Was thinking of making a side trip during our visit and picking up some towels, sheets, and stuff in the local area. Are there any can’t-miss spots in the area? Also. Would it be more feasible to do so from the starting point of Tokyo or Kyoto?
regardless of where you start, Imabari will be a bit of a hike either way. If it were me and you wanted to visit Imabari for reasons besides towels, I’d almost be tempted to fly Tokyo to Matsuyama, and then use the Shimanami Kaido to get back to Honshu from Imabari to head back up towards Kyoto.
That being said, if you are just looking for Imabari towels and other products, you don’t have to come down to buy them in person. Many stores in Tokyo will have them available – I’ve seen Imabari towels for sale in quite a few department or home goods stores around the country.
Do you plan do visit both Tokyo and Kyoto regardless ? Obviously, Imabari is closer to Kyoto. Then it depend how you plan to get there, by train only ? Places that are on the way between Kyoto and Imabari include Okayama, Kurashiki and Himeji, and it would not be too hard to include area such as Matsuyama and Hiroshima. Personally one of the place in Japan I like the most is Onomichi, so for me a must would at least be to go one of the islands, there is ferry and bus going to some of them if you do not want to bike the shimanami kaido.
The main attraction in Imabari seems to be the castle.
I’m not sure I would go to Imabari only to buy towels, I think you should be able to find it elsewhere in Japan. There is even an Imabari towel store in Tokyo : [https://www.imabaritowel.jp/en/store](https://www.imabaritowel.jp/en/store)
I did the Shimanami Kaido a few years ago and stopped in Imabari at the end of it. To be completely honest with you I wish I hadn’t bothered (even though it was convenient/right next to the end of my cycling trip plus I live in Japan.) If I were in Japan for a limited time on vacation I definitely wouldn’t go there.
There are some absolutely beautiful places in Shikoku and along the Seto Inland Sea, but Imabari is not one of them. I thought Imabari itself was pretty industrial/unremarkable, and the Imabari towel factory store didn’t have *that* much more of a selection than some of their retail stores throughout Japan.
I love Imabari towels but there’s nothing in Imabari. If you are already in Ehime, stopping over at Matsuyama would be interesting as they have a nice onsen town and Imabari towels are sold everywhere there. But if you’re just looking for Imabari towels, stores in Tokyo have all you need. I would recommend the store, i-ori. They have a big store in Matsuyama, Ehime but they also have some branches in Tokyo.
There is an [Irori store in Kyoto ](https://goo.gl/maps/rTQGQqXFPr1vDxyr5) that has a good selection of Imabari towels. I got a cool hand towel with Mt. Fuji on it there.
If you want to add in day trips from Osaka/Kyoto there are lots of good options or you could do an overnight in a place like Kinosaki Onsen or Hiroshima easily from there.
If you have an extra week, you could do the Tokyo – Nagano – Kanazawa – Osaka/Kyoto Route (or vice versa) using the JR Hokuriku Arch Pass. Could even add on a day or overnight trip to Shirakawago or Takayama via bus.
Here are some recommended sightseeing spots in Imabari.
・Imabari Castle
Imabari Castle was built in 1604 by Todo Takatora, a master castle builder, and was completed in 1613.
Facing the Seto Inland Sea, the castle’s moat is filled with seawater, and you can witness the unusual sight of the moat’s water level varying with the rising and falling tides. At night, the castle is illuminated by lights, making it a great place for a date night.
・Yoshiumi Rose Park
The Yoshimi Rose Park is a park on Oshima Island in the Seto Inland Sea where you can enjoy beautiful flowers, especially roses.
In the park, 400 kinds of roses from all over the world are planted in the flowerbeds in a large area, and the number of plants is as many as 3,500.
・Kurushima Strait
The Kurushima Strait is one of the three largest rapids in Japan. The strait is known as a tourist spot for its magnificent views of the Seto Inland Sea and as a transportation hub connecting Shikoku and Honshu for local people.
The 4km long bridge can be crossed by car, bicycle or on foot. It is a great observation spot to enjoy the nature of the Seto Inland Sea with its large scale.
To get to Imabari, it takes about three hours from Osaka by bullet train and bus.
6 comments
regardless of where you start, Imabari will be a bit of a hike either way. If it were me and you wanted to visit Imabari for reasons besides towels, I’d almost be tempted to fly Tokyo to Matsuyama, and then use the Shimanami Kaido to get back to Honshu from Imabari to head back up towards Kyoto.
That being said, if you are just looking for Imabari towels and other products, you don’t have to come down to buy them in person. Many stores in Tokyo will have them available – I’ve seen Imabari towels for sale in quite a few department or home goods stores around the country.
