A Fishing Trip on the Shimanami Kaido: Charter Boats, Shore Fishing, the Oshima Fishing Boat and a Hotel That Cooks Your Catch

Quick answer: A simple 1–2 day fishing trip on the Shimanami Kaido looks like this: a morning on a charter boat out of the Onomichi side, an afternoon fishing from harbour walls on the islands, and a night at a hotel that has agreed to cook your catch — ask when you book, as it isn’t something to assume. If you’d rather book online, the easiest option is the fishing boat on Oshima run by Shimanami Co.: ¥15,000 per adult, about 4–5 hours, with your catch cooked on the charcoal grill at Michi-no-eki Yoshiumi Ikiiki-kan (minimum 3 adults; book at least a week ahead). No licence is needed for rod-and-line sea fishing.

On a fishing trip along the Shimanami Kaido, I went out on a charter boat from the Onomichi side and fished from the shore — harbour walls and rocks — around Onomichi, Mukaishima, Ikuchijima and Omishima. I stayed at a hotel, and the hotel cooked the sea bream I’d caught as sashimi and nitsuke. I often ride charter boats elsewhere in the Seto Inland Sea. I haven’t done the Oshima fishing boat, the Mihara Fisheries Cooperative boat or the Miyakubo fisherman experience, so those sections are what I’ve researched.

A 1–2 day plan

If you only have one day, pick either the charter boat or the Oshima boat, and keep the shore fishing for the afternoon.

Morning: a charter boat from the Onomichi side

Charter boats (yugyosen) work out of harbours along the route, but they generally don’t sell trips on English booking sites. On the booking platforms checked for this article, no rod-fishing product for travellers came up in Onomichi or Mukaishima — the boat trips listed there are sightseeing RIB cruises. So expect to book a charter by phone, in Japanese:

• Ask your hotel to call for you.
• Ask whether the boat rents tackle — not every boat does.
• Say you’re a beginner, and ask the crew to bleed and ice any fish you keep, especially if your hotel will cook it.

If you’re new to boat fishing, I recommend tai-rubber (tai-raba): a weighted lure with a rubber skirt that you drop to the bottom and wind up slowly. It’s one of the easiest ways to catch sea bream. There’s more on booking, seasickness and tackle in How to Join a Fishing Charter in the Seto Inland Sea.

Afternoon: shore fishing on the islands

Harbour walls and breakwaters on the islands are where most people fish from the shore. There’s no single list of spots, and rules differ from harbour to harbour, so:

• Follow local signs. Ports aren’t built as fishing spots, and some breakwaters are closed to the public. If a sign says no fishing or no entry, don’t.
• Keep clear of fishing boats, ropes and nets.
• Take all rubbish and leftover bait home.
• Wear a life jacket and non-slip shoes, and don’t fish in strong wind or high waves.
• On the Hiroshima side, chum fishing from land is banned in many fishing-right areas and some harbours.
• Bring your own tackle. Rental for shore anglers on the route couldn’t be confirmed.

For managed fishing parks, raft fishing and more shore advice, see Fishing in Setouchi Without a Charter Boat.

Evening: a hotel that will cook your catch

On my trip, the hotel I stayed at cooked my sea bream as sashimi and as nitsuke — fish simmered in a sauce of soy sauce and sugar.

Don’t assume a hotel will do this. No inn or restaurant on the route that advertises cooking a traveller’s catch turned up in the research for this article. When you book, ask:

• Will they cook a guest’s catch, and is there a charge?
• How do they want it — gutted and scaled, or whole? On ice?
• What time do you need to bring it in?
• What dishes can they make (sashimi, nitsuke, grilled)?

Keep your fish cold: a small cooler and ice from the boat or a shop makes it much easier. If you’re on Oshima, Michi-no-eki Yoshiumi Ikiiki-kan’s page says you can bring your own fish to its self-grill seafood BBQ (other outside food and drink isn’t allowed) — check fees and hours there.

The only stay + fishing + cooked-dinner package found in the area is Guesthouse NAVEL no Gakko on Kosagijima, an island reached by ferry from Mihara Port — off the Shimanami route, and Japanese only. It’s compared with other options in Setouchi Fishing Experiences Where They Cook Your Catch.

