Matsuyama Castle

Things To Do In Matsuyama: Castles, Hot Springs & Haiku

The fun and interesting Matsuyama City in Ehime Prefecture is the largest city on the island of Shikoku and has many great things to see and do.

Matsuyama has long been known as a hot spring resort, famous for Dogo Onsen, and has developed as the castle town alongside the imposing Matsuyama Castle.

It is also a city of literature associated with towering figures such as  Shiki Masaoka, Yamatoka Taneda, and Soseki Natsume, and was the setting for the renowned novels Botchan and Clouds over the Hill.

Dogo Bathhouse inspired Spirited Away
Dogo Bathhouse inspired Spirited Away

Known as the city of hot springs, castles, and literature, in addition to historical sites such as Dogo hot spring, Matsuyama Castle, and temples and shrines of 88 sacred places on Shikoku the city offers many ways to enjoy yourself, such as relaxing in the hot springs, visiting places associated with cultural figures, or touring places of worship.

Here, we will introduce some of the best attractions in our ultimate list of the best things to do in Matsuyama, Japan

Matsuyama Castle

Matsuyama Jo Looking out over downtown Matsuyama
Matsuyama Jo Looking out over downtown Matsuyama

The dramatic and imposing Matsuyama Castle is no exception and is a can’t-miss attraction in Matsuyama and is designated as an important cultural property.

There are only 12 castles in Japan where the symbolic building known as the castle keep was built before the Edo period and still remains as it was in those days, and Matsuyama Castle is one of them.

Great views over central Matsuyama from the castle keep
Great views over central Matsuyama from the castle keep

Because of its elevated location, the view from the castle’s observatory is truly spectacular and You can enjoy a 360-degree view of the Matsuyama Plain and out into the Seto inland sea.

You can take a ropeway or lift to the top of the hill, so even those who are not confident about their physical strength can safely get up to the top of the hill.

Entrance to Matsuyama Castle
Entrance to Matsuyama Castle

Since it is a popular tourist spot, it may be crowded on consecutive holidays and national holidays, so we recommend that you allow plenty of time for your visit.

It’s also worth allowing plenty of extra time to enter the castle keep and explore the grounds to experience its beauty and impregnable strength up close.

Bansuiso villa

Bansuiso Villa
Bansuiso Villa

The dazzling Bansuiso is a French-style mansion that has long been a popular spot for aristocrats and celebrities to visit.

It was built as the villa of Count Sadamo Hisamatsu, a cashed-up aristocrat and descendant of the feudal lord of the Matsuyama domain.

Bansuiso Matsuyama City
Bansuiso Matsuyama City

The exterior of the building, as well as the interior, is so beautifully designed that it almost makes you feel as if you are in another world.

Bansuiso Villa Matsuyama
Bansuiso’s Stained Glass Windows

In front of the entrance and on the staircase landing, there is a beautiful stained glass window and there is a small cafe with a great little garden next door.

Business hours: 9:00-18:00

Clouds over the Hill Museum

Saka no Ue no Kumo
A great place for Japanese literature lovers

The theme of this wonderful museum is Clouds over the Hill, which is a clasic historical novel by Ryotaro Shiba titled Kumo-no-saka-no-ue in Japanese.

The beautiful museum introduces visitors to valuable materials and historical background on the Akiyama brothers and Masaoka Shiki, the great figures from Matsuyama who are depicted as the main characters in the film.

Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum in Matsuyama
Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum in Matsuyama

Even those who have not read the original novel or can’t speak Japanese can enjoy the interesting exhibits, including episodes related to the main character, items related to the actual use of the Akiyama brothers, Shiki’s haiku, and images and materials showing the changes in Japan and Matsuyama during the Meiji Era.

Hours: 9:00-18:30 (Cafe: 10:00-17:00)

Admission: 400 yen

Dogo Onsen Honkan

Dogo Honkan Main Building
Dogo Honkan Main Building

The iconic Dogo Onsen Honkan is the undisputed symbol of Dogo that welcomes visitors with its imposing structure and charm.

The wonderful bathhouse was the inspiration for the god’s bathhouse in the film Spirited Away and it is also the hot spring of choice for the Japanese imperial family.

Dogo Bathhouse
Perhaps the oldest hot spring in Japan

The three-story wooden building is designated as a National Important Cultural Property and It became famous when it appeared in the novel Botchan by the great writer Soseki Natsume.

The wonderful interior of the building is full of a historical atmosphere with black pillars, beams, and wooden lockers.