Do you plan do visit both Tokyo and Kyoto regardless ? Obviously, Imabari is closer to Kyoto. Then it depend how you plan to get there, by train only ? Places that are on the way between Kyoto and Imabari include Okayama, Kurashiki and Himeji, and it would not be too hard to include area such as Matsuyama and Hiroshima. Personally one of the place in Japan I like the most is Onomichi, so for me a must would at least be to go one of the islands, there is ferry and bus going to some of them if you do not want to bike the shimanami kaido.
The main attraction in Imabari seems to be the castle.
I’m not sure I would go to Imabari only to buy towels, I think you should be able to find it elsewhere in Japan. There is even an Imabari towel store in Tokyo : [https://www.imabaritowel.jp/en/store](https://www.imabaritowel.jp/en/store)
I did the Shimanami Kaido a few years ago and stopped in Imabari at the end of it. To be completely honest with you I wish I hadn’t bothered (even though it was convenient/right next to the end of my cycling trip plus I live in Japan.) If I were in Japan for a limited time on vacation I definitely wouldn’t go there.
There are some absolutely beautiful places in Shikoku and along the Seto Inland Sea, but Imabari is not one of them. I thought Imabari itself was pretty industrial/unremarkable, and the Imabari towel factory store didn’t have *that* much more of a selection than some of their retail stores throughout Japan.
I love Imabari towels but there’s nothing in Imabari. If you are already in Ehime, stopping over at Matsuyama would be interesting as they have a nice onsen town and Imabari towels are sold everywhere there. But if you’re just looking for Imabari towels, stores in Tokyo have all you need. I would recommend the store, i-ori. They have a big store in Matsuyama, Ehime but they also have some branches in Tokyo.
There is an [Irori store in Kyoto ](https://goo.gl/maps/rTQGQqXFPr1vDxyr5) that has a good selection of Imabari towels. I got a cool hand towel with Mt. Fuji on it there.
If you want to add in day trips from Osaka/Kyoto there are lots of good options or you could do an overnight in a place like Kinosaki Onsen or Hiroshima easily from there.
– [Matcha: 15 Day Trips from Kyoto ](https://matcha-jp.com/en/1865)
– [11 Day Trips From Osaka](https://livejapan.com/en/in-kansai/in-pref-osaka/in-osaka-suburbs/article-a2000545/)
– [Summer Weekend Getaways in Kansai](https://japancheapo.com/entertainment/kansai-trips-destinations/)
– [JapanGuide: Kansai Travel Guide ](https://www.japan-guide.com/list/e1105.html)
If you have an extra week, you could do the Tokyo – Nagano – Kanazawa – Osaka/Kyoto Route (or vice versa) using the JR Hokuriku Arch Pass. Could even add on a day or overnight trip to Shirakawago or Takayama via bus.
– [JapanGuide: Hokuriku Arch Pass ](https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2361_arch.html)
– [JR West: Hokuriku Arch Pass ](https://www.westjr.co.jp/global/en/ticket/hokuriku-arch-pass/select.html)
– [Tokyo Cheapo: Tokyo to Osaka Using Hokuriku Arch Pass ](https://tokyocheapo.com/travel/tokyo-osaka-hokuriku-arch-pass/)
– [Shirakawago Access ](https://shirakawa-go.gr.jp/en/access/)
Happy Planning!
Here are some recommended sightseeing spots in Imabari.
・Imabari Castle
Imabari Castle was built in 1604 by Todo Takatora, a master castle builder, and was completed in 1613.
Facing the Seto Inland Sea, the castle’s moat is filled with seawater, and you can witness the unusual sight of the moat’s water level varying with the rising and falling tides. At night, the castle is illuminated by lights, making it a great place for a date night.
・Yoshiumi Rose Park
The Yoshimi Rose Park is a park on Oshima Island in the Seto Inland Sea where you can enjoy beautiful flowers, especially roses.
In the park, 400 kinds of roses from all over the world are planted in the flowerbeds in a large area, and the number of plants is as many as 3,500.
・Kurushima Strait
The Kurushima Strait is one of the three largest rapids in Japan. The strait is known as a tourist spot for its magnificent views of the Seto Inland Sea and as a transportation hub connecting Shikoku and Honshu for local people.
The 4km long bridge can be crossed by car, bicycle or on foot. It is a great observation spot to enjoy the nature of the Seto Inland Sea with its large scale.
To get to Imabari, it takes about three hours from Osaka by bullet train and bus.