Matsuyama (松山市, Matsuyama-shi?) meaning “pine mountain”, is the homely capital of Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan. Founded on December 15, 1889, this city of 515,000 is located in the Matsuyama Plain, a river basin formed by the flow of the Ishite and Shigenobu rivers, and nestled by the Ishizuchi mountain range to the south and Takanawa Mountains to the north. Home to exquisite citrus products, the climate is overall mild and temperate (avg. temp 15 Celsius), somewhat balmy in summer, with most rainfall occurring in late spring and almost no snow in winter.

Quite provincial yet hospitable to travelers, and a hub of business and shopping amongst the lazy calm of the countryside, Matsuyama has much to offer in the way of literary and curious cultural assets.

Matsuyama is perhaps best known for Dōgo Onsen (道後温泉), which attracts hot spring enthusiasts and newcomers alike to its steamy waters that emerge from faults in the east-west tectonic line. Dōgo Onsen was already famous in the Nara period, and Shotoku Taishi visited the spa in the year 596. It is also mentioned in passing in The Tale of Genji.

Famous Buddhist temples in Matsuyama include Ishite-ji (石手寺) and Taisanji (太山寺), both dating back to the 8th century, although the oldest surviving buildings are from the early 14th century. Famous shrines of the city include Isaniwa shrine, built in 1667.

Some places of interest while visiting Matsuyama:

Akiyama Brothers Birthplace (秋山兄弟生誕地)
2-3-6 Kachimachi, ☎ 089-943-2747, 10:00-17:00, closed Monday, 12/28-01/03.
Adult: ¥200
Born to a lower class branch of the Matsuyama samurai clan, Akiyama Kyōdai Seitanchi pays tribute to two brothers who became modern military heroes of Japan. Yoshifuru, the eldest, is credited with being the father of the Japanese Cavalry, while Saneyuki excelled in naval tactics. Yoshifuru entered what would become the Imperial Japanese Army Academy, then the Army War College and later traveled to France to study cavalry techniques in 1887. After serving in the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895) he successfully established a cavalry division which debuted in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), thrusting him into the military spotlight. After holding numerous posts of prestige, he was promoted to General in 1916 and finally retired to become a junior high school principal in Matsuyama. A childhood friend of Masaoka Shiki, Saneyuki shared his love of the written word and the two studied literature at Tokyo University. However, at the behest of his brother, Saneyuki left school and joined the Naval Academy in Tsukiji, embarking on a much more interesting military career. Being exceptionally bright, he quickly became a Lieutenant Commander who served well in the Sino-Japanese War. He was sent to America to study naval tactics, highly inspired by the writings of Thayer Mahan, but encountered many obstacles in his quest for knowledge due to his nationality. Eventually, he gained on-the-job training during the Spanish-American War (1898), spent time in Europe as well before returning to Japan where he became the foremost strategist for the Russo-Japanese War, leading to a glorious victory on Tsushima. After going to Europe again to study World War I, he became Vice Admiral in 1917 and taught naval tactics at the Naval War College, stressing the importance of popular mobilization and modern technological warfare.

Dōgo Park & Yuzuki Castle Ruins (道後公園・湯築城),
Dōgo Park, ☎ 089-941-1480, [13]. Dōgo Park: 24 hours, Yuzuki Castle Ruins: 09:00-17:00, Opens 12/29-01/03.
Entrance is free

From mid-March through the month of April, the typically peaceful Dōgo Park is overwhelmed by inebriated locals and hawking vendors who come to take part in the most ancient of activities, hanami, or viewing of sakura (cherry blossoms). An oval shaped patch of green in the overdeveloped Dōgo neighborhood, Dōgo Kōen is an important part of Matsuyama’s identity because it harbors the ruins of Yuzuki Castle. Yuzukijō was the residence of the Kōno Clan (河野) who ruled Iyo Province (伊予, now Ehime), defending it from Mongols and making Dōgo the center of culture and commerce for the region, from the 13th to the late 16th century when war lord Toyotomi Hideyoshi (豊臣秀吉) sent an army to Shikoku to conquer and unify Japan. The excavation of the 30,000 square meter site took over 14 years, but the castle, gardens and lords’ houses were all recovered. Within the recreated homes, mannequins silently act out the daily lives of the elite during that time, drinking tea and writing renga (poems composed by a group). There is also a library and if reservations are made, a volunteer English-speaking guide can show visitors around.

