Into Shikoku
Over the last bridge and into Ehime, Shikoku’s citrus prefecture. Mikan crisps in the car.
Lunch at Hisagoro
Lunch at Matcha Cafe Hisagoro on Okaido: soba, tempura and matcha. ¥3,500 for two.
Matsuyama Castle
Matsuyama Castle sits on a hill in the middle of the city. You go up by ropeway or by a single chairlift, and we took the chairlift (¥2,080 for two, with castle entry).
There’s a poster of the 12 original castles at the bottom. We were about to tick off another one.
From the top it’s a walk through the gates to the keep.
Another coin
Inside the keep, the coin machine. Matsuyama Castle coin: ¥630.
The view from the top floor goes right across Matsuyama to the sea.
Down by chairlift again.
Yamatoya Honten
Our ryokan for two nights was Yamatoya Honten in Dogo Onsen, an old ryokan with its own noh stage. The room had a little sitting area by the window.
There’s a dagashi bar in the lobby: old-school Japanese sweets, free for guests.
Dogo at night
After dark we walked to Dogo Onsen Honkan, the old public bathhouse that inspired the bathhouse in Spirited Away. It was lit up, and decorated for a Rilakkuma collaboration.
Tsuru-chan
Dinner was udon at Tsuru-chan in the Dogo arcade, with a nabeyaki udon and tempura. ¥2,926.
Onward to the bathhouse, inside!
Information About Matsuyama Castle
One of Japan's twelve original castle keeps, on a hill in the middle of Matsuyama. A ropeway and a chairlift run up from the town side.
PS: Take the single chairlift up for the view. The castle coin machine is inside the keep.