Setonaikai National Park

Island seascapes, bridges and art islands

Setonaikai National Park protects stretches of the Seto Inland Sea, the waterway that separates Honshu from Shikoku. It spreads across 11 prefectures and counts as Japan's largest national park. Its highlights are scattered, from Mount Washu above the water and the old port of Tomonoura to the olive groves of Shodoshima and the art museums of Naoshima. You can cycle the Shimanami Kaido over island bridges or take a boat to see the Naruto whirlpools. It isn't one place to visit but a set of areas, so most trips choose one or two bases around Hiroshima, Okayama or Takamatsu.

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National Park in Japan

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Safety: 8.1

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	7
Accessibility:	5
Tap water:	8

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2/5

English is spoken at major visitor centers, hotels, and art sites, but less so in small towns or rural islands. Most signage at key attractions is bilingual. A translation app is helpful for deeper exploration.

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Last update: Oct 19, 2026

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Setonaikai National Park Summary

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Excellent for island scenery and coastal exploration. Take ferry trips between islands, cycle seaside routes, hike viewpoints and enjoy beaches, fishing villages and calm inland sea views.

Place score

8.2

Best at:

Islands

Cycling

Sea

Spotless

Art

Personal score

Suited for

👶 7

Families

🧓 6

Seniors

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

👩 8

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Japan – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	100 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type A Type A: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Japanese Yen (JPY) $1 ≈ ¥158
Cashless info:	Rating 4/5 Cashless payments are becoming more common, especially in cities, with some shops still preferring cash. Be prepared for occasional cash-only situations in rural areas. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is not customary in Japan and can be considered rude. Excellent service is the norm, and tipping is unnecessary in most places.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is legal and commonly accepted, particularly during festivals and events.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited in indoor public places but allowed in designated outdoor areas. Some restaurants may have smoking sections.

New Year (January)	One of the most important holidays, expect crowded temples and high prices. Plan ahead.
Golden Week (April-May)	The busiest travel time, expect high demand for accommodation and transportation.
Obon (August)	A time to honor ancestors, many businesses close, and transportation can be crowded.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 110 (Police), 119 (Fire & Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, JapanTaxi, DiDi
Other:	Japan is a country of respect, so understanding local customs and etiquette is important. Public transportation is efficient, but can be crowded during peak hours.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colors of the months:
The color shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the color is shows the travel season: full color means high season, soft color means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

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The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The gray info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for Setonaikai National Park, Japan

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Dec

High season:	April - May, Oct. - Nov.
Shoulder season:	March, July - Sep.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

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Climate details

Typhoon season August to September can cancel ferries and bridge crossings for a day or more

Golden Week (late April to early May) and Obon (mid August): very crowded, ferries and rooms book out

Many island museums and galleries, including Naoshima's, close on Mondays

Don't miss

🚴‍♂️ Cycle the scenic Shimanami Kaido bridge route
🖼️ Explore contemporary art on Naoshima and Teshima islands
🌊 Witness the powerful whirlpools of Naruto Strait
⛩️ Visit historic Itsukushima Shrine on Miyajima Island
⛰️ Hike and enjoy stunning views from Mount Washu

You've been here?

Why travel to Setonaikai National Park?

The park is mostly sea, with numerous islands and islets of all sizes in water bounded by four straits. It covers roughly 3,500 sq mi including the water. Many coastal viewpoints and hills have views over the archipelago, with Mount Washu, Mount Yashima and Mount Sekizen among the named highlights. The seascape changes with the tide, the light and the ferries moving across it. The Shimanami Kaido is the most direct way to feel the sea. It's a cycling route of about 43 mi that goes from Onomichi on Honshu to Imabari on Shikoku over a chain of islands and bridges. Boats are the other way in. Sightseeing boats get close to the Naruto whirlpools and the strong tidal currents of the straits are a draw in their own right. Art and old harbor towns give the park a second side. Naoshima has museums and installations across a quiet island, with Teshima and Inujima close by. The Setouchi Triennale art festival links them. Tomonoura is a historic port town of narrow streets and harbor-side warehouses. Shodoshima has Japan's first olive plantation and the Angel Road sandbar that appears at low tide. Miyajima and its shrine are also inside the park. The park is too spread out to see in one trip. Two to four days around a single area works better, such as the Shimanami Kaido and Onomichi or the art islands from Okayama or Takamatsu.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 Tourist Map of Shimanami Kaido

