Ōshima is the first major island on the Ehime side of the Shimanami Kaidō cycling route. It’s mountainous with several steeply sloping peaks. The island is a source of high-quality stone for building and statuary, and parts of the mountains have been cut away in quarries. There’s even a Stone Culture park in the middle of the island. 

Mt. Kirō at the southern end of Ōshima has an observation deck that affords a spectacular view of the Kurushima Straits Bridge. 

The Murakami Suigun Museum on the northern part of the island also repays a visit. From here, you can take a fast boat out to see Noshima Island which the Murakami maritime clan used as a base. The spectacular eddies and whirlpools caused by the peculiar tides in the Inland Sea formed a natural defence for their island. 

On the west side of the island is the Rose Garden which boasts 400 varieties. These are best viewed from June to late autumn. Next to the garden is the Yoshiumi Local Culture Center with a fascinating museum of armour, weapons and daily life going back two centuries.