Onomichi Station bike rental terminal: Your gateway to Shimanami Kaido cycling

2025/11/162025/11/17

This page introduces the Onomichi station rental bicycle terminal, one of the most common places to rent a public “Shimanami Rental Bike” when starting a Shimanami Kaido cycling trip from the Onomichi side in Hiroshima Prefecture.

What is the Shimanami Kaido?

A great cycling route in Japan

The Shimanami Kaido is known as a paradise for cyclists, connecting a chain of islands with a series of striking bridges. It offers an unforgettable island-hopping adventure. The cycling route is maintained to an international standard, making it safe and comfortable for everyone—from experienced road bike or MTB riders to beginners trying long-distance cycling for the first time.

The public rental bicycle service along the Shimanami Kaido is jointly operated by Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture and Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture. Each island has rental terminals, making one-way cycling very convenient. You can start from either Imabari or Onomichi, but on my website I recommend a two-day route starting from Imabari.

Starting from Onomichi in Hiroshima prefecture

For travelers coming from major areas like Tokyo or Osaka, many choose to start their Shimanami Kaido cycling trip from the Hiroshima side rather than from Ehime. The gateway on the Hiroshima side is Onomichi Station on the JR Sanyo Line. From Fukuyama Station, where the Shinkansen stops, it takes about 20 minutes by local train to reach Onomichi Station.

The area around Onomichi Station, including the station building itself, has been undergoing redevelopment in recent years. As part of this process, in October 2025 the rental bicycle terminal that had been located at Onomichi Port was relocated to the front of Onomichi Station. Previously, the port location felt a bit temporary and was sometimes difficult to find, but the move has made the rental terminal far more convenient and easier to access.

On this page, I will introduce the Onomichi Station Cycle Station, called the “Onomichi Station Rental Bicycle Terminal,” in detail.

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Location of the Onomichi station RT

100 m to the right from the south exit

JR Onomichi Station has a North Exit and a South Exit, but the main entrance is the South Exit. The North Exit is a small doorway mainly used by commuters and students. The South Exit has a spacious lobby area, a tourist information center, a 7-Eleven, and several souvenir shops. The Onomichi Station Rental Bicycle Terminal is located on the South Exit side.

When you step out of the South Exit, you will see an open plaza and a traffic rotary. The ferry terminal for crossing to Mukaishima—the first island on the Shimanami Kaido—is straight ahead, but the Onomichi Station Rental Bicycle Terminal is located to the right.

When you walk to the right from the South Exit, the street looks like this. You will pass by the bakery “Little Mermaid,” the donut shop “Mister Donut,” and the ramen shop “Onomichi Ramen Tani.”

The entrance to the Onomichi Station Rental Bicycle Terminal is the automatic door directly in front of you. This building was originally the site of a local department store called “Fukuya,” and much of the structure remains the same. The front entrance also retains its department store appearance. You will see a sign for “Shimanami Rental Bicycle” at the entrance.

When you pass through the two sets of automatic doors—another remnant of the building’s department store days—you will immediately find the rental reception desk. Compared to when the terminal was located at Onomichi Port, I think the new location is much easier to find, even for first-time visitors.

After you complete the rental procedure and payment at the reception desk, the staff will help you choose a bike from the rows lined up beside it and provide a brief explanation on how to use it. This is the exciting moment when your Shimanami Kaido cycling adventure begins!

Rental Cycle	Onomichi Station Rental Cycle Terminal
Address	1-10 Higashi-Goshocho, Onomichi
Phone	–
Reservation	0848-22-3911 (Shimanami Japan)
Opening Hours	8:00–19:00 [Winter] 8:00–18:00

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Facilities at the Onomichi station RT

The Onomichi Station Rental Bicycle Terminal is one of the ten terminals that make up the public rental bicycle service “Shimanami Rental Bicycle,” jointly operated by Onomichi City in Hiroshima Prefecture and Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture. Because of this, the terminal is managed by Shimanami Japan, the organization that oversees the public rental bicycle program.

The number of bicycles may vary with maintenance, replacement, and disposal, but when the Onomichi Station Rental Bicycle Terminal opened, it had about 350 bicycles available. The lineup includes cross bikes, city bikes, electric-assist bicycles, e-bikes, and children’s bikes.

Renting a bicycle

At the counter, you will fill out a form with your name, address, phone number, and other required information, and present an ID such as your driver’s license. At this time, you will also tell the staff how many days you want to rent the bicycle and at which terminal you plan to return it. If you need to extend your rental period or change your return terminal during your trip, call 0848-22-3911 (Shimanami Japan). Please note that refunds are not available if you decide to return the bicycle earlier than planned.

After submitting the form, pay the rental fee. Credit cards and various electronic payment methods are accepted. After completing the procedure, you will be guided to the bicycle area in the back. Here, you can receive help with fitting your bicycle and get a short lesson on how to use it.

Where to return hired bicycle

The Onomichi Station Rental Cycle Terminal has two main entrances. When renting a bicycle, enter through the front entrance on the station side. However, when returning your bicycle, you must use the entrance at the back, shown in the photo above. It is located along the passageway near the Shimanami Koryukan and the parking area for bicycles and scooters.

When you enter through this return entrance, you will find the bicycle return counter marked “bike return area,” where staff members are also stationed. Coin lockers are located nearby as well. Unlike the Imabari Station Cycling Terminal, there is no shower room here. If you need one, there is a coin-operated shower near Onomichi U2, and several public bathhouses are available within the city.

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How the rental bicycles work

Rental fees and deposit

The rental fees for cross bikes and city bikes at the Onomichi Station Rental Bicycle Terminal are the same. The daily rental fee for one bicycle is 3,000 yen. Previously, there was a deposit system (also called a “drop-off fee”), but it was abolished in the revision of September 2023. In the past, if you rented a bike at Imabari Station Cycling Terminal and returned it at Onomichi Station RT or at a different terminal, the deposit would not be refunded. Now, however, the fee is the same no matter where you rent and return the bicycle.

