Imabari / Namikata / Hakatajima / Omishima / Iwagijima / Uoshima/Kamijima
Toyo A
Incorporating the towns of Imabari and Kamishima.
RA:Hong Nguyen
Phone: 0898 41 7111
Imabari
(population: 173,985)
Location
Imabari is located on the northern tip of mainland Ehime.
Getting there
Regular trains and buses from Matsuyama JR station. By car, take route 196 or route 317 (short and windy, dangerous in winter).
Getting Around
Go to ICIEA for an English map of Imabari.
For sight-seeing in Imabari it's best to rent a bike from the train-station.
Shopping
- World Plaza
- Daimaru Department Store
For foreign food
- Baron
- Fuji Grand
- Saty
Highlights
- Imabari Castle
- Cycling bridges to Honshu
- Kiro-san on Oshima
- Asakura Towel Museum
Other Imabari Info
- i-News is a bilingual Imabari magazine, published by ICIEA (an international association that helps foreigners).
- Lots of different classes at the chuo kominkan (near Fracasso)
- Check out Imabari community radio station to listen to some JETs!
Entertainment/Nightlife/Restaurants
- Bowling
- Karaoke
- Movie theatre
Italian restaurants:
- Umakoshi
- Alberros
Korean restaurant:- south on the 196 away from Tsutaya, turn left opposite Circle K, keep driving, and you will see it on the left (yellow sign).
Curry restaurant:
- Wings
For bars, check out Matsuymoto-cho.
Namikata
(population: approximately 10,000)
Location
Namikata has a population of almost 10,000 but merged with Imabari in January 2005.
Getting there
| By Ferry |
By Bus |
By Car |
| High speed: once an hour to Innoshima, stopping at Hakata |
To Omishima: once or more an hour (about 900yen) |
Travel over the Shimanami-kaido; or catch the ferry from Imabari port to Ohshima and drive over the connecting bridge |
All routes from Imabari.
Transport
There are ferries to Hiroshima prefecture arriving at Takehara port. The ferry runs almost every hour starting from 4 in the morning and the last ferry comes back from Hiroshima at about 9:30.
Highlights
- Cultural activities at Namikata BOE during the week (taiko, tea ceremony, flower arrangement)
- A great kids park that?s fun for all ages!
- Above the park there is a nice path that will take you to a traditional house. Next to the house is a small museum that displays old agricultural tools.
- Umiyamajo (Namikata Castle). It?s a tiny castle at the top of the same mountain, but there walk up is nice and the view is great. (you can look at the sea and the first set of the bridge over to the islands)
- Ozumi beach seaside park ? why not bbq or camp overnight? There is a beach festival held here every year on the Sunday before Marine Day festival. (kayaks, stage shows, catch fish, take a boat tour around the coast)
Hakatajima
(population approximately 8,000)
Location
Hakatajima is one of a cluster of islands that form part of Imabari-shi on the northern tip of Ehime. It?s generally a beautiful area and attracts tourists all year.
Getting there
| By Ferry |
By Bus |
By Car |
| High speed: once an hour to Innoshima, stopping at Hakata |
To Omishima: once or more an hour (about 900yen) |
Travel over the Shimanami-kaido; or catch the ferry from Imabari port to Ohshima and drive over the connecting bridge |
All routes from Imabari.
Shopping
Alcohol and fish shop (next to the high school)
Highlights
- Biking is a great day trip
- Lovely beaches (SC Park and Okioura)
- Hirakiyama famous for its sakura
Entertainment/Nightlife
One late night drinking bar opposite toll gate at Inter
Restaurants
- Many fantastic small cheap restaurants serving super-fresh seafood
- Fu (near SC Park)
- Various Japanese cuisine restaurants
- Minatoya (near Kinoura Port) ? fantastic seafood and donburi sets
- Hakata ramen
Omishima
(population 4,232)
strong>Location
Omishima is the largest of the cluster of islands that form part of Imabari-shi. It's located on the northern tip of Ehime.
Getting there
| By Ferry: Slow |
By Ferry: Fast |
By Bus |
By Car |
| 6:30, 9:50, 13:45 |
8:00, 14:35, 16:50 |
Nearly every hour, starting at 8 a.m., finishing at 10 p.m. weekends, 7:50 p.m. on Sundays and holidays |
Travel over the shimanami-kaido |
All from Imabari.
Shopping
- Limited foreign food access
- Miyaura has 2 small supermarkets and a large DIY shop
- Kamiura has 2 small supermarkets and 2 convenience stores close to the bridge.
Facilities
- Small library in Miyaura community centre/local government office with videos.
- Sports centre in Kamiura with swimming pool, gym, volleyball courts, outdoor tennis courts and onsen
Highlights
- Oyamazumi-jinja
- A beautiful walk up the mountain behind Omishima elementary school from which several islands can be seen.
- Utena beach is a quiet location with a beautiful setting and some basic facilities (inc. toilets)
In Miyaura:
- pirate shrine
- samurai museum, hosting 80% of Japans National Treasures. Despite the description by lonely planet as it being a ?dull display?, this is a very interesting collection worthy or a visit.
- Onsen Mare Gracia, with one of the most beautiful views to relax and watch the sunset.
- A large dam in the mountains and a small waterfall.
Entertainment/Nightlife
Extremely limited ? one small karaoke bar on Miyarua and a restaurant
Restaurants
Several restaurants offering a small range of Japanese cuisine from okonomiyaki opposite the shrine to sushi and tempura at several places in Miyaura and Kamiura).
Other Oshima info
Volleyball is popular (in Miyaura on Wednesday nights there is Volleyball ? mixed ages/ability)
Kamiura sports dome ? swimming lessons (only in Japanese), tennis club
Iwagijima (population approximately 2,500)
Location
Iwagijima is located north-east of the tip of Ehime. It is one of a cluster of islands that make up Kamishima-cho.
Getting there
Only by ferry: to / from Imabari and Habu (also connect with neighbouring islands)
Shopping/Facilities
Basic necessities, gym, doctor, dentist
Highlights
- Mt Sekizen has lots of sakura trees.
- Around the second Sunday of April, people from neighbouring islands come to Iwagi to drink sake on the mountain.
Entertainment/Nightlife
Quiet walks in the dark.
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Uoshima & Kamijima
(population approximately 280) (population approximately 830)
Location
Uoshima is a small island that forms the cluster of islands collectively known as Kamijima. Kamijima is a cluster of islands to the north-east of the northern most tip of Ehime.
Getting to Uoshima
Only by ferry: on / off Uoshima is the new Uoshima 2, a high-speed ferry that runs four times daily. For times, click here.
Getting to Kamijima
By road: (from Shikoku) ? take the Shimanami Expressway north from Imabari. It connects a whole series of islands in the Seto Inland Sea between Shikoku and Honshu.
By ferry: (from Imabari) ? high speed ferry Chidori. It stops at Iwagi, Yuge and Ikina (all parts of Kamijima township ? change at Yuge to continue on to Uoshima) Chidori timetable
Shopping
- Basic necessities on Uoshima, with a small restaurant that part of the tourist centre (open for lunch Sunday ? Friday)
- Grocery type stores on Yuge.
Facilities
- small libraries on Uoshima and Yuge (Yuge has videos)
- volleyball and badminton in Uoshima school gym
Highlights
- fishing and diving for clams
- Kameihachiman-jinja on Uoshima
- Observation point on the top of ?Castle Mountain? (Shiroyama) and a nice display of sakura in the spring
Entertainment/Nightlife
Restaurants close at about 9.
