Japan. Shikoku Pilgrimage. Omishima to Onomichi

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Day 13. Omishima to Onomichi.
72km. 730m ascent.

Last night six of us went to a local bar after dinner, just as a way of experiment as you do. The speciality was the local sake supplied in 1.8l bottles, needless to say we left some for the locals but not before Cecilia found her headache again. Another night sleeping on the floor and another night sleeping well- amazing. The nearby Ohyamazumi Shrine was visited before we skipped town, one that is 1300 years old and was used by the Samurai warriors in 1185 to pray for victory over the existing autocratic rulers, who also prayed there. Needless the Samurai won the day and ruled until democracy was restored in 1868. Alongside the Temple is a museum of Samurai clothing, swords, daggers and bows and arrows etc. How such small men wielded a heavy 1 1/2 metre sword I will never know. Once on the road we followed the coast of the island of Ohmishima and over majestic bridges to Ikuchi, then Innoshima and then onto Mukoujima. Every bridge is different but all have a spiral cycle path to get the cyclists up to the high lebeyof the highway. The last bridge had a cycle/pedestrian way underneath the main carriageway and we could hear the traffic thundering overhead. Many cyclists were seen today doing the Island Route, many of which were non Japanese and one couple we spoke to were from Brisbane, Australia. The beaches up here in the north are covered in golden sand and not the dark volcanic sand of further south, but few people on them. Just before we crossed to Omishima we saw a group of people collecting clams from beds on the edge of the water. A lot of shipping was seen today ferrying goods through the channels between the islands and again a considerable amount of ship yards and heavy fabrication factories producing large stanchions and beams etc. A definite heavy industrial area but not grimy and filthy as you may expect. Our last port of call was Onomichi which was reached by a ferry for the princely sum of 7 Yen (10p). Now in our last hotel before our flight home tomorrow we stripped our personal bits, such as saddles and pedals, off our bikes and hit the shower before the last supper tonight of our 16 riders and three ’Cycling Japan’ guides, who have worked above and beyond the call of duty to make our holiday so enjoyable.
I will summarise Japan in a further blog soon.
Roll on the next trip to the land of the rising sun.

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