Bicycle Types Available at Onomichi Station RT	Rental Fee (JPY)	Return
Cross Bike / City Bike	3,000	Returnable at any terminals
Electric-Assist Bicycle	4,000	Returnable at any terminals
E-Bike	8,000	Returnable at any terminals
Kids Bike	1,000	Returnable at any terminals

If you rent a tandem bicycle, a children’s bicycle, or other special types, the rental fees and return restrictions may differ. Helmets are provided free of charge for all bicycle types. For your safety, always wear a helmet while riding.

How to use one-way rentals

The public rental bicycle service, “Shimanami Rental Bicycle,” has ten terminals along the route from Onomichi to Imabari in Shikoku. Most bicycles rented at the Onomichi Station Cycling Terminal can be returned at any of these terminals. When renting, be sure to inform the staff of your intended return date and terminal.

In the diagram of the rental cycle terminals above, the ship and bus icons indicate that a ferry or bus stop is nearby. If you plan to enjoy one-way cycling, make sure to check the public transportation options after returning your bicycle in advance. Some rental terminals are located in areas that are slightly less convenient for public transport.

Recommended return locations

I have summarized rental bicycle terminals that are convenient for onward travel after returning your bike.

For those who rent a bicycle at the Onomichi Station Cycling Terminal, the most common return location is the Imabari Station Cycling Terminal. For beginners, I recommend taking two days to cycle the entire Shimanami Kaido. The Imabari Station Cycling Terminal is located in the city center, within walking distance to the JR Yosan Line and the bus terminal, making transportation after returning your bike very convenient.

If you do not plan to cycle the entire route, you can also return your bicycle at terminals along a partial route, such as the Setoda Tourist Information Center on Ikuchijima, Habu Port on Innoshima, the Hakata Rental Cycle Terminal on Hakatajima, or the Kamiura Rental Cycle Terminal on Omishima. Each terminal has different operating hours, so please pay attention to the return time.

Terminal	Facility	Opening Hours	Address	Phone	Transport
Habu Port	Municipal Central Parking Lot	8:30–19:00 [Dec–Feb] until 18:00	1899-31 Habu-cho, Innoshima, Onomichi	0845-22-3362	Habu Port Bus Stop, Habu Port
Setoda Tourist Information Center		9:00–17:00	200-5 Sawa, Setoda-cho, Onomichi	0845-27-0051	Setoda Port
Kamiura Rental Cycle Terminal	Michi-no-Eki Tatara Shimanami Park	9:00–17:00	9180-2 Inokuchi, Kamiura-cho, Imabari	0897-87-3855	Omishima Bus Stop
Hakata Rental Cycle Terminal	Michi-no-Eki Hakata SC Park	9:00–17:00	1668-1 Kanoura, Hakata-cho, Imabari	0897-72-0018	Hakatajima Bus Stop
Imabari Station Cycling Terminal	In front of JR Imabari Station	8:00–20:00 [Winter] until 18:00	2-773-8 Kitahorai-cho, Imabari	0898-34-3190	Imabari Station Bus Stop, Imabari Station

How to make a reservation

Currently, the public rental bicycle service along the Shimanami Kaido, “Shimanami Rental Bicycle,” is managed and operated centrally by the General Incorporated Association Shimanami Japan for both Hiroshima and Ehime terminals. Previously, each terminal was managed by separate organizations. Having a single reservation desk makes the process much easier to understand.

You can also make a rental bicycle reservation through the Shimanami Japan website. When reserving a bicycle at the Onomichi Station Rental Cycle Terminal, Shimanami Japan serves as the reservation desk.

However, during peak periods, there may be days when reservations are not accepted, and bikes are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. During busy holidays such as Golden Week, all of the nearly 2,000 bicycles can be rented out quickly. If you plan to rent a bike without a reservation during peak periods, it is advisable to arrive early before opening time.

Rental Bicycle Reservation	Shimanami Japan
Address	3F Imabari Civic Hall, 1-4-1 Betsugu-cho, Imabari
Inquiry Phone Number	0848-22-3911

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What to do with large luggage?

The Onomichi Station Rental Cycle Terminal also offers other convenient services.

Coin-lockers

There are 19 coin lockers available at the Onomichi Station Rental Cycle Terminal. If you plan a cycling route that departs from and returns to Onomichi, you can store your large luggage in these lockers. Coin lockers are also available inside Onomichi Station.

Luggage delivery service

The Onomichi Station Rental Cycle Terminal also serves as a shipping and receiving spot for Sagawa Express’s same-day luggage delivery service, “Shimanami Hands-Free Cycling." Shipping is available from 8:00 to 9:00 and is limited to rental cycle users and cyclists. For receiving luggage at the terminal, the pickup hours are 16:00–19:00 from March to November, and 16:00–18:00 from December to February.

Be sure to check the official Sagawa Express “Shimanami Hands-Free Cycling” website for the latest restrictions and details before using the service.

For those cycling across the Shimanami Kaido over two days who don’t need to send luggage to Imabari on the same day, there are alternative options. You can take your luggage to a Yamato Transport Onomichi branch, a delivery center, or a post office, or use delivery services from your accommodation to send it to your destination in advance.

On this page, I have summarized information about the Onomichi station rental bike terminal, including rental bicycles and other facilities and services commonly used for Shimanami Kaido cycling. One of the biggest features of the Shimanami Kaido is that even beginners can enjoy cycling with peace of mind. For more detailed information about cycling the Shimanami Kaido, please refer to the following page.