20 SEP — 10 OCT 2026 · 21 DAYS IN JAPAN
| Dates | Nts | Base | Booked by | Shape of it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20–24 Sep | 5 | Tokyo | Albert | Family, visit |
| 25–28 Sep | 4 | Kyoto | Albert | 初音 · temples, neighbourhoods |
| 29–30 Sep | 2 | Miyajima | Albert | P-Stay ToriiHouse · Hiroshima day trip |
| 1 Oct | 1 | Setoda, Ikuchijima | Georgina | Shimanami day 1 · BONAPOOL |
| 2–4 Oct | 3 | Matsuyama · Mitsu | Albert | Sardine Lullaby · onsen, henro walk, rest day |
| 5–6 Oct | 2 | Iya / Miyoshi | Albert | 古民家ステイMatoba · whole house |
| 7 Oct | 1 | Kōchi | Albert | Guest House BONITO · castle, Hirome Market |
| 8–9 Oct | 2 | Tokyo | Albert | Airbnb, Honmachi · birthday on the 9th |
| Route | Time | Ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Fri 25 Sep | ||
| Tokyo → Kyoto · Shinkansen | 16:00 → ~18:15 | Smart EX |
| Tue 29 Sep | ||
| Kyoto → Hiroshima · Nozomi 63 | 11:02 → 12:42 | e5489 Car 4 · 2D 2E |
| Hiroshima → Miyajimaguchi · JR Sanyō line | 25 min | IC |
| Miyajimaguchi → Miyajima · JR ferry | 10 min | IC |
| Thu 1 Oct | ||
| Miyajima → Miyajimaguchi · JR ferry | 10 min | IC |
| Miyajimaguchi → Hiroshima · JR Sanyō line | 25 min | IC |
| Hiroshima → Fukuyama · Nozomi 16 | 10:18 → 10:41 | e5489 Car 4 · 5D 5E |
| Fukuyama → Onomichi · JR Sanyō line | 20 min | IC |
| Fri 2 Oct | ||
| Imabari → Matsuyama · Shiokaze 19 | 18:47 → 19:23 | e5489 Car 2 · 1C 1D |
| Mon 5 Oct | ||
| Matsuyama → Tadotsu · Shiokaze 18 | 12:21 → 14:23 | e5489 Car 2 · 17C 17D |
| Tadotsu → Ōboke · Nanpū 13 | 14:47 → 15:41 | e5489 Car 2 · 1C 1D |
| Wed 7 Oct | ||
| Ōboke → Kōchi · Nanpū 7 | 12:46 → 13:39 | e5489 Car 2 · 2A 2B |
e5489 · collect at a JR ticket machine before boarding, with Albert's booking VISA + 4-digit ID · IC · tap Suica/ICOCA
In at Narita, then family time. Food, a bit of shopping.
| In | Narita · ~1h to the centre by N'EX, or Skyliner to Ueno |
| Holidays | 21 敬老の日 · 22 国民の休日 · 23 秋分の日 |
| Cash | 7-Eleven ATMs take foreign cards · pick up an IC card for trams, locals and buses |
25th: the 16:00 train gets you in for check-in, dinner and an evening walk.
26–28th: temples and neighbourhoods. Optional: a day in Nara, or a morning in Arashiyama.
| Get in | Tōkaidō Shinkansen · departs Tokyo 16:00 JST · ~2h15 |
| Nara | 45 min · Tōdai-ji |
Nozomi 63 11:02 → Hiroshima 12:42, then JR local and the ferry: on the island early afternoon. Lockers at the ferry terminal cover the gap before 16:00 — carry ¥100 coins.
Itsukushima Shrine and Daishō-in in the daylight, dinner on the island, then the illuminated torii once the day-trippers have gone.
| Ferry | 10 min · ¥200 each way |
| Tax | Visitor tax ¥100 pp, inbound only |
Peace Memorial Park, the museum, okonomiyaki; back to the island for the evening. Or skip Hiroshima for Mt Misen and more island time.
Bikes are one-way Onomichi → Imabari; the rental confirmation has the collection point and return terminal.
Quiet port-town evening in Setoda. Bonus Kōsan-ji if you arrive with time and energy.
| ~9:15 | Ferry off Miyajima, JR to Hiroshima |
| 10:18 | Nozomi 16 → Fukuyama 10:41, JR local to Onomichi |
| booked slot | Collect bikes |
| — | Central ferry → Mukaishima |
| ~30 km | Painted blue line to Setoda |
| evening | BONAPOOL · dinner in Setoda |
Direct route over Tatara Bridge, across Ōmishima to the Kurushima Kaikyō crossing. If the bike return is at Imabari Station, add the ~8 km city ride from Sunrise Itoyama.
Shiokaze 19 18:47 → JR Matsuyama 19:23, then Iyotetsu to Mitsu, the old port on the west side. JR Matsuyama and Iyotetsu's Matsuyama-shi are different stations: allow for the transfer. Check-in closes 21:00.
| Ride | Setoda → Imabari ≈40–50 km, depending on route and return terminal |
| Drop | Imabari · check booked terminal and closing time |
A slice of the 88-temple pilgrimage through outskirts and rice fields, ending at Ishiteji, near Dōgo. Your accommodation is across town in Mitsu; allow time to get home.
Start from Mitsu on the Iyotetsu train to Matsuyama-shi, then check the bus connection for Jōruriji. After two cycling days, decide over breakfast: the full walk if you feel fresh, or Ishiteji and Dōgo for a gentler day.
If collecting inscriptions, buy a nōkyōchō at the first temple. Standard book inscriptions are ¥500 per temple, cash; usual office hours are 08:00–17:00. Temple association details.
| No | Temple | Leg |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Jōruriji 浄瑠璃寺 | start |
| 47 | Yasakaji 八坂寺 | ~1 km |
| 48 | Sairinji 西林寺 | ~4.5 km |
| 49 | Jōdoji 浄土寺 | ~1.7 km |
| 50 | Hantaji 繁多寺 | ~1.7 km |
| 51 | Ishiteji 石手寺 | ~2.8 km |
A slow day around Mitsu: laundry, then Matsuyama Castle or an onsen if you feel like going into town.
Buy food for the whole stay at Boke Mart, near Ōboke Station. The host strongly recommends it; there's nothing useful to buy or eat near Matoba.
6th — vine bridge and a slow valley day; add the Ōboke gorge boat only if the buses fit.
| 12:21 | Shiokaze 18, JR Matsuyama → Tadotsu 14:23 |
| 14:47 | Nanpū 13 → Ōboke 15:41 |
| 16:33 | Bus → Kazurabashi Yumebutai 16:54 · or 17:08 → 17:29 |
| ~20 min | Walk uphill to Matoba |
| Bridge | Kazurabashi · visitor information |
| Cash | Draw cash before leaving Matsuyama |
Check out of Matoba by 10:00, walk back down to Kazurabashi Yumebutai, bus to Ōboke (timetable), then the 12:46 Nanpū 7 to Kōchi, 13:39.
Castle first — last entry 16:30; it's the only castle in Japan with its original honmaru palace still standing. Then Hirome Market.
Airport bus from Kōchi Station, ≈30 min. Pick a departure from the airport timetable that gets you there by ~10:00.
Both backpacks fly with you. The host won't take luggage before check-in, so nothing gets forwarded to Tokyo.
| ~10:00 | Kōchi Ryōma airport |
| 11:20 | JAL494 departs |
| 12:40 | Haneda |
| ~14:00 | Honmachi |
Happy Birthday Georgina <3
Birthday dinner on the 9th. Home from Narita on the 10th.