The second part of our photo-travel series by “Shimanami Camera Joshi” (‘Shimanami Camera Girls’), a group of photography loving women who live in Imabari city, Ehime prefecture, is focused on the Yoshiumi town area lacated in the southern part of Ōshima Island.
In recent years, due to the cycling boom, the town of Yoshiumi has many visitors who cross the bridge on bicycles. The area has plenty of things to offer…
While taking a relaxed walk around, I realized that Yoshiumi is a very photogenic town. Not only is it the blue sea, but also the dynamic tides, delicious sweets and bread, and heavenly sunsets.
Here’s my account of Yoshiumi, the photogenic town.

At first glance, it might seem like any average port, but actually it’s the perfect location for taking photographs.
The azure sea, blue sky, and a small port surrounded by abundant nature, it’s almost like a painting. You often see scenery like this along Shimanami Kaido, and it just makes you want to stop your car and take pictures.

Popular among cyclists, too, this is the rose soft serve ice cream loved by both men and women, which is sold at a rose garden. While eating, you’re enveloped by the aroma of roses.
Before the ice cream melts, I take a picture.

I walk along a narrow path surrounded by small wild flowers in full bloom – I feel healed…
While ‘created beauty’ is of course attractive, to me flowers living in nature look truly beautiful.

Hmm? What kind of tree is this?
When I go closer to take a look, I see that it’s a fig tree, my favorite fruit. To think that figs make such great photographic subjects… It glistens under the sun.

While looking for a famous bakery on the island, I come across some stone monuments marking the pilgrimage route.
The Shikoku pilgrimage includes 88 temples scattered throughout the islands of Shikoku. I’d like to try it once, too.

Customers come from far and wide to purchase bread at Paysan.
Both the shop and its products are filled with things I want to capture in photographs. I was thinking about leaving after buying some bread, and then I saw a couple come in and order a pizza. It looked so delicious that I decided not to leave just yet and ordered one for myself, too. The pizza is pretty as a picture on its plate on the terrace table. It tasted great, too.

The Yoshiumi town area is known for its tidal experiences. Tours start from Roadside Station Iki Iki Kan.

On board the wildly rocking boat, I’m completely absorbed in taking photographs. At 10 knots, the whirling tides are the biggest so far this year.

A sunset spot I found by accident.
You can see the evening sun between two mountains. A road of light stretches out straight towards the sun…

his is the evening sun as seen from Mt. Kiro, the No.1 place to see sunsets in Shimanami Kaido.
The last rays of light color the boats at dusk – a lovely sight no matter how many times you see it.
There are so many more great spots in Yoshiumi that I can’t introduce here… For us photography-lovers, it seems that there is never enough time…
How about visiting a town where regular sights turn photogenic?
Next time, it’s Ōshima Island’s Miyakubo edition.

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Getting to Yoshiumi

Bus: Around 30 minutes from Sanbashi in Imabari, or from Imabari station
Operating company & inquiries: 0898-23-388 (Setouchi Bus)
http://202.229.54.225/05jikoku/naikaikotsu/naikaikotsu.htm (Schedules in Japanese)
Setouchi Finder photo-writer: Maki Oshima