Matsuyama, Dogo Onsen Travel Guides

Matsuyama and Dogo Onsen area offers tourist attractions such as Dogo Onsen, Shiraito Falls, and Matsuyama Castle; sightseeing events such as Matsuyama Festival, Kangetsu Festival, and Yoshishi Festival; and local delicacies such as poems, tarts, and sea bream rice.

Matsuyama is served by the Iyo Railway, the first private railway in Shikoku and the fourth in Japan, which has been in operation for many years. Cute streetcars with compact bodies run through the city, sounding their nostalgic "ding ding" whistles.

In some sections, the "Botchan-go" diesel locomotive, a restored steam locomotive, is also in operation, making Matsuyama a popular tourist destination not only for railroad fans but also for families with small children.

Matsuyama Castle, nicknamed "Kinkame Castle," rises in the center of the city and boasts an imposing view that is worthy of the quarter of a century it took to build. The castle tower, gates, and 21 other buildings have been designated as Important Cultural Properties, and every detail is a must-see. Located at the top of the mountain, reached by a ropeway, the castle commands a panoramic view of the city and the Seto Inland Sea.

After exploring the castle, a literary stroll is recommended. The castle was the setting for Soseki Natsume's "Botchan," and is also known for having produced many literary figures and poets, including Shiki Masaoka.

Shiki-do," a reconstructed version of the old house where Masaoka Shiki lived until his teens, features his favorite writing desk and a 3-tatami-mat study room. Visitors can also view valuable materials such as sketchbooks and travelogues. There is also the "Saka no Ue no Kumo (Clouds over the Hill) Museum" themed on Ryotaro Shiba's "Saka no Ue no Kumo (Clouds over the Hill).

For something different, the Ehime Prefectural Tobe Zoo, which keeps about 180 species of animals without using cages as much as possible, is also recommended. Different from ordinary zoos and safari parks, the panoramic exhibits allow visitors to observe the ecology of the animals up close, which can only be seen in the zoo.

After a long day of fun, you can relax at Dogo Onsen, a hot spring that has a history of 3,000 years. The Dogo Onsen Honkan, designated as a National Important Cultural Property, is a three-story wooden structure built in 1894 and well worth a visit.

There are also a variety of hot springs that can be enjoyed on a day trip, including "Minara Natural Hot Spring Riraku" with 10 different types of bathtubs, "Takeba Kiyomasa no Yu" with a hot spring pool, and "Tide Scent Natural Hot Spring Sheeba Makoto" with a garden bath where you can take a bath while looking out over the Seto Inland Sea.