Where has the time gone? Today we will check out of our hotel and take a ferry this evening to Shikoku. It is bittersweet as we do enjoy Osaka, but we are also excited to explore new areas. Barry has taken advantage of having a garage in our hotel to do some work on our trikes and I have stayed in the lobby to work on the journal, among other things.
I am so glad that I was there as I got to see Kaho who works at the Hotel. On our previous trip to Japan, we got to know her and hadn’t seen her the past week as she had some days off. We enjoy all of the welcoming staff here, but we really felt a connection with her. She has spent time in Vancouver BC and speaks excellent English. Timing is everything. If I hadn’t remained in the lobby working, I would have missed seeing her.
Tonight at 10:00 we are taking an overnight ferry to Toyo Port on Shikoku Island. Shikoku is the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. When we disembark, the plan is to ride 25 Km from where the ferry docks to Imabari. From Imabari we will ride the 70+ Km Shimanami Kaido route to Onomichi on the main island of Honshu. We will do the route in both directions, so that we can return to Shikoku and then cycle the 1200 Km perimeter of the island.
The Orange ferry line has so far been outstanding . We were able to reserve our booking via email from Canada and pay for our ticket before departure at the terminal. Other ferries we have taken in Japan do not offer an online option which means we take our chances on the day of sailing to get a ticket and hopefully a room to sleep. Orange Ferries 👍
I enjoyed the time reconnecting with Kaho. We wish her well and hope to see her again.
This small grocery store a few blocks from our hotel is exceptional. The prepared take home Japanese meals and sushi are steps above what we get at Convenience Stores. It is fun to shop close to dinner time as the prices of meals are slashed. People seem to follow the worker around in hopes of getting a deal
This wee coffee place has been in this location, a block from our hotel, for several decades. The couple live above the cafe and have continue to have a strong following, despite more modern cafes opening up nearby. Quality lasts. The coffee place is equally known for their home made ice cream which is served in a a ball shaped cone for under a dollar.. There is usually a line up.
Steve Miller/GrampiesWe have often thought, when passing by someone who left their dog droppings where their dog placed them, that if we only had a plastic bag and enough language skills we would love to retrieve the poop, deliver it to the owner and say, something like, you must have accidentally left this behind, we brought it to you. Reply to this comment 6 months ago
Tonight we take a ferry to Shikoku and we have a good ride ahead of us to reach the ferry terminal south of Osaka. Our route took us through some strange industrial areas devoid of stores or restaurants. Our hunger directed us to leave the route and all we could find was a McDonald’s. To our surprise, it was far better than McDonald’s in Canada…in service and in the food.
We both had a burger combo and it looked very strange…but it worked. The white bits were cooked potatoes and the sauce was a Japanese barb-q sauce. The burger was juicy and tasty. Full disclosure….we would never eat at a Canadian McDonald’s, but we may eat there again while in Japan.
Japanese people love ice cream…and this was excellent. An interesting thing about service here…when your food is ready, you are served at your table, and the worker almost runs to you with your food.
Shikoku has embraced cycle tourism. Communities are seeing the economic benefits that supporting the Shiminami Kaido cycle route has brought their way.
We are the only cyclists on the ferry tonight. The Friday night ferry is much busier, as many riders from the Osaka area will spend the weekend doing part of the Shimanami Kaido cycling route.
The ship is quite beautiful and in pristine shape. We always look forward to these ferry trips in Japan, but we will be sleeping for most of our time onboard. Boarding at 8:30 pm for 10pm departure and disembarkation at 6 am. Yikes.
