Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Auberge Uchiko オーベルジュ内子

Stayed 21.11.2014 (Fri) 
Booked thru' hotel website.
- 1 villa = 25,920 yen/pax

Auberge? This is actually a French word for "inn". In Japan, Auberge style accommodation are actually much more luxurious than what its name implies. Normally located in an secluded area which is tucked away from the hustle and bustle of city life, the living concept of Auberge is a not an escapism but a recovery process of inner peace, stimulating all five senses through high quality food and creation of a relaxing environment. One other unique feature of Auberge is French meals are served; a cuisine which highlights food appreciation and presentation on the table. Wanted very much to try out this style of accommodation after reading numerous rave reviews. Had two choices - one in Tosayama in Kochi and another one located in Uchiko in Ehime, both managed by Kochi Orient Hotel Group. Chose the latter as it fitted well into my itinerary. Was also attracted to this particular sentence in their web page: Feeling the nature with your five senses and dedicating yourself to her, you shall restore the natural rhythm of your mind and body. This was in line with the objective to recover my mental balance through this holiday. I had to say the stay in Auberge Uchiko was extraordinary, exceeding my expectations in all aspects - ambience, onsen, meals and service.

Bottom right: Restaurant where both dinner and breakfast are served.

Bottom left: Path leading to another area where villas are located in; Top right: The villa which we stayed in - Yamazakura (やまざくら); Bottom right: Porch overlooking sakura trees.

Room. From the main annex, guests will have to walk along an unsheltered path to the another area where the villas are located. There are a total of five villas and each can occupy up to three adults - there are two single beds and a mattress laid over the sofa. Overall design outlook is modern style coupled with Japanese distinctive elements such as Japanese paper (washi) and wooden sliding doors. Lush greenery awaits behind the sliding windows of the living room and the spacious enclosure is warmly brightened up by natural lighting that seep through the huge glass panels in the day. Don't be surprised if you cannot find television and wifi anywhere in the room (alternatively, you can borrow a mobile wifi from the reception which I did). You will slowly get used to the awkwardness of not having any handy media technologies and begin to treasure the precious moments of quietness in the room - a luxury especially for city dwellers like myself.

Luxury. What makes the villa so mesmerizing as well is guests are treated to a beautiful scenery of blooming Sakura trees in Spring, directly right in front of the porch. Though I did not get to see that personally, imagining the scene in my mind while lying down on the reclining chair already brought a smile to my face. There is also a nice bath tub which you can overlook to the porch while enjoying a nice soak. Did not utilise the bath tub this way, instead my mother and I filled it up with lukewarm water to soak our legs just before we turned in for the night. Wanted to also highlight the pleasant service experienced during my stay at Auberge Uchiko. Just to quote one: just before we left the main annex to return to our villa after dinner, the staff passed us each a hot water bag as the weather has turned chilly in the night. 

Meals. Numerous locally grown ingredients were utilised to create a nouvelle cuisine - a modern style of cookery that avoids rich, heavy foods and emphasises the freshness of the ingredients and the presentation of the dishes. Dinner was served in the light of handmade candles from Uchiko in the main annex restaurant. This was my first time eating a full French course meal and I was overwhelmed by the sophisticated cutlery placed in front of me. On the other hand, many ingredients were also entirely new to my palate.

Top left: Braised top shell; Bottom left: Ham from Uchiko pork; Top right: Wild boar with miso sauce.

Top left: Bouillabaisse; Bottom left: Stick of tomato sherbet; Top right: Grilled Iyo beef with truffle sauce; Bottom right: Chocolate mousse crepe with sweet potato cream.

• Amuse gueule (the literal translation is "mouth amuser" is a bite-sized savory food): beautifully plated braised top shell coupled two different type of sauces to go along with. 
• Hors d'oeuvre (appetiser): tender ham made from Uchiko pork.
• Soupe (soup): light yet flavourful matsutake consomme.  
• Poisson (fish dish): bouillabaisse, which is a French-style fish stew, comprised of kabuto shrimp (or shield shrimp), globefish (otherwise known as the puffer fish) and scallop. 
• Gibier (wild game dish): Roasted wild boar caught in Uchiko accompanied with miso sauce. I personally find the meat a bit tough for my liking. 
• Arriere gout: a small refreshing stick of tomato sherbet to cleanse the palate before moving on to the main course. 
• Viande (meat dish): a very well executed grilled iyo beef with truffle sauce.
• Dessert: Chocolate mousse wrapped in a crepe served with noodles of sweet potato cream.
• Coffee/tea to end the entire course. 

