Experience the best of Imabari

Imabari lies on the northern coast of Ehime Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, facing the Seto Inland Sea. It is the Shikoku end of the Shimanami Kaido, a route of roughly 60 km over islands and bridges to Onomichi on Honshu, with a cycle path alongside the road. The city is known for shipbuilding and for Imabari towels, and Imabari Castle, a reconstructed castle surrounded by a moat of seawater, stands beside the harbour.

The Kurushima Strait Bridges cross narrow channels with fast tidal currents that were once controlled by the Murakami pirate clan. On Omishima island, Oyamazumi Shrine holds one of Japan's largest collections of ancient samurai armour and swords, and the cycle route runs through citrus groves and quiet fishing villages. Matsuyama, the largest city on Shikoku and home of the Dogo Onsen hot spring, lies about 40 km to the south-west.

Imabari yakitori, chicken pressed flat and grilled crisp on an iron plate, is the local dish, and the sea around the islands supplies sea bream and other fish. Ehime is Japan's citrus country, with mandarin oranges in winter. Spring brings cherry blossom in late March and April, autumn is clear and good for cycling, summers are hot and humid, and typhoons are most likely in late summer.