Matsuyama was the final stop on our trip through Shikoku and as often was the case during our travels in Japan, we found an interesting mixture of historic sites and wacky newer attractions in the city.

For instance, there’s Dogo Onsen, Japan’s oldest public bath, which inspired the bathhouse from ‘Spirited Away’ and Matsuyama-jō, which is one of Shikoku’s best-preserved castles.

On the other hand, we came across a mechanical clock full of literary characters and a Ferris wheel sitting on the roof of a Shopping Mall. Here are our recommendations on what you definitely shouldn’t miss in pretty Matsuyama.

This post may contain affiliate links, and I might earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. For more info, click here.

What to Do in Matsuyama in One Day

We based ourselves in the beautiful Dogo Onsen Neighbourhood, so this itinerary starts there. If you stay in other parts of the city, it might be better to grab breakfast there, then move directly to the castle and on to the Onsen area in the afternoon.

Matsuyama Castle and Ropeway

Grab some breakfast, and then hop the Iyotetsu Tram to Okaiyo Station at the south-eastern end of the castle hill, then walk north to the foot of the ropeway going up the Matsuyama’s impressive castle that you can see from all over the city.

The beautiful building on Katsuyama Hill was originally built in the early 17th century by feudal lord Katō Yoshiaki and is one of Japans best-preserved medieval castle-complexes. Like the castle in nearby Kochi, it’s one of only twelve intact castles remaining in Japan.

Lots of historic buildings are still in place, including the intricate keep with its beautiful multi-storey tenshu (Main Tower). Inside, there are plenty of historic artefacts, including some impressive pieces of armour and swords.

The castle and museum gave us a good idea of what the life for the feudal lords was like at the time of the Tokugawa Shogunate (1603 bis 1868), plus there are some fantastic views over the city from the ramparts

You can get to Matsuyama Castle by either walking up the hill or by taking the ropeway at the eastern end of the castle grounds. I recommend going up by ropeway (270¥) and walking down on the other side past Ninomaru Historical Garden. You can check the current fees and opening times of the castle here.

Ninomaru Historical Garden

This cute little garden sits on the southwestern slope of the castle hill, so you can check it out when you’re making your way down the hill. It’s the place where the former estate of the Matsuyama Clan used to stand, and its foundations are marked by modern fountains and little pathways.

We found it a nice place for a short stroll and we also liked watching tons of colourful Koi Carps swimming around its ponds. You can check the current entrance fee and opening times here.

Takashimaya Kururin Ferris Wheel

You can immediately spot the Takashimaya Department Store south of the castle hill by the huge blue Ferris Wheel on its roof. For us, taking a ride with it was by far the most fun way to see Matsuyama from above and there were awesome views of the castle and the city in all directions.

When we went there, we were surprised to learn that it’s free if you‘re a foreign citizen (you’ll need to show your Passport). For Japanese visitors, it’s 800¥. There are also cabins that are completely transparent all around, but you’ll have to pay for these, even as a foreigner.

The ride takes about 15 minutes and you can check the current operating hours here.

Botchan Gizmo Clock

Take the tram to the Dogo Onsen Neighbourhood and get out at the final stop. Directly opposite the tram stop is the Botchan Gizmo Clock, which was built in 1994 to celebrate the 100-year-anniversary of the Dogo Onsen Bathhouse.

Every hour from 8am to 10pm (on weekends every half hour), the miniature clock-tower opens up, and several figures from the 1906 novel Botchan by Japanese writer Natsume Sōseki start moving around. It’s a bit corny, but we thought it was fun nonetheless, so check it out if you’re here on the hour.

Dōgo Park & Yuzuki Castle Ruins

A bit to the south from the tram stop is this small park, which surrounds the hill where the castle Yuzuki-jō of the local Kono Clan used to stand during the Muromachi period (14^th to 16^th century). We found it a nice spot for a stroll and the views from the top of the hill towards Matsuyama castle are quite good, too.

The old moat is still there, and we also saw some earthworks, which we assume were also part of the castle. When you come here, you should keep your eyes peeled, as we spotted our first Tanuki near the highest point of the hill! There’s no entrance fee.

Isaniwa-Jinja Shrine

Right next door to Dogo Park is this pretty Shinto shrine, which has a series of crimson-coloured wooden buildings that mostly date back to the 17th century (although the shrine itself is much older).

