Cycling Shimanami 2026 (25 October): Road Closures and What to See and Eat in Imabari Before and After the Ride
Sunday 25 October is the day of Cycling Shimanami 2026.
For one day, the expressway on the Shimanami Kaido is closed to cars, and cyclists ride along the roadway itself.
Ordinarily only cars can use the expressway lanes on the bridges, which is why cyclists come from all over the world.
The event is held once every two years.
About 7,000 riders are expected this year, and around 900 of them are visitors from overseas, from 48 countries and regions.
Both the number of riders and the number of countries and regions look set to be the highest ever.
Imabari has quite a lot to see within walking distance of the finish.
There is also one restaurant worth visiting the day before.
Event schedule
Registration is the day before, Saturday 24 October.
On the same day there is also an event called the World Summit at the Imabari Civic Hall.
The ride itself is on Sunday 25 October.
On the Imabari side there are two finish areas: Hirokoji, near Imabari Port, and the Minato Koryu Center “Harbary”.
The expressway is closed on the day
On 25 October the Shimanami Kaido expressway is closed between Imabari IC and Innoshima-Kita IC, from early morning until early afternoon.
The closure runs 6:00 to 12:40 there, and 6:00 to 10:00 between the Onomichi-Ohashi entrance/exit and Innoshima-Kita IC.
If you want to cross to the islands by car during those hours, you will need to take a detour or a ferry.
Extra ferries will run, but they cannot be booked: it is first come, first served, and you pay in cash on board.
The cycle and pedestrian path that runs separately from the expressway roadway, and the path for small motorbikes, stay open as usual.
The streets around Hirokoji, where the finish is, and around the bus rotary at Imabari Port are also closed.
You can check the times on the traffic regulation page of the official event site.
If you are looking for bicycle rental or advice on crossing the bridges, the guide to Imabari for Shimanami cyclists is the place to start.
From the finish, walk to Imabari Castle
From Harbary, the finish, it is about a 10-minute walk to Imabari Castle.
As a primary school boy, I often came to this moat with a fishing rod.
Fishing is not allowed there now.
The moat is filled with seawater, so at low tide the water drops until you can see the bottom.
At high tide it rises almost to your feet.
In junior high school I became hooked on temples, shrines and castles, and in my second year I even went on a trip alone without telling my school.
I read up on Imabari Castle a great deal and went there many times.
In front of the keep stands Fukiage Shrine.
If you take a photo looking up from there, it comes out like a picture from the Edo period.
Even with tired legs after the ride, a slow walk around the moat should be about right (laughs).
More about the castle is in our article on Imabari Castle.
Nomauma Highland, home of the Noma horse
I have taken my four children to this park.
It is home to the Noma horse, a native Japanese breed found only in Imabari, and the smallest of all Japan’s native breeds.
It is even smaller than a pony.
Entry is free.
On weekends and public holidays there are set times when children can ride a Noma horse.
Riders must be aged 3 to the sixth grade of primary school and weigh 25 kg or less.
Adults get to watch (laughs).
There is also a time when children can meet guinea pigs.
A staff member places a towel and a guinea pig on the child’s lap, so you do not need to bring anything.
Further in there are play structures, including a large jungle gym, built for primary-school-age children.
It is a short drive from Imabari Station.
The park is closed on Tuesdays, so it is open on both 24 and 25 October.
The article on Nomauma Highland has more on our visit with the children.
Yakibuta tamago meshi, best the day before
If you come to Imabari, please try yakibuta tamago meshi before you leave.
It is an Imabari speciality: rice topped with roast pork and a soft fried egg, with a sweetish sauce.
The place I have been to many times is Shigematsu Hanten, a long-established restaurant.
It sits a little off the main road, so unless you are local it is easy to walk past.
The lunchtime opening hours are short, and the restaurant is always busy.
I think the day before the ride is an easier time to get a table than the day you finish.
The sauce is sweet, but the soy sauce flavour is strong too, and it goes well with beer.
I always go at lunchtime, so one day I would like to have a proper, hearty meal there with a beer (laughs).
The runny egg mixing with the roast pork is the best part.
It is about 1.6 km from Harbary.
The evening opening days differ by day of the week, so please telephone the restaurant before you go.
You can see the restaurant itself in our article on Shigematsu Hanten.
For a comparison with other long-established places, see three old-established yakibuta tamago meshi restaurants.
Questions people ask
What time is the expressway closed? On 25 October it is closed between Imabari IC and Innoshima-Kita IC from 6:00 to 12:40.
Between the Onomichi-Ohashi entrance/exit and Innoshima-Kita IC it is closed from 6:00 to 10:00.
Can I cross the bridges by bicycle if I am not in the event? Yes.
The cycle and pedestrian path and the path for small motorbikes, which are separate from the expressway roadway, stay open as usual.
Can I walk from the finish to Imabari Castle? Yes.
It is about 800 m from Harbary, roughly a 10-minute walk.
Can adults ride the horses at Nomauma Highland? No.
Riding is for children aged 3 to the sixth grade of primary school who weigh 25 kg or less.
When should I go to Shigematsu Hanten? Lunch on 24 October, the day before, should be easier than the day of the ride.
The evening opening days differ, so telephone first.
Information
Cycling Shimanami 2026
Dates: 24 October 2026 (Sat) registration and World Summit (Imabari Civic Hall) / 25 October (Sun) event
Riders: about 7,000 expected, including about 900 from overseas (48 countries and regions) / 3,446 started in 2024
Finish on the Imabari side: Hirokoji and Minato Koryu Center Harbary (今治市片原町1-100-3)
Expressway closure on 25 October: Imabari IC to Innoshima-Kita IC, 6:00 to 12:40 / Onomichi-Ohashi entrance/exit to Innoshima-Kita IC, 6:00 to 10:00
Distance from Harbary: Imabari Castle about 800 m (10-minute walk) / Shigematsu Hanten about 1.6 km
Official site: https://cycling-shimanami.jp/ (English pages are available from the language menu)
Shigematsu Hanten (重松飯店)
Address: 愛媛県今治市大正町5-4-47
Telephone: 0898-22-6452
Nomauma Highland (のまうまハイランド)
Address: 愛媛県今治市野間甲8 (about 7 km by car from Imabari Station)
Telephone: 0898-32-8155
Open: 10:00 to 17:00 (free entry; horse riding on weekends and public holidays, 10:00 to 12:00 and 13:00 to 15:00)
Closed: Tuesdays (the next day if Tuesday is a public holiday)
Imabari Castle (今治城)
Address: 愛媛県今治市通町3-1-3
Telephone: 0898-31-9233
Open: 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Admission: 520 yen for adults (free for those under 18 and high school students and younger)
Closure times and opening hours can change, so please check the official site or each venue before you go.
Original article in Japanese: サイクリングしまなみ2026（10月25日）｜当日の通行止めと、今治で寄りたい今治城・のまうまハイランド・焼豚玉子飯