Day 2: the Oshima fishing boat + BBQ (bookable)

The Recreational Fishing Boat Experience on Oshima (Imabari, Ehime) is run by Shimanami Co., Ltd. You board at Shimoda Port, Yoshiumi, about 200 m from Michi-no-eki Yoshiumi Ikiiki-kan, where tickets are issued. It’s about 1 minute from Oshima-Minami IC.

• Price: ¥15,000 per adult, ¥11,500 per elementary-school child (ask about younger children).
• Included: boat, rod, bait, gloves, life jacket and a BBQ set. Your catch is cooked on the Ikiiki-kan seafood charcoal grill (sashimi is also mentioned). Adults also get a seafood and meat platter with sea-bream rice. Free shower.
• Time: 2–3 hours’ fishing + 1–1.5 hours’ BBQ, about 4–5 hours from 9:00.
• Group size: minimum 3 adults, maximum 7.
• Booking: at least one week ahead by the online form or email, with a 30% deposit by bank transfer — ask how to pay if you don’t have a Japanese bank account.
• Cancellation: 30% from one month to one week before, 50% from 3 days before, 100% the day before or on the day.
• Good to know: no toilet on board. The page is in English; whether staff speak English on the phone couldn’t be confirmed.

Details and booking form: Recreational Fishing Boat Experience (Imabari tourism site)

Other options (researched)

Mihara Fisheries Cooperative sightseeing fishing boat. Fishing in the waters around Yuge, Omishima and Uoshima. ¥37,000 for up to 4 people (octopus fishing ¥40,000), plus ¥5,000 for each extra person; tools and two meals included. Whether they cook your catch couldn’t be confirmed. April–September only, booking by phone only (0848-62-3056). Listing: Dive! Hiroshima.

Miyakubo fisherman experience (Oshima). You watch fishermen check their nets from a separate boat — you don’t fish with a rod — then have a sea-bream rice bowl. ¥50,000 per group of up to 5, 2–3 hours. The listing only showed a 2025 season (March–November 2025), so check whether it runs in 2026: ActivityJapan.

Getting there and around

A car is the easiest way to carry rods and a cooler between harbours. The bridges are tolled — see Shikoku Bridge Tolls. If you’re deciding how to cross, read Shimanami Kaido: Bike or Car? and Shimanami Kaido Car Ferries.

The Shimanami Kaido Cycling Road runs 70 km from JR Onomichi Station to Sunrise Itoyama in Imabari. Yoshiumi Ikiiki-kan is right on the route, but a 4–5 hour fishing trip is long to fit into a ride-through day.

Onomichi is the natural base on the Hiroshima side: Onomichi Guide.

Rules and safety

• No licence is needed for rod-and-line sea fishing. Each prefecture still sets its own size limits, closed seasons and areas — the Onomichi side is Hiroshima, and Omishima and Oshima are Ehime.
• Charter boats must be registered with the prefecture. Since a 2024 change in the law, operators also need an operations manual, passenger liability insurance (at least ¥50 million per passenger) and safety information published online.
• Life jackets: since February 2018, everyone outside the cabin of a small boat must wear one. If you bring your own, use a Japanese-approved Type A jacket with the “sakura” mark.
• Never take shellfish, sea urchins, octopus or lobster by hand, and never abalone or sea cucumber — these belong to local fishing co-ops or are banned outright.

See also: Setouchi Fishing Experiences Where They Cook Your Catch.

FAQ

Can I book a Shimanami fishing trip online in English?
The Oshima fishing boat has an English page and a booking form (minimum 3 adults, at least a week ahead). Most charter boats take bookings by phone in Japanese.

Will my hotel cook the fish I catch?
Some will, but don’t assume it. Ask when you book — whether they’ll do it, what it costs, and how they want the fish.

How much does the Oshima fishing boat cost?
¥15,000 per adult and ¥11,500 per elementary-school child, including tackle and a BBQ where your catch is cooked.

Do I need a fishing licence?
No, not for rod-and-line sea fishing. Follow local signs and the crew’s instructions on size limits.

Prices, booking terms and rules checked on the Imabari tourism (Shimanami Co.), Dive! Hiroshima, ActivityJapan, Rakuten Travel Experiences, MLIT, Osaka, Ibaraki and Hiroshima Prefecture websites on 3 November 2026.

Kaz

Tokushima local with family roots in Hiroshima

I live in Tokushima and my family is from Hiroshima, where I also used to live. I still go back several times a year. The guides here come from places I have actually been. Where I haven't tried something myself, I say so.