Along the Akinada Tobishima Kaido to Mitarai, an Edo-Period Port Town (By Car)

This driving course takes you up Mt. Noro in Kawajiri-cho, Kure City by car to look down at the islands of the Akinada Sea from Kabutoiwa Observation Deck. You then descend the mountain, cross Akinada Bridge, and drive across the island-connecting bridges to the port town of Mitarai on Osakishimojima Island. You will trace the very islands and bridges you viewed from above in your own car.

History and Regional Appeal

The Akinada Tobishima Kaido is a route linking islands floating southeast of Kure City via bridges. It was named after the idea of islands in the Seto Inland Sea resembling stepping stones across a Japanese garden. Beginning at Akinada Bridge, which connects the main island of Honshu with Shimokamagarijima Island, seven bridges link islands through Kamikamagarijima Island, Toyoshima Island, and Osakishimojima Island, extending as far as Okamurajima Island in Imabari City, Ehime Prefecture. In 2008, the Toyoshima Bridge opened, connecting islands such as Toyoshima Island and Osakishimojima Island directly to the mainland by road.

At the eastern tip of Osakishimojima Island lies Mitarai. The town originated in the mid-17th century and flourished from the Edo period to the early Showa period as a relay port for ships plying the Seto Inland Sea, where vessels waited for favorable tides and winds. The townscape—with its network of narrow alleys preserved alongside merchant houses, townhouses, teahouses, and sailors' inns—was designated a national Important Preservation District for Groups of Traditional Buildings in 1994, and was added to the Japan Heritage "Ports of Call and Shipowners' Settlements of the Kitamaebune" in 2018.

Major Highlights

• ​Kabutoiwa Observation Deck​​: The observation deck closest to the Noro Kogen Lodge, located atop the 839-meter-high Mt. Noro. Below, you can see Shimokamagarijima Island and Kamikamagarijima Island joined by Akinada Bridge and Kamagari Bridge, with the islands of the Akinada Tobishima Kaido stretching to the south. On clear days, the Shikoku Mountains can sometimes be seen across the sea.
• ​Akinada Tobishima Kaido​​: Akinada Bridge at the entrance is a 1,175-meter-long suspension bridge. The Sannose area on the eastern part of Shimokamagarijima Island, reached after crossing the bridge, was one of two maritime checkpoints in the Seto Inland Sea alongside Tomonoura. It thrived as a port of call for Korean emissaries and daimyo lords traveling for alternate attendance (sankin-kotai), and still preserves sites such as the Sannose Gohonjin Art and Cultural Hall and Shotoen Garden.
• ​Mitarai Traditional Buildings Preservation District​​: Chisagohato, a stone breakwater built by the Hiroshima Domain in 1829, and the Takatoro, a high stone lantern that served as a night beacon for ship safety, convey the port town's history. Also remaining are the former Wakaebisuya house, Mitarai's largest townhouse and a prefectural historic site, and the Otomeza theater built in the early Showa period.

Recommended Route and Travel Time

The estimated time required is about 6 hours. First, head toward the summit of Mt. Noro. Reaching Kabutoiwa Observation Deck takes roughly 1 hour by car from the Kure Interchange on the Hiroshima-Kure Expressway (Clair Line). You can drive up near the summit via the Sazanami Skyline driving route, and the observation deck is about a 5-minute walk from the Mt. Noro Visitor Center.

After taking in the view, descend the mountain and head toward Akinada Bridge, about 6 kilometers due south in a straight line. Akinada Bridge is a toll bridge, but all other bridges are toll-free. On Toyoshima Island and Osakishimojima Island, you will drive along the northern coast, allowing you to drive while looking across the sea toward Honshu. Mitarai is about 18 kilometers due east in a straight line from Akinada Bridge. The town has intricate, narrow alleys, so explore leisurely on foot. Please observe quietly, as residents still live in these historic houses.

In spring, Hirado azaleas bloom all around the observation deck. In summer, distant views can be hazy on some days, so seasons with clearer air make it easier to see distant islands. Temperatures on the mountain are lower than at the base, so bringing an extra layer of clothing is recommended.

Summary of the Experience

Crossing the islands and bridges one by one in your own car after looking down on them from the mountaintop. At the end of the road lies an Edo-period port town once bustling with ships waiting for tides and winds, preserved to this day as a living community. This course lets you savor both the expansive vistas of the Seto Inland Sea and the quiet history within back alleys in a single day.