Shimanami Kaido One-Way Bike Rental: Terminal Hours and the 17:00 Trap
All ten Shimanami Kaido terminals accept one-way drop-off, but the island ones close at 17:00 while the end terminals stay open until 19:00. Hours, current fees, and the deposit rule English guides still get wrong.
Illustration — not a photograph of this location.
Every terminal accepts one-way drop-off
This is the part most English pages hedge on. The operator’s own terminal list marks all ten locations as 乗り捨て可 — one-way return permitted. You do not need to ride back to where you started, and you do not need to pre-declare where you will finish.
| Terminal | Side | Opening hours |
|---|---|---|
| Onomichi Station | Mainland (start) | 8:00–19:00 (Mar–Nov) / 8:00–18:00 (Dec–Feb) |
| Mukaishima | Island | 9:00–17:00 |
| Innoshima | Island | 9:00–17:00 |
| Ikuchijima 1 (Sawa) | Island | 9:00–17:00 |
| Ikuchijima 2 (Tarumi) | Island | 9:00–17:00 |
| Omishima | Island | 9:00–17:00 |
| Hakatajima | Island | 9:00–17:00 |
| Oshima | Island | 9:00–17:00 |
| Imabari Sunrise Itoyama | Mainland (finish) | 8:00–19:00 (Mar–Nov) / 8:00–18:00 (Dec–Feb) |
| Imabari Station | Mainland (finish) | 8:00–19:00 (Mar–Nov) / 8:00–18:00 (Dec–Feb) |
The 17:00 trap
This catches people who set off late, or who decide mid-ride to stop early. A rider who leaves Onomichi at 11:00 and starts flagging on Omishima has roughly six hours to reach a terminal — which sounds generous until you have climbed four bridge ramps.
The deposit that no longer exists
Many English guides still tell you to bring cash for a 1,100 yen deposit, refunded when you return the bike, plus a surcharge if you drop it at a different terminal.
That system was abolished on 1 September 2023. The fee structure was reorganised at the same time, and the separate one-way charge disappeared with it.
If a guide still mentions the deposit, it has not been updated in three years — which is a reasonable signal about the rest of its numbers too.
What it costs now
Rental runs roughly 2,000–3,000 yen per day for a cross bike or city bike, and 2,000–4,000 yen for an electric-assist bike.
Rates are set per bike type and adjusted periodically, so treat these as a planning range rather than a quote. The official booking site carries the current figures.
Two days or one?
| One day | Two days | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance per day | About 70 km | About 35 km |
| Terminal pressure | High — you are racing 17:00 | Low |
| E-bike possible | Yes | No, not on one rental |
| Stops for food and views | Few | Plenty |
| Suits | Riders with road experience | First-timers, families |
Two days removes the terminal deadline almost entirely, because you stop on an island while the terminal is still open and restart the next morning. That is the real argument for splitting the ride — not the distance.
Where to stay
Terminals on the Onomichi side open at 8:00, so most riders stay in Onomichi the night before rather than arriving on the morning train.
Compare hotels in OnomichiPrices change daily — check current rates.
Getting there and back
The route ends in a different prefecture from where it starts, so your return trip is a separate journey. Worth checking whether a regional pass covers it before you buy point tickets.
Before you go
Call ahead if your plan depends on a specific terminal. The operator’s information line is 0848-22-3911, open 8:30–19:00 from March to November and 8:30–18:00 from December to February.
Sources
Checked against Japanese-language official sources on 2026-08-25. Prices and timetables change — if something here is out of date, please tell us.