Yumeshima Kaido (literally, “Dream Island Road”) is like Shimanami Kaido’s little sister. Encompassing four of the ten islands that make up the town of Kamijima, connected by their own bridges it is a beautiful, well off-the-beaten-track, but relatively easy to access, and well suited to beginner cyclists.

Yumeshima Kaido

The four islands of Iwagi, Ikina, Sashima and Yugeshima that make up the Yumeshima Kaido are connected by bridges and well-maintained roads. Whether you take on the 63 km circuit of all three islands, or opt to explore just one or two, you are guaranteed lovely scenery and a journey through sleepy villages where you are more likely to pass more cats than cars. Life moves slowly on the Yumeshima, which is much of its charm and it’s a great place to get a feel for island life, that has changed little in decades.

Yuge is a great place to start and finish your Yumeshima Kaido trip. Well connected by ferries, Yuge is where most of the area’s accommodation and eateries are located. It is also home to Yuge Sea Station Flat, a facility equipped with toilets, showers, laundromat, Wi-Fi, and bicycle pumps and tools, and the place to get information about the Yumeshima Kaido. If you plan to explore on your own, Yuge’s Setouchi Koryukan rental bike terminal is 300-m walk from Yuge Sea Station Flat, but you can also arrange a guided tour with a resident Kiwi that will make sure you hit all the best spots.

Iwagi Island is the largest of the Yumeshima Kaido islands and locally known for its “green lemons” and lemon-fed pork cuisine.

370m Mt Sekizen dominates the center of the island and offers panoramic views at the end of an approximately 5-km climb. In spring 3000 cherry trees that line the hiking trail create a beautiful pink band along the ridge during cherry blossom season.

Sashima and Yuge both have pilgrimage routes along which small shrines stand by the roadside; mini versions of the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. While nowhere near as serious an undertaking as the full Shikoku route, the Yuge pilgrimage can still be a challenge. On tiny Sashima, however, the shrines are only a few meters apart along a 4km out and back route.

Getting to Yumeshima Kaido

Part of the charm of the Yumeshima Kaido is that it can still only be accessed by boat. Car ferries and high-speed boats depart from Imabari Port, Habu Port on Innoshima Island, and from Sunoe and Karoto Ports on Ikuchijima Island. Sashimi is also well known among local cyclists for it’s “U-turn” where the Sashima section of the Yumeshima Kaido’s Blue LIne reaches the sea and doubles back on itself.

◆ Accommodation List

Yugeshima Island

Ikina Island

Sashima Island

Iwagi Island