Matsuyama is the largest city on Shikoku and one of the few places in Japan where the castle on the hill is an actual original castle from the 17th century, not a postwar concrete reconstruction. The city runs trams that connect the station, the castle, and Dogo Onsen — Japan's oldest hot spring, operating continuously for at least 1,300 years according to documented records. The combination of these two is what makes Matsuyama worth crossing the Seto Inland Sea for.
Most people reach Matsuyama via Hiroshima. The Super Jet high-speed ferry crosses the inland sea in about 70 minutes, passing through the island-dotted water on the way. It's one of the better approaches to any city in Japan: you arrive feeling like you've traveled rather than just commuted.
How to get to Matsuyama
The ferry from Hiroshima Port is the recommended route. The Super Jet high-speed catamaran takes about 1 hour 10 minutes for ¥7,600. A slower regular ferry runs about 2 hours 40 minutes for less. The tram from Matsuyama Port into the city takes about 20 minutes to the main station area. The ferry is worth it for the experience and the time saved.
By train, you'd route via Okayama: Shinkansen to Okayama, then the JR Limited Express Ishizuchi or Shiokaze to Matsuyama, about 2.5 hours from Okayama. JR Pass covers both services. This works if you're coming from Tokyo or eastern Japan and don't have a reason to stop in Hiroshima.
Flights to Matsuyama Airport from Tokyo Haneda run about 1 hour 20 minutes (ANA, JAL). Cheaper than the Shinkansen route and worth comparing if you're not using a rail pass for the full Shikoku leg.
| Route | Service | Time | Cost | JR Pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hiroshima Port → Matsuyama Port | Super Jet high-speed ferry | ~1h10m | ~¥7,600 | No |
| Hiroshima Port → Matsuyama Port | Regular ferry | ~2h40m | ~¥3,400 | No |
| Okayama → Matsuyama | JR Ltd. Express Shiokaze | ~2h30m | ~¥5,800 | Yes |
| Matsuyama city tram (day pass) | Iyotetsu tram | varies | ¥700/day | No |
How many days do you need?
Two nights works well. Day one: arrive by ferry, Matsuyama Castle in the afternoon (ropeway up, 30 minutes at the top), Dogo Onsen in the evening. Day two: Dogo Onsen district on foot in the morning (Isaniwa Shrine behind the main bathhouse, the covered shopping street), afternoon at leisure. If you want a day trip, Uchiko — a preserved Edo-period merchant townscape about 45 minutes south by JR — is an easy addition and genuinely different from standard Japan sightseeing.
What to do in Matsuyama
Matsuyama Castle is the central attraction. One of twelve original surviving castles in Japan (meaning not reconstructed in concrete), it sits on a 132-meter hilltop accessible by ropeway or a 20-minute walking path. The castle keep has views over the city and Seto Inland Sea. Admission to the ropeway and castle interior runs ¥1,500 combined. Allow 2 hours including the journey up and down. The cherry blossom season turns the castle grounds pink from late March; it's one of the more photographically striking versions of the standard castle-in-bloom scene.
Dogo Onsen is the reason most people cross to Shikoku. The Honkan (main bathhouse) is a three-story wooden building from 1894 that inspired the bathhouse in Spirited Away according to widely held belief, though the studio hasn't confirmed this directly. The building is under major renovation; sections have been reopening gradually since 2024. The Asuka-no-Yu bathhouse next door is fully operational and incorporates the mythology of Dogo into its interior design. Both the exterior of the Honkan and the streetscape of the Dogo Onsen shopping arcade are worth walking even if you're there during renovation.
The Dogo Onsen Annex (Bettei Asuka) is the newest bathhouse in the complex, opened in 2017. More contemporary in design, private bath options available. If the Honkan's full sections aren't open during your visit, the Annex is the splurge option.
Isaniwa Shrine sits uphill behind Dogo Onsen, a 10-minute walk from the main bathhouse. The approach up a steep stone staircase and the lacquered shrine structure at the top are a quieter complement to the busy streets below.
Shimanami Kaido cycling route connects Onomichi (Hiroshima Prefecture) to Imabari (Ehime Prefecture), crossing the Seto Inland Sea on a series of bridges over inhabited islands. Imabari is about 1 hour from Matsuyama by limited express, or 45 minutes by express bus. If cycling is on your Japan agenda, the Shimanami Kaido is the single best ride in the country. Even a half-day ride from Imabari over the first bridge and back covers the highlights.
What to eat
Jakoten is deep-fried fish cake made from ground fish bones and flesh. Different from the Nagasaki satsuma-age, and different again from the Tokyo version: Jakoten is coarser, more pungent, and cheaper. Street vendors near Dogo Onsen sell it on sticks.
Taimeshi (sea bream rice) is served two ways in Matsuyama: the Uwajima style cooks the fish over rice in a clay pot, while the Matsuyama style uses egg yolk and marinated sea bream sashimi mixed into hot rice at the table. Both are excellent.
The izakaya scene around the Dogo Onsen shopping street and the city center near Okaido is solid. Matsuyama residents tend to eat and drink late, and the streets stay lively on weekends into the early hours.
What are the honest downsides?
The ongoing Dogo Onsen Honkan renovation is real and will continue through at least 2024. If seeing the complete historic building in full operation is important to you, check the current status before booking. The alternative bathhouses are good substitutes, but the Honkan's complete absence is a loss.
Matsuyama is not easy to reach cheaply from Tokyo or Kyushu without the ferry-from-Hiroshima approach. The train route via Okayama is JR Pass covered but adds logistics. Budget accordingly.
Shikoku in general is undervisited by tourists, which means fewer English menus and less tourist infrastructure than Kyushu or Kansai. This is a feature for experienced Japan travelers but worth noting for newer visitors.
Daily costs
| Category | Budget | Mid-Range | Splurge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation | ¥5,000–7,000 | ¥9,000–14,000 | ¥20,000+ (Dogo ryokan) |
| Food | ¥1,500–2,500 | ¥3,000–5,000 | ¥8,000+ |
| Transport | ¥700 (tram day pass) | ¥700–1,200 | ¥2,000 (ferry + tram) |
| Activities | ¥600 (Dogo bath only) | ¥2,100 (castle + Dogo) | ¥4,000 (all sites + private bath) |
| Daily Total | ~¥9,000 | ~¥15,000–21,000 | ¥30,000+ |
Matsuyama is reasonably priced for a Japanese city of its size. The main budget consideration is accommodation near Dogo Onsen: ryokan with meals in the onsen district start around ¥18,000 per person and rise from there. If you're on a budget, stay at a business hotel near the station (¥6,000–9,000/night) and use the public bathhouses, which costs a fraction of the ryokan rate.