Dogo Main Bulding Entrance
Taking a dip is a must when you visit Dogo Onsen

There are two bathhouses, “Kami no Yu” and “Rei no Yu,” which have been loved by the locals since long ago, and you can enter and enjoy the hot spring baths yourself.

You can even rent yukata (Japanese bathrobe) and receive tea and tea sweets.

Business hours: 6:00-23:00 (last admission at 22:30)

Dogo Asuka-no-Yu

The newly built Asuka no Yu
The newly built Asuka no Yu

The wonderful Asuka-no-Yu is a bathhouse inspired by the Asuka period and is a great alternative when the main bathhouse is full up.

It is decorated with traditional Ehime crafts and offers many attractions that are different from those of the Dogo Onsen Honkan, such as projection mapping on ceramic murals in the bathrooms.

Asuka no Yu
Asuka no Yu

There are also open-air baths and family baths, which are not available in the main building, and you can enjoy bathing in high-quality spring water.

Business hours: 6:00 – 23:00 (closing at 22:30)

Isaniwa Shrine

Isaniwa jinja Shrine
Isaniwa jinja Shrine

The vibrant Isaniwa Shrine in the Dogo area is built in the Hachiman-zukuri style, which is the architectural style of shrines and is one of only three such shrines in Japan.

The Botchan Train

Botchan Train Matsuyama
Botchan Train Matsuyama

The iconic Bocchan Train is a cute, small-sized locomotive that runs through the center of Matsuyama.

This locomotive, loved by locals and tourists alike, is a replica of a steam locomotive that ran in the city for 67 years from 1888.

It is a replica of the steam locomotive that appeared in Soseki Natsume’s classic coming of age novel Botchan.

Botchan Train In Action
Botchan Train In Action

The engine and cars are painted a dark green, and the interior is decorated in beautiful dark wood that resembled the inside of a matchbox according to Soseki’s somewhat harsh protagonist.

Each ride on the Botchan train takes about 20 minutes and the train takes passengers around tourist spots such as Dogo Hot spring and Matsuyama Castle.

Botchan Train
Botchan Train

The Botchan Train operates on two routes, one departing from Matsuyama-shi Station or Furumachi Station and the other terminating at Dogo Onsen Station.

The trains operate year-round, with service hours from about 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

Ishite-Ji Temple

Ishite ji Temple No. Matsuyama
Ishite Temple

The total out-of-this-world Ishite-Ji is a famous temple in Shikoku, with its many buildings including a magnificent three-story pagoda and a rustic main hall.

Unlike temples in Kyoto, it is a place where the original landscape of esoteric Buddhism remains, and it is a solemn place with a sense of history.

gallery ishiteji niwa
Ishite-Ji’s three-storey pagoda

In the back of the temple grounds, there is a hidden and dark cave, and if you walk through the faintly lit corridor lined with Buddhist statues, you can reach a golden pagoda at the back called the Mantra Pagoda.

Ishite ji Temple
Ishite ji Temple

Ishite-Ji Temple is the 51st temple on the 88 temples tour of Shikoku and is very easy to get to. The inner temple grounds are expansive and include the Niomon Gate, a national treasure.

Dogo Park

Visit Dogo Koen Park Yuzuki Castle Ruins
Visit Dogo Koen Park Yuzuki Castle Ruins

The relaxing and refreshing Dogo Park is a great place to take a walk.

The area around the ruins of Yuzuki Castle has been developed and surrounded by the outer moat of the castle, the park preserves the remains of the castle, including earthen mounds and land allotments, as well as a wonderful realistically restored samurai residence and a small museum.

Dogo Park Samurai residence
Dogo Park Samurai residence

In spring, the park is famous for its cherry blossoms bringing visitors from far and wide.

Bocchan Karakuri Clock

Botchan Clock Fukuoka Cam
Botchan Clock Fukuoka Cam

The playful Bocchan Karakuri Clock is located in Housouen, a small park just in front of Dogo Onsen Station.

When the big red clock strikes the hour, characters from Soseki Natsume’s novel Botchan appear and start bouncing around to the melody.

Botchan Clock Fukuoka Cam
Botchan Clock Fukuoka Cam

At night, the clock is illuminated by gas lamps, giving it a charming atmosphere.

There is a footbath right next to the clock where the same hot water as that of the Dogo Onsen Honkan flows, so you can soak your feet in the footbath.

Enmanji Temple

Enman ji Temple
Enman ji Temple

The somewhat quirky Enmanji Temple is a photogenic spot that is said to bring good luck.

The temple’s precincts are covered with symbols of Dogo Onsen called yudama, which are shaped like chestnuts, and the overall atmosphere is bright and lovely despite the temple’s long history.

