Ehime

Shimonada-eki Station, Ehime

Estimated Reading Time: 3 minutes

The closest station to the coast in Japan

Shimonada-eki Station is a station of Yosan-sen line of JR Shikoku. This place is known as the station closest to the ocean, it is popular also from railway fans, and it is a place where many visitors enjoy photography. It is also famous as a place often used as a shooting place for film and drama. It is also known as a spectacular sight of the setting sun, so it is good to visit that time.

Shimonada-eki Station is not that big, it is a single track railway. Originally it is a wooden station building, it is an unusual station building which is still present, while it is being refurbished little by little. There is a waiting place in the station and a ticket window which is not used anymore in the other.
Once at this station, the railroad and the coast were close to each other so that the waves could hit just below the platform. Therefore, it was also called “the closest station to the coast in Japan”. After that, the road opened in a way that reclaimed the sea, but still you can see the Iyo-Nada Sea from home.
The “Shimonada-eki Station” in Iyo-shi, Ehime is the unmanned station which many people say “I want to get off at this station once”. What does attract them?

The beautiful sea of Setouchi opens

It was “the closest station to the coast in Japan” in the past, and the beautiful sea of Setouchi opens all over the very front if you go down this station.

In addition, it is known as a superb view spot of the setting sun, and was used as a shooting place for a TV drama, and is often used for the photograph of the advertisement.

The scenic spot of setting sun

Recommended time to visit Shimonada-eki Station is not only the day. It is the scenic spot that you can see the sun setting in the sea undisturbed anything.

Many tourist visit here in order to go to see this station

“Shimonada-eki Station” where collaboration with the sea which reflected shiningly the sunlight in the daytime, and the sky which is dyed in thin pink with setting sun when it is in the evening, is beautiful at all. It is the station which wants to stop over once. It is a station of the beautiful unexplored region which Japanese people just accept.
“I would like to visit, only in order to go to see this station specially. “ A wonderful station to think of like that is this “Shimonada-eki Station”.

Information

Name:	Shimonada-eki Station
Adresse:	Futamichokushi Iyo, Ehime 799-3312 Japan
Access:	JR Yosan-sen line "Shimonada-eki Station”
Tel:	(+81) 89-994-5852 (Iyo-shi Tourism Association)
Price/Charge:	Free *The fare to the Shimonada-eki Station will be charged separately.
Official site:	http://iyokankou.jp/

Niihama Taiko Matsuri (Niihama Drum Festival), Ehime

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Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

One of the three major festivals of Shikoku Region

Niihama Taiko Matsuri (Niihama Drum Festival) is an autumn festival held throughout Niihama-shi, Ehime in October every year. It is known as one of the three major festivals of Shikoku Region with Awa-Odori Festival of Tokushima, and Yosakoi Matsuri Festival of Kochi. It is the brave and energetic festival which shoulders the gorgeous Mikoshi type float called Taikodai, and parades.
It is also called the alias “man Festival.”

The gorgeous embroidery such as a dragon or the tiger

Taikodai is formerly called Mikoshi-Taiko, and it is a very huge thing of 5.5 meters in height, 12 meters in length, approximately 3 ton in weight.
The gorgeous embroidery such as a dragon or the tiger is given with gold thread, and the body is magnificent.

Gather in one place and compete for the skill

In the festival, plural Taikodai gather in one place and compete for the skill. Taikodai is raised at the exquisite signal of a drum. Furthermore, the carriers of Taikodai stretch out both hands called “Sashi Age” and compete for the skill to lift it overhead. They compete for the beauty of the shaking condition of the fringe of Taikodai.

It is also called “Fight Festival”

Niihama Taiko Matsuri is a festival which has constant quarrel, so that it is called “Fight Festival”
Originally, since it is a festival which vies in technique and force, it will become the ego battle if heat goes into a contest of strength too much.
Especially, if the Taikodai bump their heads together on a narrow way, there will be a violent crush since they take the wall of them.

The heroic and powerful dynamic festival

Niihama Taiko Matsuri is a festival in which the feelings of competition of the area are very strong.
Please come to watch the heroic and powerful dynamic Niihama Taiko Matsuri by all means.