Gudabutsuan (愚陀仏庵)
3-3-7 Ichibanchō, ☎ 089-921-3711. 09:40-18:00, closed Monday, 12/29-01/05.
Entrance is free but tea is served for ¥300

“Stupid Buddha” was the name given to this quiet hermitage that Sōseki and Shiki shared for 52 days in the year 1895. Sōseki, who taught English at Matsuyama Junior High, lived upstairs while Shiki bravely fought tuberculosis in a room below. Those few days were a pivotal time for modern Japanese poetry; Shiki invited other haiku artists to debate the merits of the verse and he also taught techniques to students of the Shofukai Haiku School. Sōseki, who was himself at a turning point in his life, was greatly inspired by his college friend’s passion and after parting ways, began a serious career in literature.

Matsuyama Castle (松山城), 1 Marunouchi, ☎ 089-921-4873 08:30-16:30, closed 12/29.
email: matsuyamajyo@city.matsuyama.ehime.jp
Entrance fee: Adult: ¥500, Child: ¥150.

Situated on the 130m tall Katsuyama Hill in the center of the city, this is one of three multi-wing, flat hilltop castles remaining in Japan. Before the industrial revolution, one could readily view the castle from almost all corners of the city, but even now travelers can orientate themselves using the old compass. This sprawling fortress, constructed by the feudal lord Katō Yoshiaki (加藤嘉明) over the course of 25 years, was completed in 1627, and like all castles has been the victim of arson and lightning strikes. The main tower is a wooden framed structure (like Himeji Castle, as opposed to the many concrete reproduction castle towers found in most parts of Japan) and in fact renovation has just been completed within the past year, using techniques and materials consistent with its 17th century construction. With four of its eight strategic gates designated national cultural treasures (Inui Gate is the only actual original part) and the wealth of historical artifacts – swords and armor belonging to the three occupying families, calligraphy and official documents from the feudal era – and narratives available (in English) within its majestic walls, Matsuyamajō is well worth the hike. The castle is accessible by hiking a wooded trail, but the cable car or chairlift (ropeway, ロープウェイ) can be boarded at the east entrance, located along Ropeway Street. Cable car and chairlift times correspond to castle tour times, and the fee is ¥500 roundtrip.

Matsuyama Official Site (English)

Shikoku region is the smallest of the four main islands (225km long and between 50km and 150km wide) and yet, it has its own rustic charm when it comes to places to visit. This sleepy and beautiful region is called 4 Countries, which is what Shikoku means. The current name refers to the four former provinces which made up the island: Awa, Tosa, Sanuki, and Iyo.

Mountains running east and west divide Shikoku into a narrow northern subregion, fronting on the Inland Sea, and a southern part facing the Pacific Ocean. Most of the 4.5 million inhabitants live in the north, and all but one of the island’s few larger cites are located there. Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) in Ehime at 1982m is the highest mountain on the island. Industry is moderately well developed and includes the processing of ores from the important Besshi copper mine. Land is used intensively. Wide alluvial areas, especially in the eastern part of the zone, are planted with rice and subsequently are double cropped with winter wheat and barley. Fruit is grown throughout the northern area in great variety, including citrus fruits, persimmons, peaches, and grapes. Because of wheat production Sanuki udon (讃岐うどん) became an important part of meal in Kagawa Prefecture (former Sanuki Province) in the Edo period.

Now back to the traveling around Shikoku, i’ve covered 4 prominent places to visit and you can find them here:-

Shikoku Travels

Another thing to note is, the region’s dog breed called Shikoku Inu and looks very similar to a Husky.