Breakfast.

Breakfast was amazing too. Gulped down three different type of juices (vegetable, orange and tomato), bit into freshly made bread accompanied with homemade jam and butter, slurped a bowl of creamy potato soup, tucked into standard breakfast plate of bacon, half boiled egg and fresh greens and eventually ended the meal with a satisfying cup of coffee/tea held in exquisite porcelain wares.

Onsen. The communal bathhouses, separated by gender, were located in the main annex. Interior is covered by beautiful bluestone tiles to create this calming ambience. Was surprised to see a crowd when I was at the bathhouse just before dinner though the hotel has limited number of guests. Later found out that the bathhouse is also opened to public for a large part of the day (1100 to 2100 hrs) and is very popular with the locals in Uchiko. The natural spring water source is alkaline and cold at 17 degC. Water is heated to around 40 degC before being utilised in the pools, and is known to have therapeutic effects for those suffering from rheumatism.

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Auberge Uchiko オーベルジュ内子

〒795-0301 愛媛県喜多郡内子町五十崎乙485‐2

http://www.orienthotel.jp/uchiko/english/

How to get there?
There are no buses to Auberge Uchiko; and sad to say, the hotel does not provide any complimentary pick up service from Uchiko JR Station. Have to rely on taxi which cost less than 1,000 yen as it is relatively near - about 5 minutes by car from the train station.

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Video: 

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Uchiko-za (Uchiko Theater) 内子座

Visited 21.11.2014 (Fri)

Good old days. Reached Uchiko-cho in the afternoon and embarked on a half day expedition to explore this town. There were a couple of sightseeing spots on my list of places to visit and Uchiko-za was one of them. When we reached Uchiko-za, we were already drawn to its glamorous outlook - a multi storey wood constructed building with an intricately gabled, hipped and tiled roof. Just by looking at the exterior, you can feel that this is a building that speaks history and passion for art. Built way back in 1916, Uchiko-za hosted kabuki, puppet shows, drama and musical performances then, providing entertainment to the well-to-do locals of the once prosperous town which flourished in wax making and raw silk production. It was almost on its verge of being demolished, but thanks to efforts of the locals, it was restored to its original appearance in 1985. Now, there are arts and cultural performances held in this 650 seating capacity theater every now and then, about 60 days in a year. On days when there are no shows or events taking place in its premises, it serves as a museum for people to experience the beauty of this century old theater inside out. 

Hidden features! After purchasing the tickets, a guide was eagerly standing by at the entrance to introduce us to the different features in every corner of the theater. This was my first time visiting a local theater and I was extremely impressed by the creativity of mankind to incorporate various hidden mechanisms in a theater; with the objective to present a flawless and entertaining performances to the audience. Here are some noteworthy features to look out for:

Hanamachi on the left. Masueki in the foreground. Did you notice a four sided marking on the Hanamachi? That is the Suppon. 

- Hanamichi (花道), is a walkway leading from the stage to the back of the theater and it runs between the central and side seats. This is used for the dramatic entrances and exists for the actors and serves as platforms for actors to connect with the audiences.
- Masuseki (桝席), are the square box seats. In the past, the tickets were sold per box and each box can occupy up to four person.
- Suppon (すっぽん), is a man-powered platform found on the walkway which rises from 3 metres below. This is where Ninjas, ghosts and monsters appear from!

- Mawaributai (回り舞台), refers to the revolving center stage. This was used to change from one scene to another seamlessly in the past. Like the Suppon, this revolving stage was manually operated by man below the stage known as Naraku (奈落).

- Omuko (大向), refers to the gallery seats on the second floor of the theater, where regular customers and drama experts would sit. 

* Credits to the well detailed English information brochure which was handed over to us after we purchased the tickets. 

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Uchiko-za (Uchiko Theatre) 内子座
〒791-3301　愛媛県喜多郡内子町内子2102番地
Operating hours: 0900 - 1630 hrs
Admission fee: 400 yen
https://www.town.uchiko.ehime.jp/site/uchikoza/

How to get there?

(1) By foot. Approx 10 minutes walk from Uchiko JR Station.

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Commemorative stamps:

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Uchiko JR Station 内子駅

Uchiko JR Station (U10), on Yosan and Uchiko line.

