Ehime sits on the northwestern corner of Shikoku, facing the Seto Inland Sea across a patchwork of islands, bridges, and tidal currents. It is a prefecture that rewards visitors who move at a human pace — cycling between islands, soaking in a hot spring bath that has been flowing for three thousand years, riding a tram that seems borrowed from a Meiji-era woodblock print. The tourist traffic that crowds Kyoto and Osaka has not reached Ehime in the same volume, which means the temples, castles, and cycling routes here can still be enjoyed with a degree of quiet and space that has become rare in Japanese tourism. This guide covers the major leisure experiences in practical detail.
Shimanami Kaido Cycling
The Nishiseto Expressway, universally known as the Shimanami Kaido, connects Onomichi in Hiroshima Prefecture to Imabari in Ehime across six islands: Mukaishima, Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima, and Oshima. The full route covers approximately 70 kilometres and crosses ten bridges, each with a dedicated cycling and pedestrian path separated from vehicle traffic by a concrete barrier. It is considered one of the finest cycling routes in Asia and one of the few expressways in Japan where cycling is not merely permitted but actively celebrated.
Starting from Imabari
The Ehime end of the route begins at Imabari Station, where the Sunrise Itoyama cycle rental terminal operates from 07:00 daily. Rentals cost between ¥2,000 and ¥3,500 per day depending on the bicycle type, with electric-assist bikes available for an additional charge. The system allows one-way rentals, meaning you can begin at Imabari and drop the bicycle at Onomichi, or vice versa. This flexibility is one of the route’s great practical advantages. If you prefer a shorter day ride without one-way logistics, the loop from Imabari to Oshima and back covers roughly 30 kilometres and takes three to four hours at a relaxed pace.
The bridges themselves are engineering spectacles. The Kurushima Kaikyo Bridge — actually a series of three suspension bridges — crosses one of the most current-swept stretches of the Seto Sea and is the longest triple-suspension bridge combination in the world. Standing on the cycling path in the middle of the crossing, with tidal currents churning between rocky islets below, is one of those views that justifies the entire detour to Ehime.
Island Stops Worth Making
Omishima Island deserves at minimum two hours. The Oyamazumi Shrine here is one of the most significant Shinto sanctuaries in western Japan, venerated as the guardian of warriors and seafarers. The shrine’s adjacent museum holds 80 percent of all armour and swords designated as Japanese National Treasures — a collection of around 400 pieces that represents the most concentrated assembly of samurai martial culture in existence. Admission to the treasure museum is ¥1,000. The contrast between the cycling effort to reach the island and the profundity of what is housed there is part of what makes Omishima memorable.
Ikuchijima Island has Kosanji Temple, a privately constructed complex built in the mid-twentieth century as a monument to filial devotion. The architecture is unabashedly ornate — a reproduction of Nikko Toshogu combined with an underground gallery of white marble sculpture. It polarises visitors, but it is unlike anything else on the route. Admission is ¥1,400.
Dogo Onsen
Dogo Onsen in eastern Matsuyama is the oldest continuously operating hot spring in Japan, with written records of bathing here stretching back more than 1,300 years and oral traditions placing its origins three thousand years in the past. It is referenced in the Manyoshu — Japan’s oldest poetry anthology — and appears in Natsume Soseki’s 1906 novel Botchan, which helped cement both the hot spring and Matsuyama in the national literary imagination.
Dogo Onsen Honkan
The main building, Dogo Onsen Honkan, is a three-storey wooden structure completed in 1894 and registered as an Important Cultural Property. The architecture is ceremonial and distinctive: layered rooflines, white-plastered walls, and a small mechanical clock tower above the entrance that performs an automated display on the hour. The building underwent phased renovation from 2019 onward while remaining partially open; check current operating status before visiting, as the renovation schedule has been extended more than once.
Bathing fees at the Honkan are tiered by access level. The basic Kami-no-Yu bath on the ground floor costs ¥700. The Tama-no-Yu second-floor set — which includes use of the upper-floor rest room with yukata and tea service — costs ¥1,250. A premium option including a private tatami waiting room costs ¥1,600. All options include use of the communal bath; the price difference reflects the degree of additional comfort and historical access. First-time visitors who want the full Dogo Onsen experience should budget for at least the mid-tier option.
Asuka-no-Yu and Tsubaki-no-Yu
The newer annex Asuka-no-Yu, which opened in 2017, was designed by architect Kengo Kuma in a style that references the Honkan’s Meiji-era aesthetic while using contemporary materials. It offers both communal baths and private reservation baths. Tsubaki-no-Yu, a standalone public bath operated by the city in a simpler facility nearby, costs ¥460 and provides an affordable local alternative to the more tourist-oriented Honkan experience.
Matsuyama Castle and the Botchan Tram
Matsuyama Castle sits on a 132-metre hilltop at the centre of the city, reached either by ropeway (¥520 round trip) or by hiking trails that take 20 to 30 minutes depending on the route. The castle is one of Japan’s twelve surviving original castles — meaning the donjon has never burned or been reconstructed — and its hilltop position gives it commanding views across the city and toward the Seto Sea.
The interior of the donjon costs ¥520 to enter and rewards a careful visit. The structure dates from 1820 (the current tower having been rebuilt after the original was struck by lightning), and the exhibit inside covers the domain’s history through armour, firearms, and documentary material. The upper observation deck is particularly rewarding on clear days when you can trace the course of the Shimanami Kaido bridges across the horizon toward Hiroshima.
The Botchan Tram
Matsuyama operates one of Japan’s most evocative urban tram networks. The main Iyotetsu tram lines run on 1,067-millimetre gauge track through the city centre at a pleasantly unhurried pace. Among the services running on these tracks is the Botchan Ressha — a miniature steam-style tram that replicates the coal-fired trains described by Soseki in his novel. The Botchan Ressha actually uses a small diesel engine rather than coal, but the exterior, the proportions, and the open-sided observation section are faithful to the Meiji-era originals. It runs on a limited schedule between Dogo Onsen and the city centre; check Iyotetsu’s published timetable. The fare is ¥800.
Practical Tips for Ehime Leisure
Getting to Matsuyama from Osaka takes approximately two and a half hours by the JR limited express Shiokaze from Okayama (transfer from Shinkansen). The fare from Osaka is around ¥9,000 to ¥11,000 one way. From Tokyo, the most practical option is a flight from Haneda or羽田 to Matsuyama Airport (90 minutes, from ¥15,000 to ¥25,000 depending on advance booking). ANA and JAL both operate the route.
The IC Card Iyoca is Matsuyama’s regional transit card, accepted on Iyotetsu trams and buses. It simplifies city navigation and is available at Matsuyama Station. For the Shimanami Kaido cycling, note that the bridge tolls for cyclists are charged separately at each bridge and total approximately ¥500 for the full route; payment is made at small toll booths at the base of each bridge approach.
The combination of Shimanami Kaido cycling, Dogo Onsen bathing, and Matsuyama Castle represents the essential three-day Ehime itinerary. Each of these experiences takes approximately a full day to do properly. Allow an additional day if you intend to visit Omishima Island and the armor museum in depth.