5 days Road Trip – Ehime & Kagawa, Japan in Summer 🇯🇵 The Cultural Gems of Shikoku
After spending 5 days driving around various places in Kochi, we are now fully entering Ehime Prefecture. The road leading into Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime, is Route 378. This road runs along the western coastline of Shikoku Island. Along the way, we stopped to take photos at Tsunakakeiwa Rock Mishima Shrine, where a torii gate stands on a rock in the sea. Before reaching Matsuyama, we stopped for a meal along the road. Before ending the day, we went to see the evening view near Dogodairadai 2 Park. This morning, we’ll take you to Dogo Onsen, a hot spring town with a history of over 3,000 years. It is also considered the oldest hot spring town in Japan. Public transportation in Matsuyama is quite similar to that in Kochi, but their trams come in a bright orange color. Since Ehime Prefecture is famous for its oranges, its mascot is even a dog with an orange-like face. If you visit on the weekend, you’ll have the chance to ride the Botchan steam locomotive. But if you miss it, you can still take photos at Dogo Onsen Station. Dogo’s fame spread from the original Dōgo Onsen Honkan. You can find brochures with all the landmarks of this area at every hotel. The route can be walked in a loop, bringing you back to the train station at the end. Enman-ji Temple is where locals once prayed for hot springs to gush forth. Today, it has become a place to pray for love, both for singles and couples. Nearby is Isaniwa Shrine, located on a hill that requires climbing a flight of stairs. From the top, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful view, and the road in front of the shrine leads directly back to the train station. A little further on is Dogo Park, where an observation point on the hill offers a view of Matsuyama Castle. Of course, being here means you must try bathing in the historic onsen. Inside, the atmosphere feels truly nostalgic, and soaking in the hot water on a warm day is simply the best. In front of the onsen, the Dogo Shopping Arcade (Dogo-Shotengai) offers local specialties such as Taimeshi. The tai (sea bream) dish at Kadoya is especially popular, with crowds of customers. Our morning ended at Dogo Onsen, and with some time left in the afternoon, we headed to Uchiko. This rural town is only a 45-minute drive south of Matsuyama. You can explore the highlights here following brochures provided at hotels, starting with the Karari Farmer Market. It features shops selling produce from local farmers, as well as a riverside park along the Oda River where people can relax and cool off. In the countryside around town, there are also historical spots to explore, such as waterwheels. These were once used to help pound rice with less effort. Or shrines that require crossing an old wooden bridge to reach. As for the old town area, Uchiko Yokaichi Gokoku, we arrived too late and all the shops were closed. If you visit, it’s best to start here first and treat the other spots as extras. Since Matsuyama Castle is located on a hill, there is a ropeway service to go up and down. But for those who want some exercise, there are walking paths available as well. Meet Mican, the mascot of Ehime Prefecture. After seeing the castle up close, we continued to Matsuyama Comprehensive Park, where the hilltop observatory offers panoramic views of the entire city. We then headed just outside the city to Mitsu Station, a charming little train station. Train enthusiasts can enjoy watching the bright orange Iyotetsu trains passing by up close here. Across the street from the station is Mitsuhama Shopping Street. But be sure to check the days, as the shops are closed on Thursdays. When we went, the street was very quiet. Still, it was nice for taking photos freely without the crowds. Not far from there, we visited Baishinji Station, a romantic seaside station. At Mican Park Baishinji, there’s a café on the upper floor where you can enjoy the view of trains passing with the sea as a backdrop. To end the day, we stopped at Ebisu Shrine, a small shrine overlooking rocks in the sea. Today, we stepped into Kagawa Prefecture, the smallest prefecture in Shikoku. Despite its size, it has so many attractions that we already feel we’ll need to come back again in the future. One of its highlights is Ritsurin Garden, a vast traditional Japanese garden. They also offer a stamp rally activity inside the garden, which encouraged us to explore every corner of it. We drove to Kotohira, a small town known for Konpira and Kotohiragu Shrine located on a hill. Before climbing the stairs, we fueled up with chewy Sanuki udon noodles. On the way up, Konpira Omotesando is a shopping street built along the steep staircase, letting you shop while catching your breath. Reaching the shrine at the top requires climbing over 800 steps. But if you get too tired, there are cafés along the way where you can enjoy shaved ice. For pilgrims, the full journey goes up nearly 1,400 steps. Tsushima Shrine, whose bridge only opens once a year for crossing. Takaya Shrine, a mountaintop shrine with a torii gate that seems to float in the sky. We ended the day with a sunset at Chichibugahama Beach, a spot famous for photography. The next morning, we took a ferry to Shodoshima, a small island off the coast of Kagawa Prefecture. Our ferry was extra special. It was decorated entirely with Slowpoke. Slowpoke is a first-generation Pokémon that somehow became Kagawa Prefecture’s mascot. In fact, there’s even a Slowpoke Park in Kagawa. The ferry departed from Takamatsu Port heading toward Shodoshima. We brought our car along as well. Our first stop was Angel Road, the famous sandbar path that appears with the tides. Then, we rode the Kankakei Ropeway, the highest cable car on Shodoshima. Kankakei is especially popular in autumn when the leaves change color. But in summer, we got to see the lush green mountains instead. Our final stop was Shodoshima Olive Park, as the island is well known for its olives. The park also has special photo spots for fans of Studio Ghibli, especially Kiki’s Delivery Service. Thank you everyone for supporting by watching this video, and don’t forget to like and subscribe!
☀️ Follow along the journey through Shikoku to Ehime, Kagawa, and Shodoshima Island. Discover castles, hot springs, olive groves, and the taste of Sanuki udon.
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