To us, the most impressive building here was the honden (main sanctuary), which is surrounded by a colonnaded walkway.

When we visited, there was noone else around and the whole complex was very peaceful. You can get to the shrine by walking up a series of stone steps located directly north-east of Dōgo Park.

Pit Stop at Dogo-no-Machiya Café

The small Dogo-no-Machiya Café in the Dogo Arcade is a good place to grab an in-between snack (or some Japanese Matcha) before starting to explore the city. I recommend sitting in the back, where you have a view of the cute little garden!

Dogo Onsen

This is one of Japan’s oldest and most famous Onsens (a traditional bath house that is fed by natural warm springs). The hot springs themselves were first mentioned in the famous 8th-century Poetry Collection Man’yōshū, and the impressive wooden bathhouse building dates to the 1890s.

If you only visit one Onsen in Japan, I highly recommend making it this one. I don’t think there’s a better place to get to know this part of Japanese culture than this beautiful and historical location.

Just make sure to follow the proper Onsen etiquette, as this isn’t a tourist attraction. I really only saw two other foreigners in there – the rest were Japanese people. Most importantly, you shouldn’t enter the pool without first washing yourself and there’s absolutely no swimwear allowed in the pool.

It’s also important to know that the temperature of the water is about 42°C (108°F), so step in slowly and don’t stay in the pool for too long (about 15 minutes tops). Also note, that there are separate bathing areas for men and women.

By the way, Dogo Onsen is not only super famous in Japan, but in a way, it’s also well known internationally, as the bathhouse in the Studio Ghibli Movie Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi) is mainly based on it. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any soot sprites inside.

Still, the place felt pretty magical, especially at dusk, when there’s a cute little light-and-sound show outside the Onsen. If you’re in the neighbourhood around that time, we’d say it’s well-worth checking out.

We went for a bath in the evening, whent it felt a little quieter and paid 500¥ for a standard bath. There are a few different options available, including one with a tea-ceremony after the bath. You can check the different options and current opening times here.

Try Some Streetfood in the Dogo Onsen Area

There are plenty of cafés and restaurants in the Dogo Onsen Area. There are also a few inexpensive snack shops serving Udon Noodles and traditional street food. If you don’t necessarily need a sit-down meal, you can just move from one to the next and try different specialties.

Our favourite here were the Tako Yaki, which are deep-fried dough balls filled with octopus meat.

Matsuyama Itinerary Map

You can find all the stops in this itinerary on this map of Matsuyama.

Practicalities

How to Get to Matsuyama

By far the best way to get around Japan is by using the country’s impeccable train system, which is fast, comfortable and efficient. A regional JR-Railway pass allows for unlimited use of Shikoku’s JR railways for 3, 4, 5 or 7 days, which is a fantastic deal. You can order your pass online on this site.

Matsuyama can be reached by using the JR Ishizuchi Express Train from Takamatsu (about 2.5 hours). From most other cities on Shikoku, you’ll have to connect to that line in Tadotsu. Therefore, if you’re traveling from Kochi, for example, it’s easier to da what we did and take the Nangoku Express Bus (about 2.5 hours). You can check the current schedule here.

If you’re coming from the “mainland” (i.e. Honshu), the easiest way to reach Matsuyama is by taking the ferry from Hiroshima. There are different options, which I’ve described here.

How to Get Around in Matsuyama

The easiest way to get from the city centre to the Dogo Onsen Neighbourhood is Matsuyama’s Iyotetsu Tram Network. You can check the current connections and prices here. To get to the Matsuyama Kankoko Ferry Port, you can use the Shuttle Bus Service by the same company. The schedule can be found here.

Where to Stay in Matsuyama

Most hotels and guesthouses in the city are clustered around the pretty Dogo Onsen neighbourhood. A good budget option in this neighbourhood is Cinnamon Guest House, which has both dorms and affordable private rooms. The same area also has plenty of midrange options, like Hotel Patio Dogo, as well as some more upscale Ryokans like Chaharu.

If you prefer to stay closer to the train station, Dormy Inn Matsuyama would be a convenient option. You can check for more accommodations in this map.

Where to Go Next

Uchiko, a pretty historical village off the beaten path

Kōchi, which is in our opinion Shikoku’s most beautiful city

Takamatsu, home to the wonderful Ritsurin Garden