🎡Places for activities

1 Hakata Island
2 Omishima Island

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 Seto Inland Sea
2 Ōkunoshima

🍽️Eat & Drink

1 Yakigaki no Hayashi
Yakigaki no Hayashi serves grilled, raw and fried oysters, using oysters grown in Hiroshima’s nearby Jigozen waters. It is on Miyajima’s Omotesando shopping street in the park’s western Hiroshima Bay area, between Miyajima Port and Itsukushima Shrine.
2 Mametanuki
Mametanuki prepares anago meshi, grilled Seto Inland Sea conger eel over seasoned rice, alongside Miyajima oyster dishes. It stands near Nishi-no-Matsubara on Miyajima, the park’s western Hiroshima Bay island area, close to Itsukushima Shrine.
3 maimai
Maimai makes the original Naoshima Burger, using fried Kagawa yellowtail, Naoshima Sora Shio salt, vegetables and tartar sauce. It is in Honmura on Naoshima, one of the park’s eastern art islands between Honshu and Shikoku.
4 Osakaya
Osakaya serves Shodoshima specialties such as olive-fed beef, local seafood and somen noodles. It is in Sakate on Shodoshima, an island in the park’s eastern Kagawa area, near Sakate Port and ferry routes from Takamatsu.
5 Reigan Chaya
Reigan Chaya serves dishes developed with a local Kagawa chef, including Sanuki ingredients and regional sweets. It is on Yashima’s summit in Takamatsu, within the park’s eastern coastal area, about an eight-minute walk from the southern parking area.
6 Murakami Shoten
Murakami Shoten grills local octopus in takoyaki-style pancakes known as jidako tamayaki. It is directly in front of Ogijima Port on Ogijima, a small park island reached by ferry from Takamatsu in about 40 minutes.
7 Ebi no Miyagawa Kamegawa
Ebi no Miyagawa raises kuruma prawns in the Amakusa Islands and serves them as sashimi, tempura and rice bowls.
8 Kawaramachi Izumiya
Kawaramachi Izumiya specializes in Nagara River ayu sweetfish, including grilled fish and fermented narezushi.
9 Uosou
Uosou prepares seasonal Nagara River ayu dishes near Gifu’s Kawaramachi historic district.
10 Ramen Santoka Asahikawa Honten
Santoka began in Asahikawa and serves tonkotsu shio ramen, traditionally finished with pickled plum.

🎈Events

Setouchi Triennale Art Festival
Miyajima Water Fireworks Festival
Onomichi Lantern Festival
Imabari Maritime Festival
Cherry Blossom Viewing at Mt. Sekizensan
Autumn Foliage Festivals
Shimanami Kaido Cycling Event
Tomonoura Port Festival
Awaji Island Onion Festival
Naoshima Art Project Events
Seto Inland Sea Regatta
Kurashiki Spring Festival
Island Citrus Harvest Festivals

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Check tide tables before booking any whirlpool trip.
Rental bikes for the Shimanami Kaido can be returned at any terminal along the route.
Cycling conditions on the Shimanami Kaido are best from March to May and from August to November.
Boats to Teshima and Inujima skip an island when its museum is closed and run on fewer days in winter.

How to travel to Setonaikai National Park

Setonaikai National Park spans 11 prefectures so there's no single entrance. The main gateways are Hiroshima, Okayama, Takamatsu, Osaka and Kobe, with Onomichi and Imabari as the two ends of the cycling route. The Sanyo Shinkansen stops at Okayama and Hiroshima and local trains continue to Onomichi. For the art islands, ferries to Naoshima's Miyanoura Port run from Uno Port near Okayama in about 20 minutes and from Takamatsu Port in about 50 to 60 minutes. Takamatsu is reached from Okayama by the rapid train over the Seto Ohashi Bridge in about an hour. Tomonoura is a short bus ride from Fukuyama Station. Useful airports include Hiroshima (HIJ), Okayama (OKJ), Takamatsu (TAK) and Matsuyama (MYJ), plus Kansai International (KIX) for the eastern side. From Tokyo expect between 4 and 10 hours by land depending on the area. By car, expressways cross the Seto Ohashi and Akashi Kaikyo bridges. The Shimanami Kaido route also links Honshu and Shikoku through the islands.