A rather small scale train station - essentially a house with train tracks running above it. Coin lockers are available at this station - safe keep your luggage here such that you can walk to the main historic preservation district with a lighter load.

Limited express trains that serve Uchiko JR Station:
(1) Limited express Uwakai (宇和海), which commutes between Uwajima and Matsuyama, along Yosan line.

What's nearby?

(1) Tabirian (旅里庵), located just adjacent to the train station.
This is a tourist information center which is constructed to look like one of the preserved houses seen in Uchiko. Visitors can collect town walking maps and brochures to attractions in Uchiko here. A limited selection of specialty goods from Uchiko such as papers, candles and candle holders are also on sale here. As it takes about 25 mins to walk from the train station to the preservation zone, renting a bicycle to speed up the journey becomes a popular option - bicycles rental service are available in Tabiran as well.
Website: http://www.iyokannet.jp/front/spot/detail/place_id/2001/

(2) Uchiko-za Theater (内子座), about 10 mins walk from the train station.
This is the nearest attraction to the train station. A century old wooden theater which was once the town's main entertainment spot where performances such as Kabuki (Japanese classical drama) and Bunraku (puppet theater) took place. This historical building has been preserved and guided tour are provided to explain the various characteristics and features of the theater.
- Admission fee = 400 yen
- Set ticket for Uchiko-za Theater, Japanese Wax Museum & Kamihaga Residence (木蝋資料館上芳賀邸) and Museum of Commercial & Domestic Life (商いと暮らし博物館) = 900 yen

Cherry blossom trees in the background.

(3) Weeping cherry blossom trees along Gonotani River (郷之谷川)
Along the way from the train station to Uchiko-za Theatre, you will cross Gonotani River and spot rows of weeping cherry blossom trees on both sides of the riverbank. The best time to witness the blooming flowers is from mid March onwards.
Website: http://www.we-love-uchiko.jp/spot_suburbs/spot_k7/

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Hakurakuten 白楽天 焼豚玉子飯

Visited 21.11.2014

The former Kinuyama branch.

B grade gourmet. Was excited to know that Ehime Prefecture has a galore of B grade gourmet. One food caught my attention right away - roasted pork and egg rice bowl, which reminded me of char siew rice we eat at home. This dish was first created by a Chinese restaurant in Imabari city as a boarding meal for its employees. When Hakurakuten was established in 1970, the owner decided to elevate the status of this simple home-cooked rice bowl by incorporating it into its menu. The dish first became popular with students as the restaurant was located near a high school. Popularity grew over the years by word of mouth and has put this rice bowl onto the B grade gourmet list of Ehime; a "soul" food that the locals can naturally associate to Imabari city. Here in Imabari, which is home to ship building industry, there are numerous restaurants serving this dish and each has their very own version/interpretation of what a delicious bowl of roasted pork and egg rice is, which in turn has generated food diversity for customers. Do check out the gourmet map that the Imabari roasted pork and egg rice association (今治焼豚玉子飯 世界普及委員会) has came out with! Website: http://i-ytm.com/

Appetising bowl of rice.

Soul food. Back to the story of the photo which made me drooled. Eager to eat but I could not fully convince myself to travel all the way to Imabari city, which is about 40 mins away by limited express train from Matsuyama JR Station, for just one single bowl of rice. Discovered later that Hakurakuten has a branch in Kinuyama, which was just two train stations away from Matsuyama city (by Iyo Railway) and without further ado I made the decision to drop by here for lunch. Ordered the regular sized rice bowl which came with two nicely fried bright orange sunny side up eggs laid on top of roasted pork slices drizzled with a sweet and savory sauce [650 yen]. Followed the recommended way to enjoy this rice bowl. Divided into two portions, ate the first portion by breaking and mixing the yolk with rice, and repeated the steps for the other portion. Every component of the rice bowl shines and complements each other harmoniously. Roasted pork had a good proportion of fats with good caramelisation on the sides. The delicious sauce cut down the oiliness of the meat and enhanced the overall taste of this rice bowl. Sunny side up eggs were cooked to perfection and stirring the runny egg yolk with rice is a comfort food at its simplest for many Japanese. This is what I will term as a simple yet heavenly taste! All of us agreed that this is one soul food that exceeded our expectations tremendously and definitely one that we will return for. 

Beautiful slices of roasted pork hidden beneath the eggs! 

Note. Sad to know that the branch in Kinuyama has ceased operation when I was compiling this post. For those who want to taste this flavourful rice bowl, you will have to travel further to the flagship restaurant located in Imabari city.  

