Matsuyama City: Features, Popular Tourist Attractions, Gourmet

Matsuyama City in Ehime Prefecture is the prefectural capital where approximately 510,000 people live as the largest city in Shikoku, and serves as an attractive tourist destination where history and culture come alive. Blessed with a warm climate facing the Seto Inland Sea and abundant nature, it is known as one of Shikoku’s premier tourist spots that attracts many visitors from across the nation.

The greatest attraction of Matsuyama tourism is Dogo Onsen, which boasts a 3,000-year history as Japan’s oldest hot spring. The Dogo Onsen Honkan, which became nationally famous as the setting for Natsume Soseki’s novel “Botchan,” is designated as a National Important Cultural Property, allowing visitors to simultaneously enjoy the architectural beauty of the Meiji era and supreme hot spring bathing. The Dogo Onsen district features diverse accommodation options from traditional ryokan to modern hotels, with strolling through the hot spring town’s atmospheric streets being a popular activity.

Matsuyama Castle, towering in the city center, is one of the twelve original castles and serves as a precious cultural heritage and symbolic presence of Matsuyama. From the castle keep built on the summit of Mount Katsuyama at 132 meters above sea level, spectacular views unfold overlooking Matsuyama city and the beautiful Seto Inland Sea. In spring, it bustles with many cherry blossom viewers as a famous sakura viewing spot, and in autumn, it captivates visitors with beautiful autumn foliage, showing different seasonal expressions throughout the year.

Speaking of Matsuyama’s signature cuisine, it’s tai-meshi (sea bream rice), renowned as Ehime’s local specialty. Tai-meshi made with fresh sea bream caught in the Seto Inland Sea is served in a takikomi-gohan style, beloved by many tourists as an exquisite dish where the umami of sea bream permeates the rice. Additionally, various sweets made with mandarin oranges that Ehime Prefecture proudly produces as the nation’s top producer, and dishes using fresh seafood from the Seto Inland Sea can be enjoyed as unique Matsuyama flavors.

The beloved transportation method within Matsuyama City is the Iyo Railway streetcar, which carries the lineage of Japan’s oldest light railway. The sight of retro vehicles running through the city has become a characteristic feature of Matsuyama and is used as a popular means of transportation by tourists. With good access to Dogo Onsen and Matsuyama Castle, traveling while viewing Matsuyama’s streetscape from the windows enhances the travel experience.

Matsuyama City also has an aspect as a literary town, attracting many literature enthusiasts as a place associated with Masaoka Shiki and Natsume Soseki. At the Shiki Memorial Museum, visitors can experience haiku culture, and literary walks touring spots related to Soseki are popular tourist courses.

Matsuyama City is filled with diverse attractions that make visitors want to return again and again, serving as Shikoku’s representative tourist city that captivates all who visit with its harmony of historic hot springs, castle town atmosphere, delicious cuisine, and literary culture.