Awajishima, famously known for being an island between Kansai and Shikoku, makes for a beautiful journey by car and a fantastic way to break up a journey traveling around the major cities of Kansai; for example Kobe, Osaka and Kyoto.
A drive to Awaji Island will still take the best part of an hour plus from Osaka and 30 minutes from Kobe, but when arriving at this island that is a part of Hyogo Prefecture, you will be able to cruise along the longest suspension bridge in the world, Akashi Straits Suspension Bridge (Akashi Kaikyo Ohashi).
From one end of the bridge to the other takes around 10 minutes and is rarely that busy so you will have a relatively quick journey across. If traveling from Kansai to Awajishima, immediately on the other side of the island is a small port with numerous excellent seafood restaurants and even a Starbucks if you need a quick coffee fix.
The area is well known for earthquakes and Awaji is believed to be the epicentre of the great Kobe earthquake of 1995 that killed thousands of people. The bridge itself is believed to have moved more than a metre during the quake and was actually in the middle of construction during this time.
When on Awaji Island, there is plenty to see and do and the area is known for its agriculture and beaches. There is the famous Ohama Beach on the east alongside Goshiki Beach, and both can be reached quite easily by vehicle.
If you are in Kobe for a day trip, a ride along the bridge to Awaji is highly recommended – a must do!