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Ehime, in the northwest of Shikoku, is a stunningly beautiful area to explore. The Shimanami Kaido area and its magnificent bridges offer a picturesque cycling route over architectural masterpieces. Dogo Onsen, the oldest hot spring in Japan, has attracted many residents, tourists and pilgrims for 3,000 years.
- Matsuyama
- Imabari
- Ōzu
- Uchiko
- Local Food to Try
- Where to Stay and Getting Around
- Guide to Ehime Prefecture
1. Dōgo Onsen Honkan – have a soak in one of Japan’s oldest onsen
Image credit: @kazuha922 One of the oldest bathhouses in Japan and an alleged inspiration for the Ghibli cult classic Spirited Away, Dōgo Onsen Honkan (道後温泉本館) is a grandiose wooden bathhouse that has been welcoming guests since 1894. Comprising 3 floors, the historic bathhouse offers 2 main public baths – Tama no Yuand Kami no Yu– as well as tatami rooms of various sizes that serve as resting spaces at which guests canrelax. Image credit: @lovephoto_life The building’s main bath, Kami no Yu,...
2. Matsuyama Castle – castle viewing on a mountaintop
Image credit: @sangatu41 Towering over Mount Katsuyama in central Matsuyama, Matsuyama Castle (松山城)is one of the crowning symbols of the city, having been selected as one of Japan’s top 100 historical landmarks. Thanks to its prime location, visitors are treated to a panoramic view of the city. Come spring, over 200 cherry blossom trees on the castle’s compound bloom in symphony, engulfing the feudal castle in a sea of pink and white. As one of Japan’s 12 castle towers that have remained inta...
3. Botchan Train and Karakuri Clock – dive into the world of Botchan
Image credit: @matsuno_wo_matsuno Botchan, a Meiji era classic authored by Natsume Sōseki – one of Japan’s most well-regarded novelists – is set in modern day Matsuyama. Hence, it’s common to find places with names referencing the title, one of the most prominent landmarks being Botchan Train (坊ちゃん列車). Modelled after the original steam locomotive that ran on the streets when the novel was written, the replica train today runs onlyon weekends and national holidays. Offering rides between Dōgo...
1. Shimanami Kaido – cycle through the Seto Inland Sea
Image credit: @kaeday_photo Imabari, the second-largest city in Ehime, is a stop that’s frequented by cyclists on the Shimanami Kaidō (しまなみ海道), a cycling route that stretches all the way to Onomichi City in Hiroshima. Cutting through 6 islands dotted in the Seto Inland Sea, the route that’s along a 70km-long toll road offers an unparalleled view of the emerald sea and aunique experience of cycling in the sea breeze. Image credit: @yuu_escapetrip.jp While Onomichi is the official starting poin...
2. Towel Museum of Art – behind-the-scenes of towel making
Image credit: @miki.9_6 If there’s anything Imabari is known for besides having a bucket list-worthy cycling route, it’s towels. As Japan’s leading production area, the city is known for its exceptional towels that are highly absorbent and velvety soft. Towels are common souvenirs you can bring home, but for a dive into behind-the-scenesproduction and how the city cemented its reputation as a mecca of the textile, pay Towel Museum of Art (タオル美術館) a visit. Image credit: @sumimart8888 From raw...
3. Imabari Castle – rare water castle in Japan
Image credit: @setouchi.mory While Matsuyama’s castle is perched atop a steep hill, Imabari Castle (今治城)is surrounded by waters, and it’s famously known as one of the 3 water castles in Japan. What you see today is a replica of the original structure that was built in 1602, which was later demolished in 1869, save for its inner moat and the main enclosure’s stone walls. In 1953, the ruins were designated as historic sites by the prefecture. Reconstruction commenced in 1980, restoring the flat...
1. Garyū Sansō – serene villa by the river
Garyū-in, the main building of the villa. Image credit: @imai_hiroyasu Accessible from Matsuyama, Ōzu – a city dubbed the little Kyoto of Ehime –makes for a serene day-trip destination for anyone looking to immerse themselves in historical townscapes. In particular, Garyū Sansō (臥龍山荘), an exquisite villa that sits near the clear Hiji River, boasts a traditional style of Japanese architecture and a distinctive thatched roof. Image credit: @jp.best.roads100 Taking 10 years to conceptualise and...
2. Pokopen Yokocho – nostalgic Sunday shopping market
Image credit: @umi.2163 Held every Sunday from spring to autumn and every 3rd Sunday in the winter season, the antique street market of Pokopen Yokocho (ポコペン横丁) shows a different glimpse of Japan. The retro alley shopping street is lined with Shōwa-period enamel signboards, recreating fully the atmosphere of 1950s to 1960s Japan. Image adapted from: @santauwajima Eateries on the street serve up chūka soba (中華そば; Chinese-style ramen), yakitori (焼き鳥; grilled chicken skewers), croquettes, and mo...
3. Aoshima – be surrounded by cats
Image credit: @aoshima_cat Though slightly out of the way, the remote Aoshima (青島)is worth the trip for cat lovers. Known as the Cat Island of Ehime, Aoshima has over 200 cats, outnumbering the handful of human residents living there. Initially introduced in a bid to control the rat population, the cats multiplied and claimed the island as their home. Now, you’re more likely to see feline residents roaming the streets of Aoshima, than run into humans. Image adapted from: @saori_wd_ Ferries de...
