Ikuchi Island
Ikuchi Island is a small island in the Seto Inland Sea, one of the stepping stones on the Shimanami Kaido cycling route between Honshu and Shikoku. It is the lemon capital of Japan, its terraced groves supplying the citrus that flavors everything sold along the route.
The port town of Setoda makes the natural rest stop. Kosanji Temple is unlike any other, a flamboyant complex a wealthy industrialist built in his mother's honor, crowned by the Hill of Hope, a hilltop sculpted from white marble. The Hirayama Ikuo Museum honors the painter born here.
Most visitors arrive by bicycle across the bridges or by ferry from Onomichi and Mihara, and Sunset Beach lives up to its name on clear evenings. Lemon season peaks in winter and spring, when cafes fold the fruit into everything from gelato to pasta. A half day covers the island at cycling pace.
