The big Miyako bridges day
big dayRoad riders and fit e-bikers who want the Irabu Ohashi, both islands beyond it and a full day in the saddle.
The big Miyako bridges day rides 47.2 km from Hirara over the 3,540 m Irabu Ohashi and right round Irabu and Shimoji, with Toriike, 17END and the Makiyama climb, and it needs an early start because the islands have little food and no shade.
KonbiniWaterTop of chart 100 m
Hour by hour
The day一日
- 07:00coffeeFresh noodles at Hisamatsu SeimenjoThe noodle works in Kugai serves soba only in the early morning, a minute from the bridge approach.
- 07:45rideCross the Irabu OhashiRide the shoulder; no stopping on the central section.
- 08:45sightToriike sinkholes on ShimojiA short spur off the coast road.
- 09:30swim17END at low tideTime the visit to the tide.
- 10:30coffeeCoffee at Kuninaka Shoten
- 11:30lunchSoba at Irabu Soba KameOn the way to Sawada no Hama.
- 12:30rideIrabu's north coast to SarahamaThe headwind stretch in winter.
- 14:00sightClimb to Makiyama ObservatoryThe last climb of the day.
- 14:45coffeeUmi no Eki and the bridge homePhotographs back along the span.
- 19:00dinnerDinner and min'yo in Hirara
Our route data puts the loop at 47.2 km with 234 m of climbing, most of it on the bridge and the last rise to Makiyama. The bridge is quietest first thing, and Hisamatsu's morning soba in Kugai sets you up for it. Time 17END to the tide.
The islands have few shops and our route data finds no konbini within reach of the loop, so carry food and water and plan lunch around Nagahama's soba shops. Shima no Cycling doesn't cover punctures on Irabu or Shimoji, so bring a spare tube.
Photo k14 · Flickr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Full route guide