Suggested Onomichi Walk

Onomichi is a city best explored slowly. Hills, temples, shopping streets, ferries, and the sea are all close together, but each route reveals a different side of the town. Here are eight suggested courses for visitors with different interests and levels of energy.

Walking Route 1: Classic Onomichi – 2 to 3 Hours

Onomichi Station → Ropeway Station → Senkoji Park → Senkoji Temple → Temple Walk → Shopping Street → Waterfront

This is the best first route for visitors who want to see the most famous side of Onomichi in a short time.

Start at Onomichi Station and walk toward the ropeway station. The walk takes about 15 minutes, or you can use a local bus to reach Nagaeguchi. The Senkoji Ropeway takes about three minutes to reach the summit area.

From the top, enjoy the view from Senkoji Park and the PEAK observation deck before walking downhill toward Senkoji Temple. Continue through stone steps, narrow lanes, and old neighborhoods.

As you descend, stop at temples such as Tenneiji before reaching the old shopping street. Finish the walk along the waterfront, where ferries cross the Onomichi Channel.

Highlights: Senkoji, panoramic sea views, hillside streets, temples, old shopping street, waterfront
Best for: First-time visitors
Walking level: Moderate, with many steps and slopes

Walking Route 2: Temples and Old Onomichi – About 3 Hours

Onomichi Station → Senkoji → Tenneiji → Jikanji → Shojuin → Fukuzenji → Saikokuji → Old Town

This route is for travelers who want to understand Onomichi as a historic temple town.

Allow about three hours for this suggested route, with extra time for temple visits, breaks, and the hillside climbs.

From Onomichi Station, begin with Senkoji and its views over the town and the Seto Inland Sea. Descend to Tenneiji, known for its three-story pagoda and hundreds of Rakan statues, then continue to Jikanji, a temple associated with peonies and a story of helping local people during famine. Next, visit Shojuin, which preserves stone memorial towers connected with generations of prayer.

From Shojuin, head east toward Saikokuji, stopping at Fukuzenji partway up the hillside along the way. Fukuzenji was a filming location for the funeral scene in Yasujiro Ozu’s Tokyo Story. In the temple grounds, look for a pine tree whose spreading branches resemble an eagle’s outstretched wings. At the back left of Fukuzenji’s temple grounds, follow the small path uphill through the cemetery to reach Rengasaka Slope, a lane that leads to Saikokuji.

Continue to Saikokuji, where giant straw sandals, guardian statues, and a long stone approach create a very different atmosphere, then return through the old town.

Highlights: Old temples, traditional architecture, Fukuzenji’s film connection and spreading pine tree, stone steps, quiet neighborhoods
Best for: History and culture lovers
Walking level: Moderate to challenging because of hills and stairs

Walking Route 3: Hidden Onomichi – 2 to 3 Hours

Onomichi Station → Old Shopping Street → Narrow Alleys → Small Shrines → Eastern Onomichi → Jodoji → Waterfront

This route avoids the most obvious sightseeing path and focuses on everyday Onomichi.

Begin in the old shopping district, then move into narrow side streets and residential alleys. Look for small shrines, old houses, local coffee shops, stone walls, and unexpected views between buildings.

Continue east toward the quieter temple and shrine district. Jodoji is a natural destination, with its National Treasure main hall and long history.

Return toward the center along the waterfront.

This route is less about famous landmarks and more about discovering details.

Highlights: Local streets, hidden shrines, old houses, cafés, eastern temples, sea views
Best for: Repeat visitors and photographers
Walking level: Easy to moderate

Walking + Bus Route 1: Easy Senkoji Route – About 2 Hours

Onomichi Station → Bus to Nagaeguchi → Ropeway → Senkoji Park → Walk Downhill → Shopping Street → Onomichi Station

This is a good option for visitors who want to experience Senkoji but avoid part of the uphill walk.

From Onomichi Station, take a local bus to Nagaeguchi. The bus journey is short; allow extra time for waiting. From there, take the ropeway to the top of Mount Senkoji.

