Kakishima Kaido
“Kakishima Kaido” is a scenic cycling road connecting Kure City to Etajima City. There are plenty of historical sightseeing spots, such as scenic spots related to Taira no Kiyomori, the port that was used by the Japanese missions to Tang China, and the Former Naval Academy Building! Depending on the season, you can enjoy fresh oysters.
What is the “Kakishima Kaido”?
A romantic road where you can feel the history and culture
The “Kakishima Kaido” is a cycling road that starts at JR Kure Station in Kure City and runs through Ondo Bridge, Kurahashijima Island, and Nomijima to Kirikushi Port in Etajima City.
There are plenty of sightseeing spots where you can feel history and culture, such as scenic spots related to Taira no Kiyomori, the port that was used by the Japanese missions to Tang China, and the Maritime Self-Defense Force facilities ! You can also enjoy the natural blessings of the Seto Inland Sea such as oysters and mandarins.
After enjoying a boat trip from Ujina Port in Hiroshima City to Kirikushi Port, there is also a route to Kure City.
Cycling to feel refreshed !
The sea breeze feels good!
The Kakishima Kaido is a 70km cycling road from JR Kure Station (Kure City) to Kirikushi Port in Etajima City. It is a route that has a reputation for cyclists because there are few cars and traffic lights, and it can be driven comfortably.
Cycling while gazing at the beautiful scenery of the Seto Inland Sea will give you an exhilarating feeling.
“Ondo no Seto” by Taira no Kiyomori
A scenic spot where the legend of "Himaneki" took place
A scenic spot with a legend that Taira no Kiyomori called back the sun to make the daytime longer and was able to built this waterway in time.
Now, a red arch bridge is built, and you can enjoy a stunning view that matches the blue sea of the Seto Inland Sea.
There are more than 2,000 cherry trees planted in Ondo Seto Park, and many people visit for a walk during the cherry blossom viewing season. The red and white azaleas from late April to early May are also a must-see.
At the Canal Terrace in the Ondo Tourism and Culture Center “Uzushio”, you can see the scenery of Japan's shortest regular maritime route “Ondo Ferry,” which is known for the number of boats that come and go with the steep tide, so please stop by.
Kurahashijima, the hometown of the Japanese Envoys
Tour the Japanese Mission to Tang Dynasty China
Kurahashi Island was called Nagato Island in ancient times. It is known for being the port town for departure of the Japanese envoys. Katsurahama, located in the south of the island, is designated as a prefectural historic site as the “Manyoshu Ruins Nagato Matsubara”.
The “Nagato Shipbuilding History Museum” exhibits a lot of documents related to shipbuilding and the shipping industry, including wooden ship models from ancient times to the present day. Inside the museum, you can see the interior of the boat used for the Missions to China, which has been restored to life size.
It is an island where you can feel the history and culture that has developed as a shipping and shipbuilding town since the Manyo era.
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Take a leisurely break!
Kurahashi Katsurahama Onsen-kan
“Kurahashi Katsurahama Onsen-kan” is a day-trip hot spring facility that has two different public baths, “Stone Bath” and “Sea Bath”. You can also enjoy many other baths such as open-air baths, hot springs, esthetic baths, and saunas.
There is a restaurant where you can enjoy fresh seafood from Setouchi, and a shop that sells local specialties, so you can relax and unwind.
Tour the former Naval Academy is free!
There are actually medical school students
The Maritime Self-Defense Force's First Operational School (formerly the Naval Academy) in Etajima is known as a base for training naval officers.
Even now there are surgical school students and cadre candidates of the Maritime Self-Defense Force.
You can enjoiy a free tour of the school. 14,000 items such as old naval materials are exhibited in the educational reference hall on the campus, and among them, the posthumous notes and relics of the kamikaze members hit the hearts of the visitors.
You can taste the popular “Navy Curry” at the cafeteria.
※School tour: Reception starts 30 minutes before each session, and the tour time is 1 hour 30 minutes.
Canoeing in the calm Seto Inland Sea
How about a stroll in the sea?
The waves around Etajima are calm, so you can enjoy canoeing with peace of mind. Strolling in the sea while being blown by the sea breeze of the Seto Inland Sea is very refreshing! The scenery of the islands seen from the sea has a different beauty from the land.
Tours take about 3 hours, so beginners as well as families can easily participate.
Enjoy fresh oysters in a famous production area
Oyster's crisp texture and deep flavor are popular
The sea area around here has a complex topography and is rich in minerals necessary for oysters. The freshly picked oysters have a deep, crisp texture and melt-in-your-mouth flavor. It is truly the king of the winter table.
Enjoy oyster dishes unique to the production area, such as oysters with shells, fried oysters, and oyster tempura!
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Etajima's Oyster Festival
The “Etajima City Oyster Festival” is held every year on the first Sunday of February. There are events such as tasting fresh oysters.
It's so sweet! Mandarin orange picking
Harvest season starts around late October!
Etajima, blessed with a warm climate, is famous for citrus fruits. Around the end of October, the slopes of the mountain are colored orange with mandarins (mikan). The mikan of Etajima, bathed in plenty of sun, are known for being very sweet. In the harvest season, tourist farm where you can enjoy picking fruits open.
You can enjoy mikan picking with your family while watching the beautiful archipelago of Setouchi.
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