Matsuyama: Trams, Castle and Cultural History

Matsuyama combines a lively city center with striking stories of literature, architecture, and bathhouse culture. Orange trams run through the center, and Matsuyama Castle continues to shape the image of this castle town. When planning a trip, you can choose to focus on getting your bearings in the city, visiting historic buildings, or making cultural discoveries.

City Center, Shopping Streets, and Castle

Business and administrative districts extend around Matsuyama Castle, and the city continues its history as a castle town. Construction of the castle began in 1602 and took about a quarter of a century. The current castle tower was rebuilt in 1854 and is one of the twelve castle towers in Japan that have survived from before the Edo period. These historic layers also make a walk through the city an encounter with its development.

Gintengai and Ōkaidō are together more than a kilometer long and continue toward Ropeway Street. This open-air shopping street is about 500 meters long; the Shinonome-guchi cable car station for Matsuyama Castle is located along it. From JR Matsuyama Station, take the city tram toward Dogo Onsen to Ōkaidō; from there, it is about a five-minute walk to the cable car entrance. The orange trams serve as public transport for residents and run through the city center. Check the latest timetable information before traveling.

The Botchan Ressha also connects the city’s history with a mode of transport: it was modeled on a steam locomotive that ran in the city for 67 years from 1888. The train was named after the protagonist of Natsume Sōseki’s novel “Botchan.” The tourist service schedule describes trips between the city center and Dogo Onsen, with views and an atmosphere from a bygone era; it lists weekends and public holidays as operating days. Check the latest timetable before your trip.

Literature and Historic Buildings

The Shiki Memorial Museum is a literary museum that aims to introduce people to Matsuyama’s history and literature through the work of Masaoka Shiki. It preserves about 70,000 original items and books. The permanent exhibition reopened on July 3, 2024, following a redesign. Its features include four touchscreen or video panels, eight quiz areas, a large monitor with an AR function, and a section on the museum’s masterpieces. Visitors can therefore explore literature not only through books but also through interactive exhibits.

The Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum is the core facility of a “坂の上の雲” field museum, which the city of Matsuyama conceives of as a museum without a roof. It presents traces of the novel’s three main characters, as well as content about the Meiji period. The Isaniwa Shrine offers a different historical perspective: its current main building was rebuilt by Matsudaira Sadamasa, Matsuyama’s third feudal lord, and completed in 1667. According to tradition, the shrine’s origins are linked to a temporary palace for Emperor Chūai and Empress Jingū during a visit to the hot springs. The main building is one of Japan’s three major Hachiman-zukuri structures and was designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan in 1967.

Dogo Onsen and Places for Different Day Plans

Dogo Onsen Honkan is the landmark of Dogo Onsen, whose history is estimated to date back about 3,000 years and which is considered Japan’s oldest hot spring. In December 1994, the building became the first public bathhouse in Japan to be designated an Important Cultural Property. Preservation and repair work began in January 2019 and was completed in December 2024. South of Honkan, on Mount Kanyama, is Dogo Onsen Sora no Sanpo-michi. Its facilities include a footbath, a pavilion, benches, and changing rooms; the footbath is usually available year-round.

The ruins of Yuzuki Castle in Dogo Park recall a fortification that stood for about 250 years—from the early 14th to the late 16th century. Moats and earthen embankments remain, samurai residences and clay walls have been reconstructed, and items found during excavations are on display. The park is also described as a place to see cherry blossoms. Kashima has a camping area with a cooking hut, washing area, and toilets; the listed facilities are free to use and do not require a reservation. At the Hojo Museum of History and Nature (Kashima-ru), a permanent exhibition focuses on the nature and history of the Hojo region. At Kashima Shrine, the Kairen boat dance is performed during the spring and autumn festivals; it is designated an intangible folk cultural property of Ehime Prefecture. If you want to attend one of the festivals, check the announced event dates.

When choosing a holiday rental, it helps to first prioritize your planned explorations: shopping streets and the castle, literature and historic buildings, or a day centered on Dogo Onsen and seasonal traditions. Then compare the location of the accommodation you are considering with the routes you actually plan to take.

Explore More Destinations

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