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Hakurakuten 白楽天 焼豚玉子飯 今治本店
愛媛県今治市常盤町4-1-19 (Imabari city)
Opening hrs: 1100 - 1500 hrs (Lunch); 1700 - 2200 hrs (Dinner)
About 8 minutes walk from Imabari JR Station.

http://www.hakurakuten.net/index.html

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Video. Scroll to 11:33 to view the feature on Hakurakuten. 

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Matsuyama Castle 松山城

Visited 21.11.2014 (Fri)
Number of castles visited to date: 3
Top 100 castles in Japan: #81

Majestic. Visited two castles during my stay in Shikoku - Matsuyama Castle and Kochi Castle. Matsuyama Castle is built on the summit of Katsuyama, at an elevation of 132 m above grade. Alongside Kochi Castle, it is one of the twelve castles which still has its original castle keep/tenshukaku retained. Located at sufficiently high altitude, the aerial view of Matsuyama city captured from the observatory deck of tenshukaku is a beautiful scene to behold. Despite its location on a mountain, visitors can gain access to Matsuyama Castle effortlessly via ropeway or chair lift. In fact, the majestic looking tenshukaku can also be distinctly identified even when standing at ground level in different parts of Matsuyama city. The Honmaru 本丸 site is open to public as a park, while additional fees apply for visitors entering tenshukaku.

Side note. Do take note that there are two castles with the same name in Japan. This castle is also known as Iyo Matsuyama Castle 伊予松山城, in which Iyo was the former name for Ehime Prefecture. The other one is usually referred to as Bicchu Matsuyama Castle 備中松山城 and is located in Takahashi city 高梁市, Okayama Prefecture.

Many volunteers (all kids) were stationed at the entrance who tagged along with the visitors to explain the various features of the castle. Felt that this was a good way for the younger generation to understand / better relate to their country's history. 

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Background / Highlights:

- Castle began construction in 1602 and was completed in 1627.

- What is unique about this castle is there are two tenshukaku, the main and another smaller one. The main tenshukaku, which is three storey high, was struck by lightning and burnt down on New Year's Day in 1784. Reconstruction of the present structure begun in 1820 and was completed 35 years later in 1854. The smaller tenshukaku, which is standing on the left of the main gate, is the defense turret of the castle front. Its name came about because it is the second most important turret after the main tenshukaku.

- In 1933, the smaller tenshukaku, north and south corner turrets were destroyed by arson. They were eventually rebuilt with wood in 1968. Along the way till 1990, former turrets and gates were also rebuilt. In 2006, conservation and repair works for seven structures including the tenshukaku were completed.

Taiko Yagura / Turret 太鼓櫓, standing on the west point of the stone wall, is the first tall structure which appeared within sight upon entering the compound of the castle. This was rebuilt using wood in 1973. The main tenshukaku can also be spotted in the background.

Tonashi-mon 戸無門, translates to doorless gate. The design is believed to be a tactical approach to allow enemies to go through this gate easily (thinking that the defense was weak) and attack the following gates where troops were already standing by to counterattack. 

The main tenshukaku of Matsuyama Castle.

The spacious public park residing in Honmaru is one of the best photo taking spot to capture an overview of the main tenshukaku and its surrounding structure. The smaller tenshukaku is the one standing on the left side of the main tenshukaku.

Look at how beautiful the view is, seen from tenshukaku facing to the South. The castle looked as if it has risen above the clouds, highlighting its superiority to the rest of the buildings on the flat plain.

View from tenshukaku facing North.

View from tenshukau facing West.

Not forgetting to grab a mikan flavoured soft serve just before we departed from the summit.

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Matsuyama Castle 松山城
〒790-0004　愛媛県松山市大街道3丁目2-46
Operating hours for castle keep/tenshukaku:
- Feb to Jul; Sep to Nov: 0900 - 1700 hrs
- Aug: 0900 - 1700 hrs
- Dec to Jan: 0900 - 1630 hrs
Admission fee = 510 yen
http://www.matsuyamajo.jp/




How to get there? 

