How to send your luggage while cycling the Shimanami Kaido

2025/7/7

Want to enjoy cycling the Shimanami Kaido without heavy luggage? Here’s how to send your bags from Imabari to Onomichi using convenient delivery services—perfect for one-way rides! You can ship large suitcases and backpacks with services like Sagawa’s “Hands-Free Cycling on the Shimanami Kaido”, as well as with Yamato Transport and Japan Post.

More Comfortable Cycling

For One-Way Cycling

The Shimanami Kaido cycling route crosses six islands and six bridges over the beautiful Seto Inland Sea. You can start your ride from either Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture or Imabari in Ehime Prefecture, and many travelers enjoy both the northbound and southbound directions.

Go the Distance!

If you’re making the trip, you may want to cycle the entire route from Imabari to Onomichi. Even the shortest one-way ride is about 70–80 km, so doing a round-trip can be quite a challenge. That’s why many people choose to start and finish in different cities. For beginners, a popular option is to complete the route over two days.

The Shimanami Japan’s Rental Bike public system lets you rent and return bikes in both Imabari and Onomichi, making it easy to enjoy a one-way cycling trip. Private road bike rental shops also offer popular one-way plans tailored for this kind of ride.

What to Do with Large Luggage?

This is where luggage becomes an issue. If you’re only carrying a small backpack, it’s possible to ride with it on your back. And if you’re planning a round-trip ride, you can leave your luggage in a coin locker, at a baggage storage center, or even at the hotel you stayed at.

But ideally, you want to cycle as light as possible. If you’re planning a one-way ride on the Shimanami Kaido and also have large luggage, what should you do? This webpage will explain in detail how to send your luggage while cycling the Shimanami Kaido. The best option may vary depending on your schedule and route.

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Luggage Delivery Services

Multiple Delivery Services Available

Several luggage delivery services are available on the Shimanami Kaido for travelers doing a one-way cycling trip between Imabari and Onomichi. The most popular option is same-day delivery through Sagawa’s “Hands-Free Cycling” service. If you don’t need same-day delivery, you might consider regular delivery services offered by Yamato Transport or Japan Post. There are also private services that offer luggage transport.

Need It Today or Is Tomorrow Okay?

Let’s say you’re planning a ride from Imabari to Onomichi and want to send your luggage ahead. Which of the following best matches your plan?

・I want my luggage to arrive in Onomichi by this evening

・It’s fine if my luggage arrives in Onomichi the next day

If your plan is to cycle all the way from Imabari to Onomichi in a single day, next-day delivery might not be fast enough. On the other hand, if you’re cycling the route over two days and can pick up your luggage in Onomichi on the second evening, next-day delivery could be a good fit.

Need Same-Day Delivery?

Cycling from Imabari to Onomichi in One Day

Same-day luggage delivery on the Shimanami Kaido If you’re planning to ride the Shimanami Kaido from Imabari to Onomichi (or the other way around) in a single day, the “Hands-Free Cycling" service from Sagawa is a convenient option for same-day luggage delivery.

Standard delivery services—even if you drop off your bag at a local office—won’t get your luggage from Imabari to Onomichi until the next day at the earliest. But this special service lets you drop off your bag in the morning and have it waiting at your destination by the evening. With the “Hands-Free Cycling” service, Sagawa offers same-day delivery between partner hotels in Onomichi and Imabari for suitcases and other luggage.

Sagawa’s Same-Day Delivery Service Is Handy

When this service first launched, it was only available between hotels in the central areas of Imabari and Onomichi. But now, more partner locations are available on the islands along the way. Some facilities even allow luggage drop-off and pickup for those not staying overnight. As this service continues to expand, it’s a good idea to check Sagawa’s website for the latest updates.

Sagawa Express	Imabari Branch	Fukuyama Branch
Address	1-4-6 Tomita Shinko, Imabari City	2-18-1 Shingai-cho, Fukuyama City
Phone	0570-01-0598	0570-01-0124
Hours	8:00–19:00	8:00–19:00
Location Notes	Far from Imabari Station	Located in Fukuyama, not Onomichi

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Need Delivery by the Next Day?

Cycling Imabari to Onomichi Over Two Days

Using standard delivery services If you plan to ride the Shimanami Kaido over two or more days, you can send your luggage using regular delivery services from companies like Yamato Transport or Japan Post. There are Yamato service centers within walking distance of both Imabari Station and Onomichi Station, making it very convenient. If you drop off your luggage at the office in the morning, it usually arrives the next morning—meaning your bags should be in Onomichi by the time you finish your ride on Day 2.

