Ondata Coffee: A Seaside Cafe with Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge Views (A Detour Worth Taking on Your Shimanami Ride)
Riding the Shimanami Kaido from the Imabari side? Just off the route to the bridges, right on the coast, there is a bright little cafe where you can rest with a proper coffee and a full view of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge and the Seto Inland Sea. Ondata Coffee is the kind of detour that makes a cycling day.
A seaside cafe with a bridge view
Ondata Coffee opened in January 2023 in the Oshinden area of Imabari, right along the water. It sits a little off the main route that runs from Imabari Station out toward the Shimanami Kaido bridges — close enough to fold into your ride, quiet enough to feel like a hidden spot. The cafe is on the second floor, and the whole wall of windows looks straight out at the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge, the first great bridge of the Shimanami Kaido, and the calm Seto Inland Sea beyond it.
Sitting with a coffee while that huge bridge fills the window is a genuinely relaxing way to spend an hour.
What to order
The coffee is the heart of the place — freshly roasted, and served as espresso, cafe drinks and more. On one visit we had a rich espresso to reset, paired with tiramisu, its mascarpone soft and mellow. Gazing out at the sea while you sip is the whole point.
There is plenty more on the menu: pudding (purin), cocoa, coffee, craft cola, and the day’s malasada — the Hawaiian-style fried doughnut, soft and fluffy (ours came with a seasonal topping). Takeaway is available too.
The signature: Do-Ebi Curry
Ondata is not only about coffee and sweets. The kitchen turns out a proper lunch, and the shop’s signature dish is the Do-Ebi Curry (a hearty prawn curry). A warm plate of curry with that sea view in front of you makes for a very satisfying midday stop.
More than a cafe: SUP and the beach
Because the sea is right there, Ondata is more than a place to drink coffee. There was a flyer for SUP (stand-up paddleboarding) experiences — you can enjoy the Seto Inland Sea itself, not just look at it. After your coffee, take a short walk on the beach just behind the cafe; the calm water and sea air are wonderfully restful.
Getting there from JR Imabari Station
By bike: Ondata sits on the coast, a little off the route from Imabari Station toward the Shimanami Kaido bridges. For a cyclist it is an easy, scenic detour — roll down to the water, and the bridge you are about to cross is right there in the cafe window.
By bus: the nearest stop is Nakatsutsumi on the Setouchi Bus line, about a 1-minute walk from the cafe.
Map: Open in Google Maps (1-4-48 Oshinden-cho, Imabari)
For cyclists: the beauty of Ondata is the timing — you can pause here with a view of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge before you ride out across it, or roll back in for a cold drink and the beach once you return to Imabari.
Make it part of your Shimanami day
Ondata fits naturally into a day around the Imabari end of the route. Pick up a bike at one of the rental terminals in Imabari, take in the panorama from Itoyama Park before you cross the bridges, and when you roll back into town, unwind at Kisuke no Yu, the hot spring right by the station. Ondata is the coffee-and-sea pause in between.
Quick FAQ
Is it a good stop on a Shimanami ride? Yes — it is just off the route, on the coast, with a full view of the first bridge. A rest here fits naturally into a cycling day.
Do I need a reservation? No — the cafe does not take reservations, so just drop in.
What should I order? The freshly roasted coffee, the signature Do-Ebi Curry for lunch, and a malasada for something sweet.
Can I go in the water? SUP experiences are offered — check in store or on their Instagram for the current schedule.
Shop information
Ondata Coffee
Address: 1-4-48 Oshinden-cho, Imabari City, Ehime
Tel: 0898-55-8946
Hours: Lunch 11:00–14:00 (L.O. 13:30) / Cafe 14:30–17:00 (L.O. 16:45)
Closed: irregular — check the official Instagram for the latest days
Reservations are not taken. Please check the official Instagram before visiting, as hours and closing days may change.
Original article in Japanese: 【オンダータコーヒー】来島海峡大橋を望む海辺のカフェ