Enmanji Temple Dogo Matsuyama
Enmanji Temple Dogo Matsuyama

A large Jizo statue sits on the Buddhist path in front of the main hall. When the hot water from Dogo Onsen once stopped, people prayed to this Jizo and sure enough, the hot water soon gushed out again.

Shiki Memorial Museum

The Shiki Museum Haiku
The Shiki Museum Haiku

This unique museum exhibits the handwritten manuscripts and books of Shiki Masaoka, a towering figure of haiku poetry from Matsuyama.

There are letters he exchanged with literary figures such as Soseki Natsume, with whom he had a close friendship and a recreation of his residence.

The history of Dogo and Matsuyama, as well as the period in which Shiki lived and his friendships, are also introduced in detail.

Shikido Museum Matsuyama
Shikido Museum Matsuyama

The museum is primarily in Japanese but there is an English audio guide that can be rented.

This museum is a must for lovers of Haiku and poetry in general.

Okaido Shopping Street

gallery okaido
gallery okaido

The spacious Okaido Shopping Street in the city center is the largest shopping street in Matsuyama and a convenient area for shopping and entertainment even in the rain.

It is a favorite place of the local residents, and on weekends events are held in various areas of the arcade.

Okaido Shopping Street In Central Matsuyama
Okaido Shopping Street In Central Matsuyama

It appears to be a motley collection of shops and department stores, including grocery stores and Mitsukoshi stores, but if you go a little off the beaten path and stroll through the narrow alleys, you can find some unique hole-in-the-wall restaurants cafes, and bars.

Okaido Shopping Street in Downtown Matusyama
Okaido Shopping Street in Downtown Matsuyama

It is an interesting shopping arcade that you can walk through many times and still discover something new without getting bored.

Kururin Ferris Wheel

Matsuyama Ferris Wheel Kururin
Matsuyama Ferris Wheel Kururin

The Giant Ferris Wheel lovingly named Kururin is 45 meters in diameter and boasts a height of 85 meters from the ground to its highest point.

During the daytime, the Ferris wheel offers a panoramic view of Matsuyama City, including the towering Matsuyama Castle in the downtown area, the hot spring inns of Dogo Onsen, and the Iyonada Sea.

Kururin Ferris wheel © Matsuyama City
Kururin Ferris wheel © Matsuyama City

The Ferris wheel also offers a panoramic view of the city at night, when the illumination can be enjoyed, and is a popular date spot.

Ehime Museum of Art

The Museum of Art Ehime at Matsuyama
The Museum of Art Ehime at Matsuyama

Next on our list of the best things to do in Matsuyama is the stylish Ehime Museum of Art. The museum boasts a collection of more than 10,000 items, including Western paintings by Monet and Cézanne, and fascinating illustrations by Sugiura Nonsui, a pioneer of modern graphic art born in Matsuyama.

It is one of the few museums in Japan to have a free atelier space where visitors can freely engage in creative activities such as printmaking and woodworking.

Ehime Museum Of Art In Matsuyama
Ehime Museum Of Art In Matsuyama

There is also a Cloth Picture Forest space where kids can create their own unique stories, making it a place where the whole family can enjoy and unleash their inner artists.

Ninomaru Garden Park

Matsuyama Castle Ninomaru Historical Garden
Matsuyama Castle Ninomaru Historical Garden

In this interesting historical garden, the remains of a large well discovered during excavation are displayed and there is also a tea ceremony room in the garden.

The entrance gate to the Ninomaru Historic Garden looks just like the gate of Matsuyama Castle, giving the impression of grandeur.

Matsuyama Castle Ninomaru Historical Garden
Matsuyama Castle Ninomaru Historical Garden

The entrance fee is reasonable at 200 yen and the inside of the garden is surprisingly large and there is a lot to see.

Imabari Towel Museum

Imabari Towel Museum © Matsuyama shi
Imabari Towel Museum © Matsuyama shi

The interesting Imabari Towel Museum is one of the few towel museums in the world.

The museum exhibits the manufacturing process of towels as well as many other towel artworks. There is also a well-stocked towel collection store, a restaurant, and a café.

More Things To Do In Matsuyama And Ehime Prefecture

Here are some more things to do in Matsuyama and the wonderful surrounding areas

  • Take a weekend trip southwest on the luxurious Iyonada Monogatari Sightseeing Train
  • Take a Ferry Trip
  • Visit some more temples of the Shikoku Pilgrimage and soak up some of rural Japan
  • Drink some of the delicious local mikan juice
  • Eat Tai-meshi, steamed sea bream on rice