If you’re sending your luggage to a delivery center, make sure to check when it will arrive—and remember to pick it up during business hours. Some hotels or even convenience stores may be able to help you send your luggage, but for reliable next-day delivery, it’s best to bring it directly to a Yamato service center.

Luggage Delivery	Yamato Imabari Central Center	Yamato Onomichi Shopping Arcade Center
Address	4-8-5 Tokiwa-cho, Imabari	1-4-21 Tsuchido, Onomichi
Phone	0570-20-0000	0570-20-0000
Hours	8:00–20:00	9:00–18:00
Location	Within walking distance from Imabari Station	Within walking distance from Onomichi Station

Use Sagawa’s Same-Day Service Twice

Option one: If you’re cycling the Shimanami Kaido over two days, one way to travel light is to use Sagawa’s same-day delivery service, “Hands-Free Cycling," on both days. Unlike regular courier services, you can send items you’ll need on the first night directly to your hotel on the island—no need to carry them with you all day.

Of course, this means you’ll pay the delivery fee twice. Also, there are still only a limited number of hotels on the islands that are partnered with Sagawa’s “Hands-Free Cycling" service, so you’ll need to choose your overnight accommodation from their official list. If your chosen hotel is not a partner facility, this service is not available.

If you’re okay with the added cost and can stay at one of the partner hotels, this is the lightest and most comfortable way to enjoy the Shimanami Kaido over two days.

Ship Your Luggage Ahead of Time

Option two: If you’re staying at a hotel that is not partnered with Sagawa, or if your route doesn’t allow for using the “Hands-Free Cycling" service, here’s another method—though it does require more time and effort.

You can send the luggage you’ll need on the second day ahead of time to your accommodation on islands like Omishima or Ikuchijima using regular delivery services. This way, on the first day of cycling, you can travel lighter without carrying the clothes and items you’ll only need on the second day.

There are post offices, Yamato Transport offices, and convenience stores on the islands along the Shimanami Kaido where you can also send your luggage. For example, on the morning of the second day, you could send any items you no longer need from the first day directly to your next destination, allowing you to cycle lighter on the second day as well.

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Onomichi Base “Shimanami Tebura-bin"

Another option is the private luggage delivery service called “Shimanami Tebura-bin” operated by Onomichi Base, a private rental bike shop mainly serving Onomichi. This service allows you to send your suitcase or luggage on the same day from the Onomichi Base shop or your accommodation to the accommodation where you will stay or back to the Onomichi Base on the same day.

The main differences from Sagawa’s “Shimanami Kaido Hands-Free Cycling” service are that reservations can be made on the website and that the service covers a wider range of islands and accommodations. You can also use “Shimanami Tebura-bin” without renting a bike from Onomichi Base. Please check the official website for details on delivery fees, size limits, and compensation for damage.

Luggage Delivery	Rental Cycle Station Onomichi Base
Address	3-24 Higashigosho-cho, Onomichi City
Phone	0848-21-5120
Business Hours	9:00 AM – 6:00 PM, Closed Tue & Wed

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Storing Your Luggage

Luggage Storage and Lockers

If You Plan to Return to the Starting Point

Storing luggage during cycling: JR Imabari Station and Onomichi Station both have coin lockers. Additionally, Yamato Transport in Onomichi offers luggage storage services. If you plan to return to your starting point after cycling, consider leaving your large luggage in these coin lockers, luggage storage locations, or at the front desk of your hotel or guesthouse where you are staying.

Plenty of Coin Lockers Along the Shimanami Kaido

Area	Coin Lockers	Business Hours
Onomichi	Onomichi Port	7:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Onomichi	JR Onomichi Station	4:30 AM – 12:00 AM
Innoshima	Habu Port	6:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Innoshima	Onomichi City Central Parking Lot	Open 24 Hours
Ikuchijima	Setoda Tourist Information Center	9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Ikuchijima	Setoda Sunset Beach	8:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Omishima	Tatara Shimanami Park	Open 24 Hours
Omishima	Shimanami no Eki Mishima	8:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Hakatajima	Hakata SC Park	9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Oshima	Yoshiumi Ikiiki-kan	Open 24 Hours
Imabari	Sunrise Itoyama	7:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Imabari	JR Imabari Station	Open 24 Hours
Imabari	Imabari Port	6:00 AM – 8:00 PM

In this page, we have summarized the methods to send or store your luggage along the Shimanami Kaido. One of the greatest 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.