Moopon

Rare in Japan, Matsuyama Castle （松山城） located in Ehime Prefecture, Shikoku, is one of Japan’s “original castles”.  
Remaining undamaged from war, there are only 12 castles in Japan which are intact since the post-feudal era. 

Being located on Mount Katsuyama, visitors can enjoy the view of Matsuyama city and Seto Inland Sea from the castle grounds. With the approximately 200 cherry trees planted on the grounds, it is a popular hanami (cherry blossom viewing) spot in the spring (typically from late March to early April).

Matsuyama Castle was originally built between 1602 and 1628 and was given to the Matsudaira family (relatives of Japan’s ruler, Tokugawa shogun) in 1635.  However, the original five-storied castle was destroyed by lightning and the reconstructed to its current three storied tower in 1820. 

A typical feudal castle, the main circle of defense, Honmaru is located on the top of hill.  Access to the Honmaru is through multiple gates which are well-defended. Matsuyama Castle is one of the few castles with multiple wings.The main keep has a secondary keep and multiple turrets. Visitors can see displays of Matsuyama’s history as well as information about the feudal period within the castle.

Matsuyama Castle Keep
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:30 in December and January; until 17:30 in August) 
Admission ends 30 minutes before closing time.
Closed: December 29th 
Admission: 510 yen

Though the castle is located on top of a steep hill, there is a ropeway as well as a chairlift making the access fairly easy.  
Visitors can view the beautiful hillside scenery from the chairlift.  For more adventurous visitors, it is possible to climb up the hill from the ropeway station or the Ninomaru Garden.  It would take about 15 minutes.

Ropeway & Chairlift
Hours: Ropeway: 8:30 to 17:30 (until 17:00 in December and January; until 18:00 in August)
Chairlift: 8:30 to 17:00 (around the year)
Closed: Opened all year round
Admission: 510 yen (round trip), 270 yen (one way)

Lying at the base of Mount Katsuyama is the Ninomaru Garden. This is the former site of the second circle of defense (Ninomaru).The Ninomaru was the lord’s residence and where his offices were located as it provided an easier access to the city than Honmaru.

However, visitors cannot visit the palace buildings as the buildings no longer exist.  Instead, Ninomaru has been transformed into a park, preserving the layout of the former castle palace through its gardens, elevated grounds and ponds.

Ninomaru Park
Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:30 in December and January; until 17:30 in August)
Closed: December 29
Admission: 100 yen

Access Information:
1.  From JR Matsuyama Station board tram line 5 to Okaido (approximately 10 minutes, the fare is 160 yen).
Or
From Matsuyama-shi Station, board tram line 2 or 3 to Okaido (approximately 5 minutes, 160 yen)
2.  From Okaido tram stop, a 5 minute walk through the covered shopping street will lead to the lower ropeway station.
3.  Board the ropeway/chairlift to Matsuyama Castle.

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.

Close to world famous Dogo Onsen, a natural hot springs bath in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture is easy, breezy Dogo Park.  Originally the grounds for the Yuzuki Castle, the residence of Shugo Kono, all that remains today are the moats and barely noticeable castle ruins.

However, with Dogo Park being located on a hill with numerous cherry trees, this park is a popular cherry blossom viewing (hanami) spot in the spring.  From the observation deck, visitors have great views of Matsuyama Castle, the city and the Seto Inland Sea.  Visitors can also visit the small museum to learn about the city’s history. A replica of a samurai complex has been constructed here as well

The Shiki Memorial Museum displays information on one of Matsuyama's most well-known sons, Masaoka Shiki, who introduced modern haiku poetry. This museum is located near Dogo Onsen area (see below). Shiki's works of poems and paintings, as well as materials documenting his life are presented.
There are valuable materials for the study of modern Japanese literature. Moreover the museum holds works related to Natsume Soseki, who was best friend of Shiki.

Shiki Memorial Museum
Hours: 9:00 to 18:00 (until 17:00 from November to April)
Admission ends 30 minutes before closing
Admission: 400 yen
Closed: Mondays (or following day if Monday is a national holiday), Dec 29 to 31

Access info
It takes 4minutes walk from Dogo Onsen station.
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.

The main attraction in Dogo Onsen is the Dogo Onsen Honkan, a Meiji Period wooden public bathhouse, dating from 1894. The interior of the Honkan is a maze of stairways, passages and rooms, all of which bustle with bathers and staff. It is said to have served as inspiration for Miyazaki's popular animated film "Spirited Away".