Information

Name:	Niihama Taiko Matsuri (Niihama Drum Festival)
Address:	Ikkucho 1-3-1 Niihama, Ehime 792-0025 Japan
Access:	JR Yosan-sen Line “Niihama-eki” station (10 minutes by car)
Tel:	(+81)897-65-1234 (Niihama-shi Tourism Office)
Official site:	http://www.city.niihama.lg.jp/

Matsuyama-jo Castle

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Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Greeted 400 years

Yoshiaki Katou built the Matsuyama-jo castle which rises up in the Matsuyama-shi central part of Ehime prefecture from 1602 to about 26 years. Matsuyama-jo Castle which greeted construction of a castle 400 years is said to be hirayamajo (flatland-mountain castle) having best renritsu style tenshu (tower grouping) superior in the function of offense and defense in Japan.
Although the castle tower and the building of others many were burned down by the thunderbolt in 1784, it was rebuilt after that in 1854 and has continued up to today.

The last perfect castle architecture

The Matsuyama-jo castle is one of the existing 12 main towers, and is counted in Japan’s three biggest hirayamajo and Japan’s three biggest renritsu style hirayamajo. The main tower is the last perfect castle architecture of the Edo period.

Selected as two stars by Michelin’s Japanese sightseeing guidance

Moreover, it is a castle with many highlights like existing Nohara-yagura is precious Boro-type(lookouttower type keep) Niju yagura (double tower) which does not remain in others, and the well of centre of a castle for 44m in depth, which is mentioned specially for engineering works technology of those days, is stored. It was selected as two stars by Michelin’s Japanese sightseeing guidance in 2009.

The important cultural property

In the Matsuyama-jo castle, structures of a total of 21 buildings, such as the First Gate South Tower, the Second Gate South Tower and the Third Gate South Tower, including the main tower, have received specification of the important cultural property of a country.

Designated much specification

In addition to this, the castle is designated much specification such as the existing 12 main tower, a country designated historic spot, 100 Japanese famous castle, the 100th elections of a beautiful historic landscape of Japan, the 100th elections of the Japanese Sakura famous place, the 100th elections of the history park in Japan, etc.

Information

Name:	Matsuyama-jo Castle
Address:	Marunouchi Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0008 Japan
Access:	Iyo-Tetsudo Bocchan-ressha “Okaido-eki Station” (5 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81)89-921-4873
Price:	510 yen (Adult) 150 yen (Under 12 years old)
Official site:	http://www.matsuyamajo.jp/

Dogo Onsen Honkan (Hot Spring)

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Estimated Reading Time: 2 minutes

Symbolic existence of the town

There is a Dogo Onsen (Hot Spring) Honkan (main building) at the center of the Dogo Hot Spring town in Matsuyama-shi, Ehime. It appears in “Botchan” which is the writing of great writer Soseki Natsume of Meiji Era, and suddenly became famous. And it is also called the hot spring of Botchan. It is the the historical building as symbolic existence of the town built in 1894, and it was designated as an natiaonal important cultural property in 1994.

The history of 3,000 years

Dogo Onsen is said to be proud of the history of 3,000 years, and counted as one of the three great oldest hot spring in Japan compared with Arima Onsen of Hyogo and Shirahama Onsen of Wakayama. It appears also in various articles, such as the “Nihon shoki” (the oldest chronicles of Japan) and the “Genji Monogatari” (Tale of Genji), and a lot of legends, that Okuninushi no Mikoto(*) cured the illness of Sukunahikona no Mikoto and Shotoku-taishi (prince Shotoku) took bath here, appropriate for “the Japanes oldest hot spring”.
* Chief god of Izumo from the southern Honshu Island, Japan, and the central character in the important cycle of myths established in that region.

2 stars in the volume for Michelin guide

Dogo Onsen Honkan has high popularity in particular in the hot-spring town, it is admired equally with Yudanaka Oyu in a public bathhouse ranking. Moreover, it was selected by 2 stars in the volume for Michelin guide (tourist resort) Japan in March, 2009.

Alkaline hot spring

It is said that spring quality has effect in neuralgia, an arthritic pain, cold sensitive, a chronic digestive organ disease, etc. at an alkaline simple hot spring.

Grand impressive looks

Dogo Onsen Honkan is wooden 3 stories with grand impressive looks. A decline is not impressed while thing time will pass in 100 or more. The hot spring loved even from writers and penmen to the local person is worth visiting.

Information

Name:	Dogo Onsen (Dogo Hot Spring)
Address:	Dogoyunomachi 6-8 Matsuyama, Ehime 790-0842 Japan
Access:	Iyo-Tetsudo Jonan-sen Line “Dogo-onsen-eki Station” (5 minutes walk)
Tel:	(+81)89-943-8342
Price:	Please confirm official site. * Incorporating translation function
Official site:	http://www.dogo.or.jp/

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