Iwami Ginzan Kaidô Tomogauradô and Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
Plan this ride
Recorded distance
377 km
Riding-time estimate
6 h 48
Journey
Recorded itinerary
Distance and timing basis
Ordered leg totals agree within rounding. Stop distances are approximate sums of rounded legs. Stops, delays, approach and any separate return travel add time. Basis: producer-declared routed record.
Reading history stays on this device. My road watch requires a separate selection; opening it does not subscribe this ride.
Distance and riding time are measured on the routed road. Check local closures and conditions before you ride.
A 377 km round trip from Ōdachō-ōda - roughly 6 h 48 in the saddle. On the way it passes Hiroshima Peace Memorial, Itsukushima Shinto Shrine, back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial and back through Itsukushima Shinto Shrine. It suits an unhurried touring pace.
Waypoint introductions and full write-ups
1. Iwami Ginzan Kaidô Tomogauradô
The Tomogaura road is a mountain path, and it is one of the best ways to understand how silver left the mine. It climbs out of the valley at Omori, crosses a ridge, and drops down to the coast at the small harbour of Tomogaura, a journey of a few hours on foot, and for centuries it was walked by porters carrying ore on their backs and by pack horses with straw sandals. The whole route has been preserved, and sections of old stone paving, shrine gates and wayside markers survive in the forest.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Iwami Ginzan Kaidô Tomogauradô is where the day begins. Next is Hiroshima Peace Memorial.
2. Hiroshima Peace Memorial
The skeleton of a dome against the sky, the twisted steel frame of what was once an elegant exhibition hall, is one of the most recognisable images of the twentieth century. On 6 August 1945, the atomic bomb exploded almost directly above this building in central Hiroshima. Almost everything around it was destroyed, but part of its walls and dome remained, and after long debate the city chose to preserve the ruin exactly as it was. It was listed by UNESCO in 1996 as the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, also known as the Genbaku Dome.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
Hiroshima Peace Memorial comes up about 113 km into the recorded legs. Next is Itsukushima Shinto Shrine.
3. Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
The great orange torii gate of Itsukushima, standing in the sea off the island of Miyajima, is one of the most famous images of Japan. At high tide, it seems to float on the water; at low tide, you can walk out across the sand to its feet. The shrine behind it is built on piers over the bay, a series of halls and corridors painted vermilion and white, connected by boardwalks, so that it too seems to float when the tide is in. A shrine has stood here for well over a thousand years, and its present form owes much to Taira no Kiyomori, the powerful warlord who rebuilt it in the twelfth century. The island itself has long been considered sacred, so much so that in the past, births and deaths were not permitted on it. The shrine was listed by UNESCO in 1996, and the torii was restored a few years ago after a long period under scaffolding.
May refer to an earlier itinerary; verify against your selected route before riding.
Planning note
The route ends here after 377 km.
Leg by leg
Iwami Ginzan Kaidô Tomogauradô to Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Iwami Ginzan Kaidô Tomogauradô → Hiroshima Peace Memorial is 113 km of getting across. Ride it tidily and keep the enthusiasm for what comes after.
Hiroshima Peace Memorial to Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
Hiroshima Peace Memorial → Itsukushima Shinto Shrine is 25 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine to Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine → Hiroshima Peace Memorial is 26 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine to back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial
Itsukushima Shinto Shrine → back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial is 26 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial to back through Itsukushima Shinto Shrine
back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial → back through Itsukushima Shinto Shrine is 25 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Itsukushima Shinto Shrine to back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial
back through Itsukushima Shinto Shrine → back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial is 26 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.
back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial to Iwami Ginzan Kaidô Tomogauradô
back through Hiroshima Peace Memorial → Iwami Ginzan Kaidô Tomogauradô is 113 km of rhythm rather than effort. Let it flow and let the view breathe.