What you'll do
This is the itinerary for my Shikoku road trip through Ehime and Kagawa prefecture that I did in spring! If you want to get off the beaten path and delve deeper into Japanese history and culture, this itinerary is a great fit for you. My time here was absolutely beautiful and I had an amazing time. I would recommend to add 1-2 days if you can to make the most out of your time here! I found 4 days in total a bit short and would recommend 6-7 days if you can spare the time. I hope you enjoy Shikoku as much as I did!
Day 1
Arrive at Matsuyama Station. I chose Matsuyama as my base as I desperately wanted to ride the Shikoku Sightseeing Train Iyonada Monogatari that offers a scenic ride between Matsuyama and Yawatahama Station (see day 2) Make sure to book early, as seats are reservation only. There used to be an online ticket system but it is currently paused. Go to your nearest JR Station to enquire about making a reservation.
Matsuyama is a really cute and quirky city along the Seto Inland Sea. It is super walkable and has lots of interesting places, cute cafés and a lot of history to explore.
ぱんや 雲珠(うず)
cafe
Cozy bakery near Dogo Park
This bakery gives serious Ghibli vibes!! It's so so cute and their baked goods are delicious as well. Located near Dogo Park in Matsuyama, this cozy bakery "Uzu" offers a variety of delicious bread.
Matsuyama-jō Castle
Sightseeing
Feudal castle on scenic hilltop
Matsuyama Castle, located on Mount Katsuyama is one of the 12 well-preserved feudal castles in Japan. It offers visitors a bird's eye view of the city and the Seto Inland Sea, making it a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. You can easily access the castle via a ropeway or chairlift, and don't miss the Ninomaru Garden at the base of the hill, which used to be the site of the castle palace! It's a popular place in spring to see the cherry blossoms as well as in autumn having beautiful fall foliage.
Matsuyama Castle Ropeway and Lift Station Shinonomeguchi
Sightseeing
Scenic chairlift to Matsuyama Castle
A unique way to experience the cherry blossoms in Shikoku is going up and down the Matsuyama Castle Ropeway. It is the gateway to a scenic adventure up Mount Katsuyama and getting a bird's eye view over Matsuyama. It's also a convenient way to reach the castle grounds! 🌸
Around 3-4pm (depending on the season) I recommend you head out of the city to Shimonada Station to catch the sunset. Conveniently there is a schedule printed of the times at Matsuyama Station. If you have a car, I would highly recommend it as the train line only runs every 2 hours in one direction.
Don't be discouraged, if you arrive by train, if the whole platform is crowded: Everyone wants to take a picture of the train in the station. From my experience, most people left shortly afterwards and the ones who stayed formed an orderly queue so everyone got to take their sunset pictures on time.
By train, the ride back to Matsuyama takes about 45mins. Make sure to check the schedule ahead! Yosan line is only serviced by one train on one track going back and forth, meaning that only one train comes every 2 hours.
You can also conveniently stop here on your way back from your day trip in Ozu if you don't intend to stay overnight there (see Day 2 for more information)
Shimonada Station
photospot
Spirited Away seaside railway station
Shimonada Station is one of Japan's most famous stations for it's resemblance to the train in Spirited Away. It truly is a charming little railway station overseeing the ocean.
I was surprised how many people would go out of their way to see this station! It was very crowded when I went but everyone quickly formed a queue and took pictures so don't worry if it's crowded when you arrive! As the train only goes once every two hours I highly recommend to go here by car if you can. That being said, the train ride itself alongside the ocean is incredible and definitely worth the time it takes to go back and forth 🩵
If Shimonada Station is too far out of the way for you, a good alternative is Baishinji Station in Matsuyama. From Matsuyama Station you can walk a few minutes to Otemachi Station.
From there, take the Iyo-Testudo-Takahama-Line for 15mins until you reach Baishinji Station. It lacks the special atmosphere of Shimonada Station, but it is another station overlooking the ocean.
Baishinji Station
Sightseeing
Small railway station in Matsuyama
Baishinji Station is a small railway station located in Matsuyama. It is similar to Shimonada Station as it is also facing the open sea so if you're a bit pressed for time, this could be a good alternative ☺️
Dogo Onsen
Sightseeing
Oldest hot spring in Japan
Dogo Onsen is the oldest hot spring in Japan with more than 3,000 years of history and it's actually tattoo-friendly!
The impressive three-level wooden structure with a watchtower and red glass windows looks like straight out of Ghibli movie.
This is a public onsen bath meaning that you will be bathing together with other strangers and there is no ryokan or accommodation attached to it directly.
In the evening, make your way to Dogo Onsen. It takes 30mins to reach Dogo Onsen Station. It is cute by day but absolutely stunning at night! It is open until 11:30pm so perfect to soak in the hot onsen water after an eventful day. Dogo Onsen is 100% tattoo-friendly too! This is a public onsen, which means you are bathing with other visitors. There is no private onsen as far as I am aware of.