Ikuchijima Cycling

Ikuchijima Cycling Guide

Cycling Ikuchijima means riding from the Ikuchi Bridge through Setoda to the Tatara Bridge. The sign at the bottom of the bridge path puts the Tatara Bridge entrance at 13.0 km. Along the way in Setoda, you can detour to Kosanji Temple and the shopping street.

Based on our own ride, photos and checks on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, a sunny day.

Palm-lined Prefectural Road 81 when cycling Ikuchijima (seawall on the sea side, blue line on the shoulder)

Ikuchijima cycling route overview

Ikuchijima is the third island on the Shimanami Kaido counting from Onomichi. It is linked to Innoshima in the east by the Ikuchi Bridge and to Omishima in the southwest by the Tatara Bridge.

Entry bridge	Ikuchi Bridge (cable-stayed, 790 m long)
Exit bridge	Tatara Bridge (cable-stayed, 1,480 m long, opened 1999)
Ikuchi Bridge to Setoda Port	About 6.8 km (via the north coast)
Setoda Port to Tatara Bridge	About 6.2 km (via Prefectural Road 81)
Main roads	The island’s north coast and Prefectural Road 81 (with the blue line)
Detours	Setoda town (Kosanji, Shiomachi shopping street, Setoda Port)

*Bridge lengths and opening year are from Nippon Tabi Magazine (tabi-mag.jp). Section distances were calculated from the navy-blue cycling signs on the island.

This time, after coming down from the Ikuchi Bridge, we rode around the island counterclockwise. We headed west along the north coast, stopped in Setoda town, then rode south down the west coast on Prefectural Road 81. After passing under the Tatara Bridge we rode east along the south coast and completed a loop of the island. This page introduces the scenery and stops of each section in the order we rode them.

Down from the Ikuchi Bridge to 7-Eleven

Cross the Ikuchi Bridge bike path from Innoshima and you come down a slope beside a bamboo grove onto Ikuchijima. At the bottom there are yellow U-shaped bollards with a toll board beside them.

The Ikuchijima end of the Ikuchi Bridge bicycle and pedestrian path (toll board and yellow bollards) — Looking back toward the bridge from the bottom of the path. The toll board reads “Pedestrians and bicycles free” and “Mopeds 125 cc and under 50 yen.”

Tolls: According to the toll board on site, pedestrians and bicycles are free. Mopeds of 125 cc and under pay 50 yen, and there are coupon books (11 and 50 crossings). The board says coupon books are sold at each Shimanami Kaido toll booth.

Just past the bottom of the path is a navy-blue cycling sign. Left goes to Kosanji and Setoda Port; right goes to Komyobo and Citrus Park Setoda. This time we went left and rode around the island counterclockwise.

Ikuchijima cycling sign at the bottom of the Ikuchi Bridge path (Tatara Bridge 13.0 km, Kosanji 6.2 km) — Left: Kosanji and Hirayama Ikuo Museum 6.2 km, Setoda Port 6.8 km, Setoda Sunset Beach 9.8 km. Right: Komyobo 5.6 km, Citrus Park Setoda 9.6 km.

Right beside the bottom of the bike path is a 7-Eleven, a place to stock up as soon as you reach the island. From the parking lot in front of the store, you can see the whole Ikuchi Bridge you just crossed.

The Ikuchi Bridge seen from the 7-Eleven on the Ikuchijima side (white inverted-Y tower and Innoshima) — The Ikuchi Bridge seen east-southeast from the 7-Eleven parking lot. Innoshima is across the water.

Bicycle and pedestrian path in front of the 7-Eleven on Ikuchijima, separated from the road by planting — The bike and pedestrian path in front of the store, separated from the road by a planted strip. The blue line runs on the road shoulder.

The north coast, Dolce and Shima no Eki Shimanami 1

About 2.8 km west along the north coast in a straight line is the gelato shop Dolce. Its sign advertises handmade ice cream, cafe, desserts and fresh juice. About 10 bikes were lined up in front, and cyclists from overseas were taking a break.

Dolce’s sign on Ikuchijima with bikes lined up in front (looking west from the block-paved sidewalk) — Looking west from the sidewalk in front of Dolce. A block-paved sidewalk separated from the road by a planted strip.

On the same site is the souvenir shop Shima no Eki Shimanami 1. Banners and signs advertised lemon-flavored karaage, fries and lemonade. This time we did not go into either shop, only looked from outside.

Exterior of Dolce on Ikuchijima (orange walls and a wooden-deck terrace) — The outside of Dolce. The wooden deck on the right is the terrace seating.

Shima no Eki Shimanami 1 on the same site as Dolce, Ikuchijima (souvenirs and lemonade) — Shima no Eki Shimanami 1, with a “nationwide shipping available” sign and a fruit stand sign.

From the shore in front of Dolce you can see Sagishima and Shigei-cho on Innoshima to the north. The small island in the middle is Shimosagishima, about 1.3 km from where we stood.

