Ehime Prefecture is located in the northwestern part of Shikoku, the fourth largest island of Japan. The climate is warm and mild, and it is rich in nature. In Chinese characters, “Ehime” means “pretty lady”.
Seto Inland Sea, or Aegean Sea in Japan, and Mt. Ishizuchi, the highest mountain in western Japan, give Ehime countless gifts in every season. People have woven historical and cultural fabric in such nature’s bounty and developed the tradition of “hospitality” to travelers. Indulge yourself in kindhearted Ehime.
Seto Inland Sea
Seto Inland Sea, called Aegean Sea in Japan, was designated as the nation’s first national park for its breathtaking beauty. “Shimanami Sea Route” stretches 60 km to connect Ehime and Hiroshima.
Ehime is the top producer of mandarin oranges, and it is particularly so in southern area where the weather is warm with many sunny days. Fresh juice, jelly and sweets are the best for the gifts.
It is the perfect place for cyclist where they could cycle through a variety of courses from short to long distances according to each level, including the Shimanami Sea Route with Japan’s first bicycle lanes that cross the channel. Feel the wind and light, and savor the seasonal beauty of Ehime.
The Buddhist monk KoBo Daishi, also known an Kukai, is said to have established the pilgrimage of 88 temples after the year 815. Since then and to this day, many pilgrims, known as o-henro, have taken the pilgrimage for the purpose of prayer, contemplation. From the old times, the people of Shikoku have welcomed pilgrims with spiritually-motivated hospitality called o-settai. The pilgrimage route is about 1,400km and takes about 40 days to walk the entire route. Aside from walking, pilgrims can also travel on bus tours, by car, or by bicycle.
About Matsuyama City
Matsuyama City is located in the central part of Ehime Prefecture, overlooking the Seto Inland Sea to the west, the Shikoku Mountains to the east, and Mt. Ishizuchi which is the highest peak west of Japan. In 1873, Matsuyama was made the prefectural capital, and the city has since prospered as a political and economic centre. It’s also a centre for regional culture that has produced many writers including the haiku poet Shiki Masaoka. The population is about 520,000.The city area is 429.37k㎡.The camellia is the city’s flower.
The castle was originally built on the 132-meter-high hilltop in 1627. The donjon which was re-built in 1854 is one of the 12 surviving ones in Japan. From the castle top, you can enjoy the panoramic view of Matsuyama and even beyond the Inland Sea when the weather is clear.
Dogo Onsen, the oldest hot spring in Japan is proud of its 3,000-year history. The main building which resembles a castle is located in the center of the spa resort and was designated as a national important cultural property. It was also given the three stars in 2009 edition of the Michelin Guide.
Matsuyama is the birthplace of Japan’s leading haiku poet, Shiki Masaoka. There are many sites dedicated to haiku in the city.
grand castle town
of the past
those 10 years of sweat
Dōgo hot spring
Taruto(sponge roll cake)
Taruto originated in the 1,600s when the Matsuyama feudal lord brought back a recipe for a European confectionery from Nagasaki. It was originally a jam sponge roll but it was purportedly the feudal lord’s idea to add sweet azuki (bean) paste to the cake. An elegant and stylish confectionery in which the azuki paste with citron is rolled into the sponge cake to form the Japanese hiragana character “no”.
Botchan Dango are tricolored skewered rice dumplings covered with 3 different colored jam; red from azuki bean, yellow from egg yolk and green from tea. They have been loved by both residents and tourists alike. The dumplings were named after the novel called “Botchan” by Natsume Soseki, in which Botchan eats some dumplings on the way back from Dogo Onsen.