Access summary

From Hiroshima or Okayama airports: Airport bus/train to ports, then short ferries.
From Hiroshima city: JR to Miyajimaguchi, 10‑minute ferry into the park area.
From Okayama: JR to Uno or Shin-Okayama ports, ferries 20–70 minutes.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in Setonaikai National Park

Most visitors base themselves in a city or port town near the area they want to see. Onomichi suits cyclists, with hotels and guesthouses in an old hillside port at the start of the Shimanami Kaido. Imabari is the base for the Shikoku end. Okayama and Takamatsu have the widest choice of hotels and work well for the art islands by ferry. Staying on an island gives you quieter evenings and the chance to see the sights before day boats arrive. Naoshima and Teshima have a limited number of small inns and guesthouses and Naoshima also has a hotel built into a museum. Tomonoura has traditional inns in a historic port setting while Shodoshima has inns and resort-style hotels. Rooms on the small islands are few and fill early during the Setouchi Triennale and over long holidays like Golden Week. Staying in a city works well for a day trip but ferry times limit how long you can stay on the islands.

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How to get around Setonaikai National Park

Getting around the park means choosing an area and using the transport that fits it, mostly boats and bicycles. Mainland bases such as Onomichi, Okayama and Takamatsu connect to the islands by ferry or bridge. Plan one area per day rather than trying to link several, since ferry times set the pace.

Ferries and boats:
Ferries and sightseeing boats connect most of the islands and run to timetables that change with the season. Check the operator before you go, especially from December to February when some island routes run less often.

Cycling:
On the Shimanami Kaido you ride between islands on dedicated cycle paths over the bridges. Bikes can be rented at terminals on the Onomichi and Imabari sides.

On the islands:
On the art islands such as Naoshima, walking and cycling are the main ways to get around. Buses and rental cars serve the larger islands like Shodoshima where distances are longer.

Trains and car:
On the mainland, trains link bases such as Onomichi, Okayama and Takamatsu. The Seto Ohashi Bridge connects Honshu with northeastern Shikoku and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge crosses the Akashi Strait. You can drive across both, though a car isn't needed for the art islands or for cycling.

Food in Setonaikai National Park

Food around the Seto Inland Sea revolves around seafood from the calm waters and local produce from the islands. Sea bream, conger eel, octopus and oysters all appear on menus depending on the port. On the Shikoku side, Kagawa is known for its udon noodles. Shodoshima is known for olives, soy sauce and somen noodles. Citrus grown on sunny hillsides turns up in sweets and drinks.

Menus change with the area, so the best approach is to eat what the nearest port is known for. Port towns and cities have the most choice. On small islands such as Naoshima and Teshima the options are fewer and some eateries close early or on one weekday, so check before you plan a meal. Convenience stores and small shops near ferry terminals cover snacks and water.

Vegetarians will find limited choices because dashi from fish is common in Japanese cooking.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

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To customize this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-43 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 43% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend a lot less on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

-17 %

Your exchange rate (USD to JPY) is 17% better than in recent years. That means traveling now is considerably cheaper compared to the past.

Travel costs (Data for Imabari, Japan - 12 miles away)

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when traveling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	$74	$175	$437
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	$45	$120	$250
🍝 Food per day	$23	$45	$133
🚕 Transportation per day	$6	$10	$54

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	$17
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	$7
🍟 Fast food combo	$4.90
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	$9
☕ Cappuccino	$3.20
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l / 16 oz	$2.90

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	$1.50
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	$34
⛽ Gas, 1 l / ¼ gal	$1.10

Other

🎞️ Movie ticket	$12
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	$21
🤧 Cold medication	$11
💇 Basic haircut	$9

Safety information overview

General safety

Setonaikai National Park is very safe, with little crime and the hazards are natural. Strong tidal currents make swimming near the straits risky and typhoons can cancel ferries in late summer and autumn. Cyclists should watch for traffic on bridge approaches.

Health & Medical

Hospitals and clinics are plentiful in the cities around the park such as Hiroshima, Okayama and Takamatsu. Small islands have limited services and serious cases go to the mainland by boat. English-speaking staff are uncommon and summer heat is the main everyday concern.

Accessibility

Accessibility depends on the area. Old port towns such as Tomonoura have narrow lanes and steps and hill sights like Mount Washu involve slopes. Ferries have gangways. The Shimanami Kaido is a long cycling route with bridge climbs rather than an easy stroll.

Tap water

Tap water is safe to drink across the Seto Inland Sea area, like elsewhere in Japan. Bottled drinks are sold at stations, ports and vending machines. Small islands have few shops, so carry water when cycling or hiking, especially in summer.