Sagishima, Shimosagishima and Shigei-cho on Innoshima seen from the shore in front of Dolce, Ikuchijima — Sagishima on the left, the small island Shimosagishima in the middle and Shigei-cho on Innoshima on the right. There were almost no waves that day.

West of Dolce, a straight road continues along the sea. Follow the blue line on the shoulder and you enter Setoda town.

Coastal road running west from Dolce on Ikuchijima (blue line on the shoulder) — The road looking west from Dolce. On the right is the seawall; at low tide you can see a rocky tidal flat.

Walking Setoda town (Hirayama Ikuo Museum, Kosanji, Shiomachi shopping street)

In Setoda we got off our bikes and walked around between the Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art and Setoda Port.

Where to park at the Hirayama Ikuo Museum and Kosanji

Right beside the sign of the Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art are two bike stands.

Two bike stands beside the sign of the Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art — The bike stands to the right of the museum sign. Cross the crosswalk in front to reach the museum entrance.

In front of the gate of Kosanji Temple there is also a rail-type bike hanger. When we visited, about 10 bikes were parked there.

Bike hanger in front of the gate of Kosanji Temple (bicycles only, no mopeds or motorcycles) — In front of Kosanji’s gate. The tag on the bike hanger says “No mopeds or motorcycles” and “Bicycles only.”

For moped and motorcycle riders: The bike hanger in front of Kosanji’s gate is for bicycles only. The tag also says “No Motorcycle Parking” in English. The sign at the gate gave opening hours of 9:00 to 17:00.

The yellow postbox across from Kosanji

Across from Kosanji’s gate stands a round yellow postbox. On Google Maps it is listed as the “Lemon Postbox of Happiness.”

Round yellow postbox across from Kosanji in Setoda (the Lemon Postbox of Happiness) — Turn around at Kosanji’s gate and the yellow postbox is right in front of you.

It is yellow because Setoda is a lemon-growing area. The Shiomachi shopping street held workshops to paint the postbox and shop shutters yellow. Together with planting lemon trees along the street, this has shaped the look of the town.

*Details of the workshops are from the Shiomachi shopping street’s project report (note: “Shiomachi and Workshops,” 2021).

Walking the Shiomachi shopping street

About 90 m west of the yellow postbox is the entrance to the Shiomachi shopping street. An arch sign spans the road, and beyond it a street about one car wide continues.

Arch sign at the entrance of the Shiomachi shopping street in Setoda (looking west) — The east entrance of the Shiomachi shopping street. There is a bike stand in front of the shop at front left.

Shiomachi shopping street in Setoda, telephoto looking west (about one car wide) — The street shot with a telephoto. At front right is a sign for the Choonzan Park trailhead and Kojoji’s national-treasure three-story pagoda.

At the west end of the street, new wooden buildings stand next to old earthen storehouses. At SOIL Setoda, a cafe that is also a place to stay, there was a “Bike Rental” sign out front.

SOIL Setoda on the west side of the Shiomachi shopping street (Bike Rental sign and SUP boards) — SOIL Setoda on the right. Two SUP boards hang on the wall, and there is a Bike Rental sign out front.

Kokage Books (glass building) and a white-walled storehouse in a Setoda alley — The glass building on the left is Kokage Books. On the right is a storehouse of white plaster and charred cedar boards.

In an alley running south is Kokage Books, a book space attached to a place to stay. This time we did not go into either, just looked from the street.

Setoda Port and the Takane Bridge

A little past the west end of the Shiomachi shopping street, you reach Setoda Port. There is a single-story building with a tiled roof and “Setoda Port” written on the wall.

Setoda Port building (single-story with a tiled roof, Setoda tourist map and vending machine) — The Setoda Port building. A Setoda tourist map and a vending machine are at front right.

In front of the building is a lawn. There were two tables with parasols, and people were resting. The yellow half-dome benches are shaped like lemons cut in half.

Lawn in front of Setoda Port (tables with parasols, a stone lantern and yellow benches) — The lawn in front of the port. About 10 bikes were parked along the seawall at the back.

The sign at the boarding gate says “Itterasshai” (have a good trip) with a picture of a lemon.

Boarding gate at Setoda Port (sign with “Itterasshai” and a lemon) — The boarding gate entrance. Signs say “No entry except passengers” and “No fishing on the pier.”

Two passenger boats moored at Setoda Port and the yellow Takane Bridge (Takanejima on the left) — Passenger boats moored at the port. The yellow arch bridge behind is the Takane Bridge; the hill on the left is Takanejima.

The lemon postbox, the benches at the port, the sign at the boarding gate: lemon colors and shapes are all over town. When you ride through Setoda, look out for them as you walk.

Prefectural Road 81 down the west coast to the Tatara Bridge

We went back to the intersection just before Setoda Port and got back on our bikes. Turn left following the “for Imabari” sign, and you ride south down the island’s west coast on Prefectural Road 81.

