Awajishima island one round cycling(F-8)⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘26.31st, Jan
This route F-8 is in Area-F, “Kinki". See Area-F map/ See Japan map
Sight & Entertainment ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Food & Drinks ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Easiness ⭐⭐
Road condition ⭐⭐⭐
Safety ⭐⭐⭐⭐
My last trip was in early November 2025, so I’ve not traveled for 3 months. Now it’s the midst of winter but I searched a good place to go and found this Awajishima island one round 150km cycling, which was one of the most popular course for cyclists.
I took a half day holiday on Friday afternoon and got on board the Shinkansen with my bike from Tokyo to Nishiakashi before busy time, 17:03 departure at Tokyo station. I booked a hotel in Akashi station, one station back from Nishiakashi by JR local train since the ferry’s port is in Akashi city.
To get on the first ferry “Awaji Genova line“, AM6:30 departure, I woke up AM5:00 and reached the port(pic.1) within 5min. Then bought 2 tickets at a vendor machine, one for myself, \700- and one for the bike, \300- for one way(pic.1-2). Bikes were bound by ropes at the end of the ferry(pic.1-4) and started toward the island. It took 15min from Akashi port to Iwaya port(the island).
I started cycling AM7:00 in the minus degree C, but soon the sunrise could be seen on the left hand side(pic.3). In the beginning, the cycling course was on the main route, R-28(pic.3-2) and the space for cyclists were enough wide.
It took 1hr15min before coming to the first division point, the entrance of Sumoto hot spring town(pic.4). If you take the R-28, it will go to inside the island and cycling course will be 120km, but I took the left side course, prefectural route 76 along the coast for 150km course(pic.5).
Until 42km point from the start, the road was almost flat, so I felt it was easy for me to complete one round but from here I had to regret what I had thought.
Each hill’s height itself was not so high, less than 200M height, but the slope was too steep. I could not believe my cycom showing 10-15% many times(pic.6). Sometimes I could see the ocean view(pic.7) but basically the road was running in the forest. After 5km struggling in the mountain, again the road came down to the coast(pic.8).
This coast line lasted over 10km with boring scene, and even worse the winter strong West wind hit me as the head wind. Now I wanted to take a rest for some minutes(pic.9).
Finally the boring flat coast line ended but again I had to face the steep slope. What annoyed me was the steep hill climbing repeating many times in a short section, which damages myself most. It was so tough that I mentally broke down and had to stop 3 times till I reached the observatory(pic.12).
The good point of this route was that the route guide signs were printed on the road(pic.11) and whenever I had to turn left or right, vertical signt boards also appeared.
When I saw the board of Uzumachi terrace observatory, I thought it was the road side station but it was just a observatory. But view of the strait was much better than that of road side station(pic.12). From there to road side station, it was a few km slight down hill, which made me imagine myself struggling up the hill on my returning since I was already exhausted.
When I reached the station, many cars were parked there and bike rack was far from the photo spot. A guide allowed me to drag the bike to the photo spot(pic.13-2). There a kind old lady took a pic for me. From here a strong and fast tide could be seen under the Oh-naruto bridge. There may be a big swirl, “Uzushio" since I could see the “Uzushio" sightseeing boad under the bridge but the wirld itself could not be seen. BTW, now bikes can’t go to the bridge but from 2027, bikes will be allowed to cross the strait.
Now it’s 12:00, lunch time. Luckily the restaurant was not so crowded and I could sit at the good point from which I could see the strait. I ordered a “Awaji-gyu(beef)" hamburger with Awaji onion. The volume was good enough and the taste as well.
I wanted to start before 12:30 but I felt very much tired and got sleepy. So before I knew it I had fallen asleep there and when I noticed, it was already PM1:00.
The second half started with up hill for a few KM. And went into a mountain for a while toward North-West direction, the head wind direction. So I had to brace myself for taking a long time ride to the goal.
But when I came down the the coast, the road direction changed to North-East(pic.14), then I felt the wind easing. Thanks to that change, I could go faster as I did in the morning. Sometimes the road went inland and into the towns but basically went along the coast. So the sights were boring but unexpectedly I could go fast thanks to the west wind.
Apart from “Uzushio" at the road side station, I just wanted to visit the Nojima false line museum, where we could see the false line(pic.16) which caused the “Hanshin Awaji earth quake" in 1995. Basically we can see the rear lot 50 cm higher than the front lot and is offset 1.2 m to the south. The real house on the line was preserved(pic.16-3). I knew that in my brain but it still surprised me.
From the museum to the goal, Iwaya port, it was around 18km with flat road. I reached the port just at 17:00 and the departure time was 17:20. Good timing!. On the way to Akashi port, I luckily could see the just sunset to the Seto inland sea line(pic.17).
There was a nice tavern ”Shinhama“near my hotel. I booked my seat at 18:30 beforehand. There I enjoyed very famous Akashi cuisine, “Akashi octopus"(pic.18-1 left), and local sea food like young flatfish(18-1 right) as well as Hyogo prefecture’s Japanese sakes(18-2).
When I did cycling travel in this area 2 years ago, I was mesmerized by the taste of Hyogo’s sake but this time again I was very much satisfied with the other ones. Though they are not easily available in Tokyo area but all of what I ordered taste were not sweet, with a rich, full-bodied flavor.
In next morning my Shinkansen to Tokyo started at AM6:01 from Nishi-Akashi, 4km west from Akashi, and it was too early, so I had to cycle from my hotel to Nishi-Akashi in the dark city, then I finally finished my trip of “Awaji island one round" dubbed as “Awa-ichi".
I reached my home at AM10:00 on Sunday.
<Transportation info>
From Tokyo to Akashi: 17:03 Hikari521 → 20:19 Nishi-Akashi, then 20：25 JR Kobe line to Maibara → 20：28 Akashi station. \15,180-
From Akashi to Tokyo: AM6:01 Nozomi66 → Tokyo AM8:51, \15,180-
<Other recommendable spots near my route>
Please refer to the sightseeing site
<Connection route>