Features
Seeking Sakura on the Shimanami Kaido
Your guide to sakura cherry blossom spots in the Shimanami islands.
In a country where the passing of the seasons is a nationwide topic of conversation and celebration, no time of year lifts the spirits more than cherry blossom season. Appreciation of these pretty flowers that herald the arrival of spring has long been deeply ingrained in Japan, and today, visitors from around the world flock here to join the fun.
Here in Shimanami, the blossoms signify the end of the cold winter months and that it is time to get back on the bike!
Cycling around the islands is an excellent way to enjoy the cherry blossom, from sudden flashes of pink glanced in the corner of your eye as you turn a bend to the pretty mountain sakura on the mountainsides seen from afar to the quasi-official “spots” where locals gather to enjoy convivial hanami cherry blossom viewing picnics.
Early Bloomers
Are you kicking yourself because you will be in Shimanami before the sakura season? Don’t despair! There is still a chance that you may still see the Shimanami Kaido pretty in pink.
While the cherry blossom that everyone goes crazy about usually arrives at the end of March, a month or so earlier, another kind of sakura comes into bloom to bring cheer to the final days of winter. Kawazu-zakura flowers are big, bold, and beautiful, and they can be seen in a few places in the Shimanami Islands.
Onomichi Chamber of Commerce Seawall (Onomichi City)
Funakakushi Park (Innoshima Island)
Kosanji Temple, Setoda (Ikuchijima Island)
The Main Event
Of course, the more delicate Somei-Yoshino cherry blossoms are what people think of when they imagine the archetypal Japanese sakura experience, and these, too, can be seen in Shimanami.
Despite being relatively close together, the peak bloom varies from place to place, so keeping updated on local conditions as the season progresses is a good idea.
Onomichi City
Senkoji Park, located on the other side of the peak, which overlooks the gateway to the Shimanami Kaido, is one of the most popular places to enjoy hanami cherry blossom viewing in the region and attracts large crowds at peak bloom. Here, the blossoms are lit after dark, and food and festival stalls keep you entertained. Senkoji Park can be reached by the Mt Senkoji Ropeway or on foot via Cat Alley (Neko no Hosomichi).
Elsewhere, you can find lovely cherry blossoms on the grounds of temples and along lanes that make up the Onomichi Temple Walk.
The Shimanami Kaido
While there are several places that are known as cherry blossom viewing “spots” along the Shimanami Kaido, many of the prettiest places are found just along the road, gifts from local landowners or town officials prescient enough to plant cherry trees 20 or 30 years ago. Here, we introduce some of our favorites moving across the islands from Onomichi to Imabari.
Innoshima Island
Seek out the road that runs below the Innoshima end of the Innoshima Bridge to find a pretty cherry blossom tunnel with the impressive Innoshima Bridge as a backdrop.
📍 Google Map
Just past the giant white dinosaur that marks the entrance to Shimanami Beach on Route 366, which runs along the northern coast of Innoshima Island, is a lovely stretch of road lined with cherry trees that overhang the sidewalk. If you want to snap photos, please park your bike and stay on the sidewalk, as traffic moves quickly along this stretch.
📍Google Map
Ikuchijima Island
Just as Kosan-ji Temple on Ikuchijima Island has pretty early-blooming Kawazu-zakura, as mentioned above, you will also find beautiful Somei Yoshino blooms here a few weeks later.
Unlike the Kawazu-zakura, however, you will have to pay to go inside the temple grounds. It is well worth it, though; the blossoms are gorgeous and the temple itself and the glistening marble Hill of Hope above are fascinating.
📍 Google Map
Omishima Island
If you are riding the main “Blue Line” route, you cannot miss the stunning group of cherry trees that form a canopy heavy with blossom along the on/off ramp on the Omishima Island side of the Omishima Bridge.
📍 Google Map
Hakatajima Island
Mt Hiraki on Hakatajima Island boasts the most expansive cherry blossom along the Shimanami Kaido and is the place that is most suitable for a hanami party – picnics under the blossoms accompanied by food, drink, and occasional bouts of karaoke. You can see the mountain capped with a pink band of cherry blossom from far away, and at 149 high, the observation towers offer fantastic views over the surrounding islands and bridges. It’s well worth the climb!
Yumeshima Kaido
Over on Shimanami Kaido’s sister route, the Yumeshima Kaido, which crosses four islands in Ehime Prefecture’s Kamijima Town, is one of the region’s most spectacular cherry blossom posts, Mt Sekizensan on Iwagi Island. During cherry blossom season, the 370-m peak, known as the Mt Fuji of Iwagi, is blanketed in pink when over 3000 trees burst into bloom. Needless to say, the views are incredible, and Mt Sekizensan attracts many visitors.
📍 Google Map
Random bursts of beauty
In addition to these beautiful spots, one of the joys of exploring the Shimanmai Kaido and Yumeshima Kaido during spring is discovering random, picture-perfect scenes along the way.
Happy hunting!