(1) Iyo Tetsu streetcar 伊予鉄道市内電車
From Matsuyama JR Station, board streetcar bound for Dogo Onsen 道後温泉 (Route 5) and alight at Okaido 大街道. Approx 5 minutes walk from streetcar station to ropeway/chairlift station.
Fare = 160 yen/trip
1 Day Pass = 600 yen
Website: http://www.iyotetsu.co.jp/bus/global/en/

(2) Ropeway / lift ロープウェイ・リフト
As mentioned previously, this is the most convenient way to get to the summit of Katsuyama where Matsuyama Castle is situated. Visitors can choose to take either the ropeway or chairlift. Personally, I will recommend the chairlift over ropeway as the mode of transportation, especially for the ascend route. Along the uphill journey, passengers can already catch a glimpse of the tenshukaku of Matsuyama Castle. The feeling of riding through air, surrounded by greenery and without a physical barrier (like a carriage) is rather amazing as well! For those fearful of heights or hate the feeling of legs hanging in the air, the ropeway may be a better option as the duration for the ride is shorter (3 mins vs 6 mins by lift).
- Round trip = 510 yen; One way = 270 yen
- Round trip + Entrance ticket to tenshukaku = 1,020 yen
http://www.matsuyamajo.jp/ropeway/

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Commemorative stamps:

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Video: Matsuyama Castle was featured in Taiwan produced travelogue program 玩乐志.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Dogo Onsen Honkan 道後温泉本館

Visited 21.11.2014 (Fri)

Inspiration for Spirited Away. Dogo Onsen is one of the oldest hot springs in Japan and by far the most accessible hot spring town I have ever been to - just hop onto the streetcar from Matsuyama JR Station (heading to Dogo Onsen) and alight at the terminus station. The most monumental and well-preserved building in this hot spring district has got to be Dogo Onsen Honkan, a public bathhouse which has been in operation for more than a century. Elaborate architectural features are exemplified in this traditional Japanese style 3 storey tall building. Spot the white heron watch tower (known as Shirokaku) on rooftop, white herons figurines on the fences and the symbol of Dogo Onsen, which depicts the bubbles that emerges from the hot spring waters, in different parts of the building. It was also said that the design of Yubaba's bathouse in Hayao Miyazaki's “Spirited Away” was inspired by this building. Being able to see this historic building in reality was indeed a dream come true for me and I more than ready to explore the interior further.

First try on Day 8 evening, but could not enter the building.

First try. After checking into our accommodation for the night, we made our way to Dogo Onsen Honkan to experience public bath just before dinner. To our dismay, we were informed by the ticket staff that they were not accepting any patrons as it was too crowded. At the same time, they could not foresee when this restriction would be lifted. Decided to try again the next morning. Realising that this is a popular place for both locals and tourists, we woke up at 5 am, packed out towels in the ratten basket provided by the hotel, braved the outside cold and arrived just before it opened its door for business. As expected, there was already a short queue formed outside the ticket counter, all like us eagerly wanting to enjoy the first soak of the day.

Came on Day 9 early morning just before it was opened for business.

Second try. The place felt like a maze - the rest area/hot spring to go to depends on which ticket you purchase. Bought the tickets for Kami no yu second floor (神の湯 二階席) which included snack and drink, served after the soak. Took off our shoes and locked them in the cabinets provided, showed our tickets to the staff, followed the signs to the second floor to the rest room where trays of yukata and seat cushions were arranged neatly in two rows on the tatami laid floor. After showing the tickets to the staff, we randomly selected our spots. Together with our valuables and towels, we made our way to the first floor where Kami no yu via another stairway from the rest room. There was a considerable size of people utilising the public bath (about 20 people and I believe that most of them were locals doing this as part of their morning routines) and this made the place felt very cramped, making it difficult to bath and enjoy the hot spring facility leisurely. Despite that, do pay attention to the interior of Kami no yu which is an art by itself - beautifully tiled with different shades of granite, a ceramic titled picture of two herons soaking/healing their legs in the hot spring waters and intricate engravings on the obelisk where temperature-regulated hot spring is continuously introduced into the pool. Headed back to the rest area where we sat down to enjoy our cup of green tea and biscuit, which also marked the end of my Dogo Onsen exploration.

Be mentally prepared. I can only say that the entire experience felt very hectic and rush. If only it was not so crowded (which I think is highly unlikely to happen), the public bath experience would have been much more enjoyable. Maybe I should go for the more expensive tier to see the difference next time?

Note: Towels and soap/showering gels are not provided in the premises - but can be rented/purchased at a fee.