Spend 30 to 60 minutes exploring the observation deck, Senkoji Park, and Senkoji Temple. Tailor the visit depending on your pace; the city suggests that simple sightseeing in the park can take from about 30 minutes to one hour.

Then walk downhill through the old neighborhoods to the shopping street and waterfront.

Highlights: Ropeway, Senkoji, sea views, downhill temple walk
Best for: Visitors with limited time or who prefer less uphill walking
Walking level: Easy to moderate

Walking + Bus Route 2: Eastern Onomichi Heritage Route – 3 to 4 Hours

Onomichi Station → Bus to Jodojishita → Jodoji → Kameyama Hachimangu → Saikokuji → Walk Back through Old Town

This route is designed for travelers who want to explore the quieter eastern side of the city.

Use a local bus to save time reaching the eastern area and get off at the Jodojishita bus stop. Then visit Jodoji, one of Onomichi’s most important historic temples. Continue to Kameyama Hachimangu, where local festival traditions, sumo history, and stonecraft are part of the shrine’s story.

From there, walk toward Saikokuji and gradually return through the old streets toward central Onomichi.

Highlights: Jodoji, Kameyama Hachimangu, Saikokuji, eastern neighborhoods
Best for: Visitors interested in history beyond Senkoji
Walking level: Moderate

Cycling Route 1: Mukaishima Beginner Ride – About 2 to 3 Hours

Onomichi → Ferry to Mukaishima → Coastal Cycling → Café or Rest Stop → Ferry Back

This is the easiest introduction to Shimanami cycling.

Begin near Onomichi Station, rent a bicycle, and take a small ferry across the Onomichi Channel to Mukaishima. Once on the island, follow part of the cycling route along quiet roads and coastal scenery.

You do not need to cross a major bridge or complete a long distance. Ride at your own pace, stop at a café or viewpoint, and return by ferry.

The official Shimanami cycling route has rental terminals on Onomichi and the islands, and recommended roads are marked with a blue line to help cyclists follow the route.

Highlights: Ferry crossing, island life, coastal roads, easy cycling
Best for: Beginners and families
Difficulty: Depends on the chosen distance and road conditions

Cycling Route 2: Mukaishima to Innoshima – 4 to 5 Hours

Onomichi → Mukaishima → Innoshima Bridge → Innoshima → Return

This route gives visitors a stronger taste of the Shimanami Kaido without requiring a full-day ride.

After crossing to Mukaishima by ferry, follow the blue cycling line south. Ride across the Innoshima Bridge and enter the next island.

You can stop for local food, a rest area, or a short sightseeing break before returning to Onomichi.

Cycle Oasis locations along the route offer useful facilities such as bicycle stands, toilets, and air pumps, making it easier to rest during the journey.

Highlights: First major bridge crossing, island scenery, cycling route atmosphere
Best for: Casual cyclists who want a half-day adventure
Difficulty: Moderate

Cycling Route 3: Onomichi to Ikuchijima – 6 to 8 Hours

Onomichi → Mukaishima → Innoshima → Ikuchijima → Return or Stay Overnight

For travelers with more time and stronger legs, continue deeper into the islands.

This route crosses multiple bridges and gives a fuller experience of the Shimanami Kaido. Ikuchijima offers citrus orchards, coastal scenery, cafés, art, and temple attractions.

The complete Shimanami Kaido cycling route between Onomichi and Imabari is about 70 kilometers, so reaching Ikuchijima is a good intermediate adventure without necessarily completing the full journey to Shikoku.

Some cyclists return the same day, while others stay overnight on the island and continue toward Imabari the next morning.

Highlights: Several islands, large bridges, citrus country, Seto Inland Sea scenery
Best for: Experienced recreational cyclists
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging

Choose Your Own Onomichi

There is no single correct way to explore Onomichi.

If you have only two hours, take the ropeway and walk downhill through Senkoji and the old streets.

If you have three hours, follow the temples.

If you want to discover quieter places, walk east.

And if you want to understand how closely Onomichi is connected with the islands and the sea, take a bicycle across the channel and begin the Shimanami journey.

The city is small enough to explore slowly, but rich enough that every route reveals a different Onomichi.