Shimanami Kaidō
Seto Inland Sea — Hiroshima to Ehime · Onomichi (Mukaishima ferry landing) → Imabari Station
Island-hopping across Japan’s Inland Sea on a chain of great bridges, from Onomichi to Imabari.
- Distance
- 71.7 km
- Climbing
- +594 m
- Est. time
- 2 h 40 min
- High point
- 75 m
Free, and no account needed to start. It rides in your browser with any smart trainer or power meter — a free account saves your result on the leaderboard below.
Elevation profile
0–75 m · 5 categorised climbs · Moderate · Road + Cycle pathAbout Shimanami Kaidō
The Shimanami Kaidō links Japan’s main island, Honshū, with Shikoku across a string of small islands, and it was built with cyclists in mind: every bridge has its own cycle path, reached by a gentle spiral ramp, and a blue line painted on the road shows the way from one end to the other.
Between the bridges the route follows quiet coast roads past citrus groves, shipyards and fishing harbours. The crossings are the highlights — among them the long cable-stayed Tatara bridge and, at the end, the Kurushima-Kaikyō bridges, several kilometres of riding high above a tidal strait. The first crossing, from Onomichi to Mukaishima, is a five-minute ferry: this track starts where it lands.
Why ride this route indoors?
- A long, mostly flat ride with short ramps up to each bridge: a natural endurance session with built-in surges.
- It is the friendliest route on this list — a good first long ride indoors.
- Japan rides on the left, and so does this route.
Good to know
+Is this the official route of Shimanami Kaidō?
No. It was recreated by Cycloscape from open map data (OpenStreetMap) following public descriptions of the route, for indoor training. It may differ from the official route or from current road conditions.
+What do I need to ride Shimanami Kaidō indoors?
A smart trainer or a power meter, and a browser. Cycloscape connects over Bluetooth or ANT+ from the browser, sets the resistance of a smart trainer to the real gradient, and turns the route’s GPX into a 3D world. There is nothing to install.
+Is it free?
Yes. You can start riding this route without an account. A free account saves your result and puts you on the route’s leaderboard.
Leaderboard
Best effort per rider — a free account puts your ride on it.