Explore the Best of Shikoku by E-bike and SUP

Shikoku is an island in southwest Japan. It’s the smallest, least developed of Japan’s main islands. The center of Shikoku is dominated by Mt. Ishizuchi whose dramatic peak is the remnant of an ancient caldera.

On this adventure, we travel across Shikoku from the Seto Inland Sea, passing over the Ishizuchi range by e-bike and descending the Niyodo River by SUP to the Pacific Ocean. Our tour is conceived as an introduction to the best of Shikoku.

We first get on our e-bikes to cycle the Shimanami Kaido, a chain of islands and bridges crossing the Inland Sea. It was once home to maritime clans (pirates!), who took some cargo in return for guiding ships through the racing currents and whirlpools of the hazardous sea. From the islands, we can see Mt. Ishizuchi looming ahead.

The climb up to Ishizuchi is challenging, but e-bikes make it possible for any averagely fit person. Traversing the mountain on the ‘UFO Line’ is quite a trip – the views over Shikoku roll on and on, blending into the distant ocean. 
 

The pure blue Niyodo River rises on Ishizuchi and flows down to the Pacific. We ride its translucent waters on SUP boards, stopping occasionally to jump off boulders and the rustic bridges used by local people. 

Along the route, we meet the ancestors of pirates, the Shinto priests whose deities watch over the mountains and seas, and the craftspeople who use the water from the mountains to make beautiful washi paper and deliciously fresh sake.