1. Uchiko-za – learn about the dynamic stage sets of kabuki theatre
Image credit: Xiu Ting Wong A quiet town that prospered due to its production of wax and raw silk thread, Uchiko lies south of Matsuyama and is yet another part of Ehime that deserves a day-trip visit. In particular, Uchiko-za (内子座), a theatre that was built in 1916, is worth the hour-long train ride. Since it was erected, Uchiko-za has been the centre of entertainment for the locals, withkabuki, rakugo, bunraku (all traditional forms of Japanese theatre and entertainment) performances held r...
2. Yōkaichi Old Town – stroll through preserved townhouses
Image credit: @visit_uchiko Uchiko, which had a prosperous wax industry from the late Edo to the Meiji and Taishō Period, thrived due to the production of the substance in the town. Using the money earned from this boom, wealthy merchants built high-quality townhouses. Today, many of those buildings and earthen storehouses remain, and are preserved in a 600m-long street called Yōkaichi (八日市). Kamihaga Residence, one of said conserved townhouses, is open to the public and has informative exhib...
1. Oranges
Image credit: @muchachaen Famed for being the orange prefecture, Ehime is one of the leading mandarin orange production regions in Japan. Blessed with the 3 sunrays of Ehime’s Nishiuwa region – sunlight, radiant heat from the stonewalls of Ishigaki, and reflection from the sea – the citrus fruit grows bountifully and deliciously. About 17 varieties of oranges – with varying sweetness, acidity, and bitterness – are grown in Ehime at different seasons, so they can be enjoyed all year round. Ima...
2. Sea bream
Uwajima taimeshi.Image credit: @hdnr_0120 As the prefecture that boasts the largest production of sea bream in Japan, there are plenty of sea bream dishes that are loved by the locals. One of the most popular ways to enjoy the fish is taimeshi (鯛めし; sea bream rice), which is eaten differently depending on the region you’re in. In Matsuyama and Imabari, which are in the chūyo (中予) and tōyo (東予) regions respectively, a whole sea bream is steamed with rice in an earthenware pot. In the nanyo (南予...
3. Nabeyaki udon
Image credit: @gnoot Cooked and served in an aluminium pot, Nabeyaki udonis hailed as the soul food of Matsuyama. Soft udon noodles are served in a sweet savoury broth, then topped with a myriad of toppings such as beef and fish cakes. Prices vary depending on the shop, but it averages ¥800 (~USD5.64).
Tram in Matsuyama. Image credit: @kajiscafe If you’re planning to explore different cities or towns in Ehime,basing your stay at Matsuyama is the most convenient option. JR Matsuyama Stationservices local and limited express trains to other areas in the prefecture, making it easy to hop on day-trips. Within the city, major sightseeing spots are eas...
Just like the sweet tangy flesh that hides within the peel of the citrus fruit, the prefecture of Ehime has much to uncover. All you have to do is unpeel the rind and you’ll be awarded with hidden gems. Wondering what’s good to eat? Stay tuned to the second part of this guide. For more, check out: 1. Unmanned station by the sea in Ehime 2. Boutique...
Matsuyama is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture, on the island of Shikoku, in Japan and is also Shikoku's largest city., the city had an estimated population of 505,948 in 243,541 households and a population density of 1200 persons per km2. The total area of the city is 429.35 sqkm.
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Mar 1, 2014 · Peach Airlines also started flying from Osaka Kansai to Matsuyama from just ¥3,500 with two daily flights. The fastest train from Tokyo takes just over 400 minutes on the Shinkansen bullet train, with a change in Okayama. The standard cost is ¥19,680 so if you hold a Japan Rail Pass, you would save money compared with the standard cost for a ...
- Visit Matsuyama Castle, one of Japan’s original castles. Matsuyama Castle is one of Japan’s 12 original castles that sit on top of a hill, towering the city of Matsuyama.
- Cycle along the Shimanami Kaido! How about cycling along the Shimanami Kaido on a sunny day? Ehime is the last stop on Shimanami Kaido, a series of bridges that connect Shikoku to the mainland of Japan.
- Visit Uchiko-za, the old-fashioned kabuki theater in Ehime. Uchiko-za is an old-fashioned kabuki theater in Uchiko, Ehime that still operates as of today.
- Get spirited away at Dogo Onsen! Dogo Onsen is an ancient onsen in Matsuyama, and it is best known for its inspiration for the bathhouse featured in Ghibli’s ‘Spirited Away’.
In fact, Ehime has five of Japan’s “Top 100 Castles,” the most of any prefecture (tied with Hyogo and Nagano). The capital city of Matsuyama is perhaps most famous for being the scene of Natsume Soseki’s Botchan, one of Japan’s most beloved novels. As a result, many attractions in the city bear its name, such as the Botchan Train ...
Ehime is a popular cycling destination with nearly 30 diverse cycling routes and almost twice as many bike rental outlets. Cyclists will find convenient services such as repair shops, guided bike tours, and cyclist-friendly rest areas, cafes, and accommodations throughout the prefecture. The Shimanami Kaido is one of the most popular bike ...
