travel team made sure our specific areas of interest were also covered and we particularly enjoyed the private market tour, cooking class and dinner in Chiang Mai. As you would expect, accommodations and transfers were all top notch. We are looking forward to our next journey! Every activity was coordinated to perfection and we couldn’t be more happy.
Scott
5 May 2024 ★★★★★An amazing trip out together by Stephen at My Way Travel! This was our second trip ( went to Vietnam and Cambodia 2019). Stephen is great to work with- very flexible and listens to what we wanted to do. This trip was originally scheduled for April 2020. A honest company that asked if I wanted my deposit back and I said no - that I would use it in a future trip! How many companies around the world did this???? We had great guides In Bangkok and Chiang Rai and Chiang Rai. Fon was full of energy and fun in Bangkok. Ann was one of the best guides I have ever had- she took us to a couple of places not noted on the tour. We went for a hike at a waterfall and visited the cave where the Thai boys were rescued in the cave. Both Ann and Fon gave us wonderful suggestions for restaurants. I would absolutely recommend Stephen and My Way Travel! We plan to use him again in planning Bali!
Kyle
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