Moopon

Garyu Sanso (臥龍山荘, Garyū Sansō) is a subtle yet outstanding villa located by the river east of Ozu's old town. Ozu City (大洲, Ōzu) is located in Ehime Prefecture on the western coast of Shikoku. The city emerged during the Edo Period (1603-1867) as a castle town. A section of the old town remains today with nostalgic alleys and old-fashioned houses, serving as remembrance both to the days of the Edo Period and the Meiji Period (1868-1912). Its garden incorporates background landscape into itself and offers exquisite combination garden of art and nature. This impressive villa was built around 1907.

Main building; Garyu-in
It is a big, wooden, thatched-roof house. Here there are a few seemingly simple, yet brilliantly conceived rooms. Each room has interesting features, such as elaborately carved transoms, gracefully made lattices, unequally sized tatami mats, tastefully decorated door handles, aesthetically pleasing alcoves and coffered ceilings. One room has a circular window that symbolizes a full moon, while the staggered shelves to its left represent clouds; when the candle on the Buddhist altar behind the window is lit, the window and the shelves resemble a bright moon in the midst of floating clouds.

Garden
Behind the main building is a nice garden, whose strolling path is formed by stone slabs of different shapes and sizes. Within the peaceful surroundings stands Chishi-an, a small tea house that used to be the bathroom of the villa when it was first built. The tea house has a unique squarish entrance elevated above grou.( visitors are not allowed inside.)
At the innermost of the garden stands another thatched-roof house named Furo-an, which utilizes a living tree as one of its pillars. The image of Furo-an resting on stilts above Hijikawa River is celebrated among photography enthusiasts.

On weekends from April through October, tea and a small snack are served here for 400 yen.

Hours and Fees
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (last entry 16:30)
Closed: No closing days
Admission:500 yen (Garyu Sanso only), 800 yen (Garyu Sanso and Ozu Castle)

Access info
Garyu Sanso can be accessed in about a 30 minute walk from Iyo-Ozu Station. Alternatively, take the loop bus from the station to Asamoya-mae (あさもや前) bus stop (7 minutes, 100 yen, 1-2 buses per hour) from which the villa is a five minute walk.

Tsubaki no Yu, located in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, is within minutes away from the world famous Dogo Onsen (hot springs bath).  This Dogo Onsen area is a laid-back onsen town with visitors walking around the town in their yukatas, or Japanese bathrobes.

Tsubaki no Yu is in a tall, white building on the corner of the Dogo Shopping Arcade. Though not as fancy as Dogo Onsen’s Honkan, the healing water used at Dogo Onsen’s Honkan is used here, at Tsubaki no Yu as well.

Hours: 6:30 to 23:00 (last entry:  22:30)
Admission: 360 yen

Within the world famous Dogo Onsen (hot springs bath) area in Matsuyama City, Japan, lies the Botchan Karakuri Clock.  The Botchan Karakuri Clock is located in front of Dogo Onsen Station.

This clock chimes on the hour, every hour from 8:00 to 22:00. During some seasons, the clock chimes every half hour. At the chiming period, “roof” of the clock tower elevates and a taiko drummer figurine can be seen hitting a Japanese drum.  From various sides of the clock tower, characters from the famous Japanese novel “Botchan” appear to provide entertainment to the Dogo visitors.

Next to the clock tower is a hot springs foot bath.  The foot bath is free of charge. Visitors are welcomed to use the foot bath from 6:00 to 23:00.

An approximately 250 meter long covered shopping arcade connects Dogo Onsen Honkan with Dogo Onsen Station. The shopping Arcade is known as Haikara Dori.  The arcade is filled with stores selling local specialties, gifts, sweets and snacks. Most shops here open into the night and the shopping street remains lively with strolling visitors. Ryokan guests can walk around in their yukata.

What’s Dogo Onsen?
Dogo Onsen (道後温泉, Dōgo Onsen) is one of Japan's oldest and most famous hot springs, located to the east of central Matsuyama. The area is popular with tourists for its beautiful bath house and many ryokan. Dogo Onsen has also been a frequent destination for Japan's most prestigious guests, the Imperial Family.

Hours: varies by shop, typically from 9:00 to 22:00
Closed: varies by shop from no closing days to one per month or week, typically Tuesday or Wednesday

Access info
The shopping Arcade is a four minute walk from Dogo Onsen Station, the terminus of three tram lines. From JR Matsuyama Station, take tram line 5 (20 minutes, 160 yen). From Matsuyama-shi Station, take tram line 3 (15 minutes, 160 yen).