Sign at the intersection before Setoda Port (Prefectural Road 81 for Imabari, Setoda Port to the right) — The sign looking west from the east side of the intersection. The sign on the right gives distances to the Tatara Bridge entrance and the Ikuchi Bridge entrance.

Distances from here: The navy-blue sign at the intersection puts the Tatara Bridge entrance at 6.2 km. It also lists Setoda Sunset Beach at 3.0 km and Kosanji at 0.8 km.

About 1.2 km south of the intersection, you enter a section with palm trees lining the sea side. More than 10 palms stand in a row, and Omishima is visible across the water beyond the seawall.

Palm-like trees and the sea on Prefectural Road 81, Ikuchijima (Omishima across the water) — Riding south on Prefectural Road 81. The blue line arrows on the shoulder show the direction of travel.

Further along Prefectural Road 81 is Setoda Sunset Beach. This time we rode past without stopping. The beach facilities and parking are covered in the spot article.

About 3.2 km south-southwest of the palm-lined section, the Tatara Bridge appears ahead. When it was completed in 1999, it was the longest cable-stayed bridge in the world (Nippon Tabi Magazine). Beyond the bridge is Omishima, the next island you cross to.

The Tatara Bridge seen southwest from the Ikuchijima shore (Omishima beyond the white tower) — The Tatara Bridge seen southwest from a pebble beach. The white tower in the center is the Omishima-side tower.

Turn around at the same spot and the coastal road you rode curves away to the right. In the distance is Imabari Shipbuilding’s Hiroshima Shipyard in Mihara on the mainland side.

Coastal road looking back north from Prefectural Road 81 on Ikuchijima, with Imabari Shipbuilding’s Hiroshima Shipyard across the water — Looking back north. A shipyard lined with cranes is visible across the sea.

Prefectural Road 81 on Ikuchijima heading to the Setoda-side tower of the Tatara Bridge (blue lines on both sides) — The road looking south from the same spot. At top right is the Setoda-side tower of the Tatara Bridge.

Directions when coming down onto Ikuchijima from the Tatara Bridge

The Tatara Bridge bike path connects to Prefectural Road 81 at an intersection. We did not cross the bridge this time, but here is what the intersection looks like for riders coming from Omishima.

Bike path coming down from the Tatara Bridge meeting Prefectural Road 81 (STOP road marking) — The bike path coming down from the bridge. There is a “stop” marking before the prefectural road at the end. Three bike hangers and a bench are on the right.

Directly ahead as you leave the intersection are destination signs. Right goes to Kosanji and Setoda Port; left goes to Citrus Park Setoda.

Signs at the intersection below the Tatara Bridge (Kosanji 5.6 km to the right, Citrus Park to the left) — The navy-blue sign lists Setoda Port 5.0 km, Setoda Sunset Beach 1.9 km and Citrus Park Setoda 5.9 km.

Reading the distances: The small white bike sign reads “Ikuchi Bridge 15.2 km.” The navy-blue sign gives 12.7 km to the Ikuchi Bridge entrance, a different figure. The section distances on this page follow the navy-blue signs.

The south coast and tidal flats facing Hakatajima

Past the underside of the Tatara Bridge, the road heads east along the island’s south coast. Straights and short curves alternate, with some ups and downs here and there.

Road running east along the south coast of Ikuchijima (houses on the left, seawall on the right) — The road shot from the same spot without zoom. On the right is the seawall.

Telephoto of the south coast road on Ikuchijima (S-curves and ups and downs for about 700 m) — A telephoto shot about 700 m down the road, showing the S-curves and ups and downs.

Look out to sea to the south from the roadside and you can see the hills of Hakatajima offshore. When we visited, the tide was out, and a wide tidal flat of pebbles and sand was exposed.

Tidal flat on the south coast of Ikuchijima with Hakatajima offshore — The tidal flat looking south from the south coast. How much of it you see depends on the tide.

Beyond here, the coastal road continues from the south coast to the east coast. This time we kept going around the island and returned to the bottom of the Ikuchi Bridge path.

Things to know when cycling Ikuchijima

Mopeds and motorcycles cannot park in front of Kosanji’s gate: the bike hanger there is for bicycles only.
Mopeds pay a toll on the Ikuchi Bridge: according to the toll board, mopeds of 125 cc and under pay 50 yen. Bicycles and pedestrians are free.
Stock up at the bottom of the bridge: there is a 7-Eleven right beside the bottom of the Ikuchi Bridge bike path. There is also a vending machine in front of the Setoda Port building.
Sign distances differ by type: the tall navy-blue signs and the small white signs give different distances to the same bridge.

Places to stop on Ikuchijima

Spots along this route that we cover in detail:

The section before Ikuchijima is in the Innoshima cycling guide, and the overall Shimanami Kaido route and what to bring are in the Shimanami Kaido cycling guide.