This is going to be out in left field so I'm not really expecting feedback, but just on the off-chance somebody here happens to have done this:
I'm planning a second trip to Japan in the fall but I can't for the life of me decide which of two itineraries I've roughed out I want to go with. One of them would be centered around a (probably) two-leg ride along the
Shimanami Kaido. It's frequently described as the best cycling route in the country but I'm curious if anyone here has had experience riding it and can say whether it really lives up to its status.
(You didn't ask, but the alternative itinerary would be centered around hiking some of the ancient pilgrimage trails south of Osaka)