Kōchi Prefecture (高知県, Kōchi-ken?) is located on the south coast of Shikoku, Japan. The capital is the city of Kōchi. Kōchi Prefecture comprises the southwestern part of the island of Shikoku, facing the Pacific Ocean. It is the largest but least populous of Shikoku’s four prefectures. Most of the province is mountainous, and in only a few areas such as around Kōchi and Nakamura is there a coastal plain. Kōchi is famous for its many rivers.

Kōchi city has a very nice southern flair to it with visitors coming down to enjoy the sun as well as partake in the flea market that stretches on the streets of Kōchi. There is a beautiful beach too called Katsurahama that is famous for the statue of Sakamoto Ryoma, a local hero who played a role in realizing the Meiji Restoration and who was assassinated at a young age. You can drop by the museum built to commemorate him nearby.

There is also a very nice original castle in Kōchi. Like all Japanese castles, Kochijo is picturesque and beautiful.

Matsuyama (松山市, Matsuyama-shi?) is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the Shikoku island of Japan. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means “pine tree mountain.”

The city is famous for hot springs (onsen) and is home to Dōgo Onsen, the oldest hot spring bath house in Japan. A second favorite tourist spot is Matsuyama Castle. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage are in Matsuyama. And Ishiteji is the 51st temple out of the 88.

Matsuyama is one of the Japanese cities that did not abolish their street car systems (Iyo Railway).

The famed novel Botchan by Natsume Sōseki is set in Matsuyama. As a result, there are numerous sites and locales named after the main character, including Botchan Stadium, the Botchan Densha (an antique train that runs on the streetcar route), and Botchan dango.

The haiku poet Masaoka Shiki lived in Matsuyama. His house, now known as the Shiki-do, and a museum, the Shiki Kinenkan, are popular attractions, and the centerpieces of the city’s claim as a center of the international haiku movement. The Matsuyama Declaration of 1999 proposed the formation of International Haiku Research Center, and the first Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards were given in 2000. Recipients have included Yves Bonnefoy (2000), Cor Van Den Heuvel (2002) and Gary Snyder (2004).

Matsuyama Airport has regular flights to Tokyo, Osaka, and other major Japanese cities and selected international destinations, including both Shanghai and Seoul. There is regular ferry service to Hiroshima and regular night ferries to Kobe, Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu, and several other destinations.

Matsuyama is home to several universities, including Ehime University, which is part of the Japanese national university system, and Matsuyama University, a private university.

On January 1, 2005, the city of Hōjō and the town of Nakajima (from the former Onsen District) merged with Matsuyama. As of this merge, the city has an estimated population of 512,982 and a density of 1196 persons per km². The total (merged) area is 428.86 km².

Famous products of Matsuyama include tarts. In the 17th century, the lord of Matsuyama castle Sadayuki Matsudaira (松平定行) introduced the process of tart-making, originally brought to Japan by the Portuguese, to Matsuyama. At first it was a Castella with jam. According to legend Sadayuki made some changes, such as adding red bean paste. Now there are many kinds and makers of tarts in Matsuyama; some add yuzu paste or chestnut to the red bean paste. In addition to tarts, botchan dango is also a famous product of Matsuyama. Botchan dango was named after the famous novel “Botchan” by Natsume Sōseki. It consists of three bean paste beads of three flavors, matcha, egg, and red bean paste. Within the paste is contained mochi.

Kotohira is the home to Japan’s oldest, largest and most famous Shinto Shrine, Kompirasan. The shrine is located at the wooded hills in Kotohira and attracts many visitors each year. The main hall of the shrine stands on top of 800 steps, so it will be a long climb up to meet god, so to speak.

Other than that, you can also visit the oldest Kabuki theater in town called Kanamaruza. It was build in 1835 and it still runs kabuki shows today. When there are no performances stage, you can go into the theater for a little visit and check out its interiors.

How to get to Kotohira?
There are two ways to get to Kotohira – via Honshu and Takamatsu. Check out the various transportation you can take to get to Kotohira HERE.

Takamatsu is the capital of Kagawa Perfecture. It is located on the northern border of Shikoku and faces the Inland Sea. The city was officially founded on February 15, 1890. It had been a political and economic center in this area since the Edo period when the Matsudaira clan made Takamatsu the capital of their han.

Since the opening of the Great Seto Bridge, trains service carries passengers between Takamatsu and Uno (Tamano, Okayama).

The city’s major tourist attraction is Ritsurin Park, a beautiful garden, created in the Edo period.

These days, the city is getting more famous for its noodles (udon). The noodles made in this city are called Sanuki Udon. They are widely considered to be inexpensive and delicious.

Places worth visiting would be the Ritsurin garden, Shikoku Mura, and Takamatsu castle.

Shikoku (四国, Shikoku? “four countries”) is the smallest and least populous (4,141,955 as of 2005) of the four main islands of Japan. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima (伊予之二名島), Iyo-shima (伊予島), and Futana-shima (二名島). The current name refers to the four former provinces which made up the island: Awa, Tosa, Sanuki, and Iyo.

Anyhow, largest city in Shikoku is Matsuyama. But let’s talk a little bit about Shikoku in general first. The Shikoku region, comprising Shikoku and its surrounding islets, covers about 18,800 km² and consists of four prefectures: Ehime, Kagawa, Kochi, and Tokushima. Across the Inland Sea lie Wakayama, Osaka, Hyogo, Okayama, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi Prefectures on Honshu. To the west lie Ōita and Miyazaki Prefectures on Kyūshū.

The 50th largest island by area, Shikoku is smaller than Sardinia and Bananal, but larger than Halmahera and Seram. By population, it ranks 23rd, having fewer inhabitants than Sicily or Pulau Ujong, but more than Puerto Rico or Negros.

Mountains running east and west divide Shikoku into a narrow northern subregion, fronting on the Inland Sea, and a southern part facing the Pacific Ocean. Most of the 4.5 million inhabitants live in the north, and all but one of the island’s few larger cites are located there. Mount Ishizuchi (石鎚山) in Ehime at 1982m is the highest mountain on the island. Industry is moderately well developed and includes the processing of ores from the important Besshi copper mine. Land is used intensively. Wide alluvial areas, especially in the eastern part of the zone, are planted with rice and subsequently are double cropped with winter wheat and barley. Fruit is grown throughout the northern area in great variety, including citrus fruits, persimmons, peaches, and grapes. Because of wheat production Sanuki udon (讃岐うどん) became an important part of meal in Kagawa Prefecture (former Sanuki Province) in the Edo period.

The larger southern area of Shikoku is mountainous and sparsely populated. The only significant lowland is a small alluvial plain at Kochi, a prefectural capital. The area’s mild winters stimulated some truck farming, specializing in growing out-of-season vegetables under plastic covering. Two crops of rice can be cultivated annually in the southern area. The pulp and paper industry took advantage of the abundant forests and hydroelectric power.

Shikoku has four important capes. Gamōda in Anan, Tokushima is the easternmost point on the island, and Sada in Ikata, Ehime the westernmost. Muroto in Muroto, Kochi and Ashizuri, the southern extreme of Shikoku, in Tosashimizu, Kochi, jut into the Pacific Ocean. The island’s northernmost point is in Takamatsu, Kagawa.

There are four tourist attractions in Shikoku and they are: Takamatsu, Kotohira, Matsuyama, and Kochi. I will elaborate more on these attractions in my upcoming posts.

How do we get to Shikoku?

Shikoku is connected to Honshu by ferry and air and, since 1988, by the Great Seto Bridge network. Until completion of the bridges, the region was isolated from the rest of Japan, and the freer movement between Honshu and Shikoku was expected to promote economic development on both sides of the bridges, which has not materialized yet.

Within the island, a web of national highways connects the major population centers. These include Routes 11, 32, 33, 55, and 56.

Shikoku (四国) is an oft-forgotten island in Japan. The smallest of Japan’s Big 4, it lies to the south of Honshu. The island remains a rural backwater with few must-see attractions, but particularly the mountainous inner regions offer some good hiking and a glimpse of the elusive Real Japan.

Regions

Shikoku literally means “four lands”, and it indeed consists of four prefectures, conveniently arranged around the compass points. Each prefecture also has an old provincial name, still often found in place names and listed in parenthesis below.

• Ehime (Iyo) — to the west
• Kagawa (Sanuki) — to the north
• Kochi (Tosa) — to the south, home of the actress, Ryoko Hirosue, known abroad for her turn alongside Jean Reno in the 2001 movie Wasabi.
• Tokushima (Awa) — to the east

Cities

• Takamatsu — the largest city in Shikoku
• Matsuyama — better known for neighboring Dogo Onsen
• Tokushima — home of the Awa Odori festival in August
• Uwajima — (barely) on the tourist map due to an interesting fertility shrine and wrestling bulls

Other destinations

• Cape Ashizuri — a scenic cape at the southernmost point of Shikoku
• Dogo Onsen — Japan’s oldest hot spring
• Iya Valley — a remote but beautiful mountain valley
• Kotohira — the site of the Kompira-san shrine
• Mount Ishizuchi — the tallest peak in Shikoku

Generalities

Shikoku is a primarily agricultural island, renowned for its citrus fruits.

Talk

Shikoku is far enough off the beaten track that some Japanese ability, while not absolutely necessary, will come in handy. Some of Shikoku’s dialects, notably Tosa-ben spoken in Kochi, are famously incomprehensible to outsiders.

Getting there

• By plane

  Prefectural capitals Takamatsu, Matsuyama, Kochi and Tokushima all have small regional airports. Takamatsu fields a few flights a week to Seoul, but for any other international destinations, you will have to connect via Tokyo or Kansai.

• By train

  Shikoku is not connected to the Shinkansen network, but there are frequent connections from Okayama on Honshu to Takamatsu and from there on throughout the island.

• By bus

  If coming from Kansai or eastern parts of Japan, buses through Awaji Island are the fastest way of getting to Shikoku.

Get around

• By train

  The JR train network connects the larger towns together fairly well, but regular trains are slow and expresses are expensive. The main lines are:

  • JR Yosan Line (予讃線) on the west coast, from Okayama to Takamatsu and Uwajima via Matsuyama
  • JR Dosan Line (土讃線) across the center of the island, from Okayama and Takamatsu to Kubokawa via the Oboke gorge (near Iya Valley) and Kochi
  • JR Kōtoku Line (高徳線) on the east coast, from Takamatsu to Tokushima

  There are some other minor lines with infrequent trains. Some parts of the JR network, notably the southern segment from Kubokawa to Sukumo, have been split off to the private Tosa Kuroshio Railway company.

• By bus

  Buses fill in the gaps in the train network and are the only means of transport in areas like Cape Ashizuri and the Iya Valley. Schedules are sparse and prices are high.

• On foot

  Serious pilgrims may choose to complete the 88 Temple Circuit (see Do) on foot.

Do

Shikoku is known for the 88 Temple Pilgrimage (八十八ヶ所巡り hachijūhakkasho-meguri), a circuit around the entire island through 88 temples and across 1,647 kilometers, plus an optional 20 “unnumbered” (番外 bangai) temples. All the temples are said to have been founded by monk and scholar Kūkai (空海), better known by his posthumous title Kōbō Daishi (弘法大師), who among his many achievements is said to have created the kana syllabary, brought the tantric teachings of Esoteric Buddhism from China, developed it into the uniquely Japanese Shingon sect and founded Shingon’s headquarters on Mount Koya near Osaka.

While most modern-day pilgrims (an estimated 100,000 yearly) travel by bus, a minority still set out the old-fashioned way on foot, a journey which takes about 60 days to complete. Pilgrims, known as o-henro-san (お遍路さん) in Japanese, can be spotted in the temples and roadsides of Shikoku clad in a white jacket emblazoned with the characters Dōgyō Ninin (同行二人), meaning “two traveling together” — the other being the spirit of Kobo Daishi. Most (but not all) temples offer basic but affordable lodging for pilgrims.

It is traditional to prepare by visiting Mount Koya, but the route itself starts at Ryōzenji, near Tokushima, and you also have to return here in order to complete your pilgrimage.

(Source: Wikitravel)