Imabari is the starting point of the Shiminaido Kaido
We awoke this morning still marvelling at our good fortune of being here in Saijo at the right time and in such a prime location to watch the festival last night. It is truly impressive to be in a massive crowd of people and not see anyone drunk or misbehaving. We saw all ages, from babies to the very elderly coming together to honour this special day. We admired the hard work and pride that went into building these floats and manoeuvring them through the streets of Saijo. The festival celebrates the harvest.
The ever present and beautiful hills of Shikoku as seen from our hotel room. The area below was completely full of people with up to a dozen of the floats parked. It was fun to watch the team bounce their float in greeting to another float. Knowing the weight of these things, it is an accomplishment.
On our way out of town, we came upon a group who were dismantling their float. They looked exhausted.
Looking out to the Seto Sea. The tide is out and the birds are enjoying finding food at the beach. The weather has been very hot and humid. The ocean breezes make it bearable.
We have reached a ferry port that we are very familiar with. When we came to Imabari on a previous trip, we arrived on this ferry, a vessel in the Sunflower line, from Osaka. It was an overnight journey and so much fun. We think of ferries in Japan as our holiday within a vacation.
As travellers, we have grown to appreciate and prefer routes off the beaten path. It is quieter, has little traffic and we ride through villages and can appreciate how Japanese people live.
These banners with a branch on top are also in celebration of the harvest and the festival. The loudspeakers are an important part of every town and village in Japan. They warn the residents of danger. For example, tsunamis, typhoons and earthquakes. At certain times songs are played to announce the time of day.
We will be doing this route when we leave Imabari. First we will ride the Shimanami Kaido on the right with blue lines showing the bridges and the route. On our return we will ride part of the Shimanami again, and then connect with Akinada Tobishima Kaido by ferry from Omishima. It is the route on the left with brown lines.
We are looking forward to riding the Shimanami Kaido for the second time. Each of the 7 islands are connected by a bridge which give cyclists their own area to ride, away from cars. The routes are well signed with blue lines on the road ensuring you stay on route.
Our hotel, the JR Clement is where we like to stay in Imabari. They have embraced touring cyclists and they offer perks for the guest, like this with free beverages in the evening.
Guests are welcome to take their bikes to their room. They have installed wall mounted racks to hold your bike. Ours are too big and they quickly offer a spot in the lobby.
