National Route 378

Cycling along National Route 378 in Ehime Prefecture offers a scenic coastal ride with stunning views of the Seto Inland Sea. Known this beautiful section of the route stretches between Northern Uwajima and Yawatahama, following the coastline with gentle curves and rolling hills.

Riders can enjoy breathtaking ocean vistas, quiet fishing villages, and fresh sea breezes along the way. The hillsides along the route are covered with lush mikan (orange) orchards, adding a splash of color to the landscape and filling the air with a subtle citrus fragrance. The route is especially beautiful in the evening when the sun sets over the water, casting golden hues across the sea. With its smooth roads and relaxed atmosphere, National Route 378 is a fantastic ride for cyclists looking to experience the charm of Shikoku’s western coastline.

Route

The route is mostly flat and runs along the coast however does have one 400m climb in the middle. The route hugs the coast and is much longer that the inland route but gives the rider a lovely view along the coast and is a wonderful part of a tour of Shikoku

View from along the climb of National Route 378

The view from Shitamaitsukushima Shrine shows National Route 378 on the other side of the small bay. The Torii gate’s base gets covered with water each day with the tide.

View of National Route 378 from Shitamaitsukushima Shrine (舌間厳島神社)

Most of the route is small quiet roads along the coast

Getting there and away

Yamwatahama

Yawatahama has a train station that has Limited Express service that with a change (usually well timed) in Matsuyama gets one to Okayama for the Sanyo Shinkansen.

Additionally, Yawatahama has ferry service to Beppu making it a good connection to Kyushu.

Yawatahama is approximately 110km ride along the coast from the Shimanami Kaido making it about a 1 day ride from Imabari

Uwajima

Uwajima is on the same Yosan Line as Yawatahama, but otherwise doesn’t have any other connections. However, some riders may want to continue south to ride around Cape Ashizuri or along the Shimanto River.

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