The Naruto bridge linking Awaji Island to Shikoku

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Awaji Island Guide: Bridges, Flowers and the Naruto Strait

   

Written by:

Jun

Awaji Island between Honshu and Shikoku: the two bridges, the flower fields, the whirlpool viewpoints, and how to move around without a car.

Operational details such as opening hours, admission fees, and train times can change. Prefer official pages and reconfirm before you travel (sources checked on 30 October 2026).

Why visit

  • Awaji sits between Kobe and Tokushima, joined by the Akashi bridge to the north and the Naruto bridge to the south.
  • The island is known for flower fields, coastal viewpoints and onion farming.
  • It works as a stop between Kansai and Shikoku, or as a day trip from Kobe.

Top places and highlights

The Naruto bridge linking Awaji Island to Shikoku
Photo: Gohachiyasu1214 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The Akashi Kaikyo suspension bridge seen from Awaji Island
Photo: Vickerman625 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
The coast of Awaji Island in Hyogo, Japan
Photo: 朝曇天 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

The Akashi bridge

The long suspension bridge from Kobe, with a visitor facility on the Kobe side and views back to the island.

Flower fields

Seasonal flower parks cover parts of the island. Flowering dates shift each year; check the current status.

Naruto strait

The whirlpools form under the bridge on the southern side. Boat trips and bridge walkways exist; conditions vary by tide.

Food and drink

  • Onions, seafood and dairy are the local products.
  • Restaurants cluster near the flower parks and the bridge approaches.

Getting there and around

  • Buses cross from Kobe and from Tokushima; a car gives far more freedom.
  • There is no railway on the island itself.

Where to stay

  • Most visitors pass through in a day.
  • A few resort hotels and guesthouses are on the coast.

Best time to visit

  • Spring and autumn flower seasons are the busiest.
  • Summer is hot and exposed; winter is quiet and windy.

Practical tips

  • Check tide times if the whirlpools matter to you.
  • Plan the bridge crossings; the island road is slow in holiday traffic.
  • Treat times and fares as things to reconfirm.

Suggested day-trip outline

  1. Cross from Kobe in the morning and stop at a flower field.
  2. Drive south to the Naruto bridge and the strait viewpoint.
  3. Continue into Shikoku or return north in the evening.

Before you go

Timetables, fares, admission fees, and seasonal access rules can change. Check the official tourism and transport sites linked below for the latest information before you travel.

Explore More of Japan

Published guides that pair with this one:

Browse every Kansai guide on this site for the rest of the region.

Sources

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