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Dogo Onsen Honkan 道後温泉本館
松山道後湯之町5-6
Operating hours: 0600 - 2400 hrs (for Kami no yu ground floor 神の湯 階下); 0600 - 2200 hrs (for Kami no yu on second floor 神の湯 二階席, Rei no yu on second floor 霊の湯 二階席 and Rei no yu on third floor 霊の湯 三階個室)
http://www.dogo.or.jp/pc/about/

Admission fee:
Kami no yu ground floor 神の湯 階下 = 410 yen
Kami no yu on second floor 神の湯 二階席 = 840 yen, inclusive of snack and drink
Rei no yu on second floor 霊の湯 二階席 = 1,250 yen, inclusive of snack and drink
Rei no yu on third floor 霊の湯 三階個室 = 1,550 yen, inclusive of botchan dango and drink

How to get there?
From Matsuyama JR Station, board streetcar bound for Dogo Onsen (Route 5) and alight at the terminus station, Dogo Onsen. Walk under the covered walkway of Dogo Shopping Street (道後商店街) which leads all the way to Dogo Onsen Honkan.
Fare = 160 yen/trip.
Website: http://www.iyotetsu.co.jp/bus/global/en/


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Video: Scroll to 13:05 for the feature on Dogo Onsen Honten.

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Day 9 Matsuyama 松山, Uchiko 内子町

Day 9: 21.11.2014
* Day 1 of 3 days All Shikoku Rail Pass

Yokaichi and Gokoku Machinami 八日市・護国の町並み

Visited Dogo Onsen Honkan 道後温泉本館.
http://www.dogo.or.jp/pc/time/

Breakfast: Funaya ふなや

Dogo Onsen 道後温泉駅 (0855 hrs) > Okaido 大街道 (0904 hrs)
by Botchan Train 坊ちゃん列車.　
http://www.iyotetsu.co.jp/botchan/

Visited Matsuyama Castle 松山城. [Round trip via chairlift + admission fee = 1,020 yen]

http://www.matsuyamajo.jp/

Okaido 大街道 > Matsuyama-shi 松山市駅
by Iyotetsu streetcar, via Route 3.

Matsuyama-shi 松山市駅 > Kinuyama 衣山駅
by Iyotetsu, via Takahama line.

Lunch: Hakurakuten 白楽天 (Kinuyama Gourmet Avenue) [Ceased operation]

Kinuyama 衣山駅 > Matsuyama-shi 松山市駅 > Dogo Onsen 道後温泉駅
by Iyotetsu, followed by Iyotetsu streetar.

Dogo Onsen 道後温泉駅 (1343 hrs) > Matsuyama ekimae 松山駅前 (1405 hrs)
by Botchan Train 坊ちゃん列車.

Matsuyama JR 松山駅 (1428 hrs) > Uchiko JR 内子駅 (1452 hrs)
by Ltd Express Uwakai 17.

Visited Uchiko Theater 内子座. [400 yen]

Visited Yokaichi and Gokoku Machinami 八日市・護国の町並み.

Strolled along the streets of Uchiko town.

Check in: Auberge Uchiko オーベルジュ内子
http://www.orienthotel.jp/uchiko/english/

Dinner: Auberge Uchiko オーベルジュ内子

- End of Day 9 -

Shikoku Autumn 2014 四国秋季之旅 - Matsuyama JR Station 松山駅, Iyotetsu Streetcar 伊予鉄道電車, Botchan Train 坊ちゃん列車

Matsuyama JR Station (Y55, U00) is located on the Yosan line.

Matsuyama is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture. Don't be surprise to see a lackluster mood after stepping out from the train station. Matsuyama JR Station is actually not located in the busiest district of the city and one would have to take the Iyo Railway streetcar to Matsuyama city station to experience the vitality of the crowd.

Bottom left: Limited Express Shiokaze; Right: Meet Bari san, the lovable mascot of Imabari city.

Home to mascot celebrities! Ehime Prefecture has two famous mascots (or yurukyara) which have appeared at the top of the list in Yurukyara Grand Prix held annually in Japan.

- Bari san (バリィさん), a plump looking chicken wearing a crown depicting Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge (a bridge which links Hiroshima in Honshu island to Imabari city in Ehime Prefecture) and holding on to a ship. This mascot represents Imabari city, where ship building businesses flourishes and is famous for yakitori. Bari san won the Yurukyara Grand Prix title in 2012 and his popularity has created a wide range of merchandises which can be found in shops located in most tourist attractions in Ehime Prefecture.

