Two ingredients for a sweet bike ride...coffee and cake!

The chic Shade Tree Coffee offers both, plus an incredible view of the Shimanto River. It’s an excellent motivator for those cycling the approximately 50-kilometer ride along Japan's last free-flowing river between Kubokawa and Nakamura

Here's a pro tip! Plan your journey along local roads that follow the wide bends of the river. Not only will this help you avoid long tunnels on the busier Route 381, but also offer some of the prettiest views

Located near Takase Chinkabashi (submersible bridge), Shade Tree Coffee roasts its beans in-house and offers delicious homemade sweets (seasonal fruit tarts, cheesecakes, and more). Stopping here is a must but it's *literally* a hidden gem! Make sure to keep your eyes peeled as it’s easy to sail right by without realizing you passed it

Another quick 5-minute ride from Shade Tree Coffee is Shimanto-no-Ao, where you can hop on a yakatabune (traditional leisure boat) and witness the river's crystal-clear beauty from another perspective

Yakatabune Shimanto-no-Ao: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/activities/10153
Read more about exploring the Shimanto River by bicycle: https://visitkochijapan.com/en/activities/10121