Ondo town is both small and big at the same time. It’s made from many small areas spread around the island. By the end of my first week here, I was determined to explore the island in more detail on my day off. The problem was how to do it.
I didn’t have a car.
Walking would take forever.
But the guest house had an electric bike. Problem solved!
I left around 9 AM and rode to my first destination, Ourasaki beach. I was a little nervous at first riding on unknown roads. Still, once I had built up momentum, I started to relax. Twenty minutes later, I arrived at the sunny local beach.
Sitting down in the soft golden sand to take a break and eat breakfast, I watched fishermen cast their lines and boats sailing across the beautiful Seto inner sea. The calm scene was the perfect start to my trip.
Once I had finished my breakfast, I headed to Hatami Hachiman Yama, a local shrine close to the beach.
Located at the top of a hill, It has the deity of Ondo town enshrined in it. I reached the top of the stairs to see a beautiful view of islands peeking out from the glimmering ocean. I took a moment for quiet meditation before heading off again.
Because the main road had a lot of traffic, I decided to take a side road. As I was riding, I saw a cute coffee shop named “Silk.”
I stopped in for a break and was lucky enough to have a chat with the shop owner. While we were talking, she showed me her on-site roaster and told me some of her shop’s history.
I ordered a cup of her daily blend, and it had delicious fruity notes to it, a great pick me up before I headed out to finish my trip.
I was greeted at the end of my trip by the two famous bridges of Ondo Town, Ondohashi 1 and 2. Their beautiful red arches told me I was close to the end of my journey.
Bike riding gave me a chance to see the island in a way I never would have by car. It pushed me to make many stops and go on out-of-the-way roads, which led me to treasures.
A tranquil view on a sunny beach.
Quiet contemplation in a hilltop shrine.
A friendship made over a handmade cup of coffee.
I hope to explore more places by bike again soon. Claire
On my first day in Ondo, I daydreamed while walking up the hill to Sentakusen with my groceries. The hill’s incline slowed my pace, and a feeling I had walked too far began to wash over me, breaking me out of my thoughts.
I looked up from the ground and panicked.
Where am I?
I walked one way, but it didn’t look familiar, so I turned around and walked the other way, but it still didn’t seem right.
An older lady saw me wandering and called out from her garden. “Where are you going?”
“Guest House Sentakusen.” I replied.
She paused to think a bit, then spoke, “Go back down this road and walk up the hill a bit more. It’s close!” She assured me.
My worries were instantly replaced with relief.
I thanked her for her help and started walking back the way she told me.
As I was walking off, she called after me, “Come back if you get lost again.”
I want to be better at helping the people around me. Both people I know and the ones I don’t