The Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan, or Iki Iki Kan, is the main rest stop on Oshima. It is similar to the Hakata SC Park and Tatara Shimanami Kaido Park, but a lot busier. It is right next to the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge making it a very convenient place for people from Imabari to just jump over the bridge and relax. The place was pretty busy when I visited and while I didn’t spend much time here I did like the place overall.
View of the Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge from the Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan
The first thing I noticed about this rest stop was that it had a huge parking lot. It was actually bigger than I thought they would need, but in reality there must be a lot of people as the main barbecue area was pretty busy. They do have barbecues for a set price and I thought it must be great to get away from Matsuyama or Ehime and just enjoy some fresh grilled seafood. I didn’t bother with it as I had to get to Imabari quickly but if I had a lot more time you can be sure I would consider a beer and some seafood there.
Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan Port
The souvenir shop at the Iki Iki Kan was actually a little disappointing. It wasn’t very big and a lot of the items focused more on Imabari items rather than Shimanami Kaido items. There were the traditional mikan products but I can’t remember seeing anything particularly interesting. Overall, for souvenirs, the Iki Iki Kan was not really worth a stop.
Leaving Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan
There really wasn’t any reason for me to stop at the Iki Iki Kan except to use the washrooms. Due to the timing, I couldn’t go on a cruise to see the whirlpools, and I wasn’t planning to eat there as I had eaten just a couple hours earlier. In reality, if you are just starting on your journey in the morning, you can easily skip the Iki Iki Kan. If you are doing a day trip from Imabari and want to get a nice cold beer and some grilled seafood, this is the place to go; just be sure you aren’t too drunk as it is illegal to drink and cycle.
Information
- Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan (Official Site – Japanese Only)
- Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan (Shimap – Japanese Only)
- Yoshiumi Iki Iki Kan (Official Facebook Page – Japanese Only)