- Mikyan (みきゃん), a orange coloured dog which has ears of Mikan leaves and a tail of Mikan flower. This mascot was created in 2011 and is inspired by Mikan or mandarin orange, a citrus fruit which Ehime Prefecture is well known for. Mikyan has participated in Yurukyara Grand Prix and is slowly catching up in terms of ranking - came in 3rd and 2nd in 2014 and 2015 edition, respectively.

Meet Mikyan, an orange coloured dog with mikan leaves ears and heart shaped nose!

Some limited express and special themed trains that serve Ehime JR Station:

(1) Limited Express Uwakai, which commutes between Matsuyama and Uwajima.

(2) Limited Express Ishizushi, which commutes between Takamatsu and Matsuyama, Uwajima.

(3) Limited Express Shiokaze, which commutes between Okayama, Matsuyama and Uwajima

(4) Iyonoda Monogatari (伊予灘ものがたり), a special themed train newly introduced in 2014, which commutes between Matsuyama to Iyo Ozu and Yawatahama via the sea route of Yosan line. 

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What's nearby?

A regular streetcar.

(1) Iyotetsu/Iyo Railway Streetcar 伊予鉄道電車

Streetcar is an important form of public transportation for both locals and tourists in Matsuyama city. The incentive of holding on to All Shikoku Rail Pass is that no additional train fares is charged while on board the streetcar.

There are a total of five routes serving Matsuyama city:

- Route 1: clockwise loop from Matsuyama city station to Okaido, Matsuyama JR Station and back to its starting point.

- Route 2: anti clockwise loop from Matsuyama city station, to Matusyama JR Station, Okaido and back to it starting point.

- Route 3: between Matsuyma city station and Dogo Onsen.

- Route 5: between Matsuyama JR Station and Dogo Onsen.

- Route 6: between Honmachi-6-chrome and Dogo Onsen.

Time seemed to have stopped at Dogo Onsen station.

Navigation: 

- For Matsuyama Castle 松山城: from Matsuyama JR Station, take Route 5 heading for Dogo Onsen, alight at Okaido 大街道 and walk to the ropeway/chairlift station.

- For Dogo Onsen 道後温泉: from Matsuyama JR Station, take Route 5 heading for Dogo Onsen and alight at the terminus station.

- For Matsuyama City Iyotetsu Station 松山市駅: from Matsuyama JR Station, take Route 1 and alight at the terminus station. Iyotetsu Takashimaya (いよてつ高島屋), a large scale departmental mall which contains Kinokuniya and Tokyu Hands, is connected to the train station.

Website: http://www.iyotetsu.co.jp/bus/global/en/

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Botchan Train 坊ちゃん列車

Nostalgia. This is a diesel powered replica of a steam locomotive train which once travelled along the streets of Matsuyama city over a century ago. The name "Botchan" came from title of this popular novel written by famous author, Natsume Soseki, back in 1906. As this steam locomotive train was mentioned in this novel, locals started to call this train by the name of "Botchan" affectionately. The train pulls along one to two wooden carriages and releases the whistling sound as it chugs along the common streetcar railroad, just like how the conventional train does! There are two sets of Botchan Train (No. 1 and 14) that take turns to transport passengers down the memory lane. For those who are unable to make it in time to board the train, one set is usually put up for display at the terminus station in Dogo Onsen. Many would also make it a point to visit Matsuyama city station to witness how the head of Botchan Train is reversed physically by operators after the train pulled into this terminus station.

Experience. Had the opportunity to board Botchan Train from Dogo Onsen (twice in fact) and the ride was amazing! Botchan Train felt so much smaller in size as compared to other steam locomotive trains which I have ridden before. Train conductors were smartly dressed in black coloured overalls, carrying a sling purse containing tickets and money, just like how they do in the older days. Throughout the entire journey, friendly conductor will pop in to introduce/explain the various features of the train (such as the wooden window blinds and overhead lamps which were kerosene operated in the past) and nearby surroundings, and even lend their hats to passengers for photo taking purposes. A ride on Botchan Train is definitely a must-do activity to be arranged in any first time visit to Matsuyama city.

Note: No additional train fare is charged with All Shikoku Rail Pass. Bocchan Train operates on both weekdays and weekends, but with different schedules. Therefore, do check out the schedule published on Iyotetsu website.

Website: http://www.iyotetsu.co.jp/botchan/

Video: 
Botchan Train was featured in Taiwan's travel program 玩乐志.

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Commemorative stamp: