This is the symbol of Dogo Onsen, said to be the oldest in Japan with a history spanning some 3,000 years. This public bathhouse opened in 1894 (Meiji 27), and the building, designed by castle carpenter Sakamoto Matahachiro, has a stately appearance with a three-story wooden building and turret that were rare even at the time. The building is comprised of the Kami no Yu main building to the north, the Yuushinden and Rei no Yu building to the east, which feature a rare Momoyama period gabled architectural style, the South Building to the south, and the entrance building to the west. Repeated extensions and renovations have created a complex web of narrow passageways and steep staircases within the building, giving it a labyrinth-like atmosphere throughout.

The Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge connects Oshima, the closest island to Imabari City. The First Bridge is 960m long, the Second Bridge is 1,515m long, and the Third Bridge is 1,570m long. This triple-bridge construction is the world's first triple suspension bridge. Omishima is also the largest island in Ehime Prefecture. Home to Oyamazumi Shrine, the head temple of all Yamazumi shrines across Japan, it is known as the "sacred mountain" where successive imperial courts and subordinate generals gathered. Furthermore, Innoshima, located in Onomichi City, was one of the bases of the Murakami Navy. During the Sengoku period, missionary Luis Frois called the Murakami Kaizoku "Japan's greatest pirates." Their base, the Geiyo Islands, is home to a group of sea castles built as bases of operations, and the memories of the pirates remain vivid. Designated a Japan Heritage Site, the area is home to the Innoshima Suigun Skyline, a 9km-long cycling route that takes in historical sites and viewpoints. Each island on the Shimanami Kaido has its own unique character. You can take your time touring each island, or cross the sea road by bridge. Why not find your own cycling trip? By the way, it takes at least two days to complete the sea road by bicycle, so you'll need to make arrangements, including accommodation.

Imabari City offers a boat trip around the Noshima Castle Ruins, a nationally designated historic site that was also the base of the Noshima Murakami clan, known as "Japan's greatest pirates," and allows you to experience some of Japan's most powerful tidal currents up close. If you travel to the Geiyo Islands that connect Onomichi and Imabari, you can experience the true life of the Murakami pirates, who took advantage of the swirling rapids of this area and controlled the Seto Inland Sea routes in the Middle Ages.