Matsuyama ー
松山
The oldest hot springs in Japan.
Matsuyama City is an old castle town which has been developed around Matsuyama Castle, the prefectural seat of Ehime Prefecture in Shikoku. In addition, it is the town famous for Dogo Onsen, the Japanese oldest hot spring. A nostalgic tram runs in the city, and there are many tourist attractions related to literature, so hot springs, a castle and a town of the literature are the catch phrases of the city.
Access and Getting Around
Matsuyama has the most population in Shikoku, and the public transport is convenient.
It is possible to go round the tourist spot by tram or bus. Dogo Hot Spring is worth staying at least one night and experiencing the oldest spa town in Japan.
By train
2 hours from Okayama Station to Matsuyama Station by the Yosan Line with 1 train per hour. 35 minutes from Imabari Station.
By bus
11 hours 30 minutes from Shinjuku Station in Tokyo with 1 night bus per day.
5 hours 45 minutes from Osaka with 1 bus per hour.
By plane
1 hour 30 minutes from Tokyo Hanedato Matsuyama Airport then to Matsuyama Station or Dogo Hot Spring by bus. Planes from other airports such as Osaka and so on arrive here too.
By car
1 hour 10 minutes from Imabari station.
Features
-Historic Sites
Matsuyama Castle is on the mountaintop of Mount Shiroyama of 132 meters above sea level in the center of Matsuyama City.The castle tower and castle walls of the Edo period are the last complete citadel.The view seen from the castle town is perfectly nice and an unmissable tourist spot of Matsuyama.It is not difficult to get to the castle because you can use a cable car or a lift....
-Onsen(Hot Spings)
Dogo Onsen main building is a wooden building in the center of Dogo Onsenand has been used as a public bath house since old days.It was built in 1894 and now is the symbol of Dogo Onsen.Because there are four hot spring bathrooms, and guests can select a rest room and a private room according to his reference,it is so popular the guests staying in other hotels come to this facility.In addition, dr...
-Shrines
It is a shrine where a red main shrine and the corridor surrounding main shrine are beautiful.Though there are 135 steps of stairs to climb, but tourists come to visit by way of walkingbecause the shrine is in DogoOnsen....
-Culture
Matsuyama becomes the stage of the novel of Natsume Soseki with title of Bochan Gimmick Clock,Natsume Soseki is a well-known Japanese novelist.The Bochan Gimmick Clock is in front of Dogo-Onsen Station,and the dolls of the characters of the novel appear every 30 minutes....
-Recreational Facilities
An old steam locomotive nostalgic tram runs between Matsuyama Station and Dogo Onsen, which is very popular.A passenger can get on if there is a vacant seat, such a leisurely tour is fit for the vehicle....
Accommodation around Matsuyama
