Ariigawa to Shimanto City (not to be confused with Shimanto Town!) 17.2 km
As we had walked a few extra kilometres yesterday, today was a shorter leg – but it was still a very tiring day walking beside the busy highway. We’re staying in Shimanto City even though it’s not really on the route. The guide ends the day in the middle of nowhere and unhelpfully suggests catching a bus to find somewhere to stay. The other reason to divert into the city is to cross the Shimanto River. There used to be a government ferry at the river’s mouth, but since they built a new bridge further upstream, the ferry is now privately run and you have to book in advance – for which basic Japanese language skills and a phone are required!
The Shimanto river is the longest river on Shikoku, and the brochure tells us it is also the longest undammed river in all of Japan. The area is also known for its profusion of dragonflies, which we have observed on numerous occasions. There are so many – 70 species apparently – that there is a dragonfly museum here. Not that we have any energy to visit a museum, especially to see 70 dragonflies pinned to displays!
The big city also had big city attractions, such as a McDonald’s outlet, where we duly stopped for lunch to indulge in some non-Japanese food. It’s the first time I’ve eaten at a McDonald’s in about 25 years, and certainly haven’t missed much! Dinner was suitably Japanese, with a session at a local ramen restaurant, followed by some suitably sugary desserts from the convenience store to accompany coffee in our hotel room.
Tonight we are in a ‘business hotel ‘ with real beds (well two beds and a fold out sofa bed) and real pillows. No subsidised laundry service however, so the bathroom has our trusty nylon clothes line zig-zagging everywhere in the forlorn hope that our clothes will be less soggy by morning. At least we arrived in time to watch the heavy thundershower from the comfort of our comfortable retreat!
