What to do

• Choose the ¥700 Kami-no-Yu downstairs course for a 60-minute public-bath experience, or select an upper-floor course when you want a rest area after bathing.
• Use the Tama-no-Yu second-floor course if seeing the Yushinden imperial bathhouse matters; the official course includes its viewing with the bath and resting hall.
• Reserve a third-floor private room or a timed Yushinden guided visit in advance; these are limited to five groups per day and are not the same as walk-in bathing.
• Watch the Botchan Karakuri Clock beside Dogo Onsen Station: it performs hourly from 8:00 to 22:00 and every 30 minutes on weekends, holidays, and peak periods.

Tickets and fees

Checked in August 2026: Kami-no-Yu downstairs is ¥700 for adults and ¥350 for children (ages 2–11), with ticket sales until 22:30 for its 6:00–23:00 opening. Kami-no-Yu second-floor seats cost ¥1,300/¥650 and Tama-no-Yu second-floor seats cost ¥2,000/¥1,000; both close at 22:00 and stop selling tickets at 21:00. Walk-in bathers buy at the outside ticket window, but a busy day can use numbered tickets and run out. Advance reservations are for private rooms and Yushinden, not the standard bathing courses.

Getting there

From JR Matsuyama Station, take the Iyotetsu tram to Dogo Onsen Station (about 25 minutes), then walk about 3 minutes to the Honkan. From Matsuyama Airport, the limousine bus takes about 40 minutes to Dogo Onsen Station. Arrive at the station first if you want to catch the Botchan Karakuri Clock before your bath.

Nearby

Matsuyama Castle sits about 20 minutes away by tram and pairs well as a same-day stop; see the Matsuyama Castle guide. For a slower-paced day, the preserved merchant streets of Uchiko Town make a good half-day trip from Matsuyama.

What to do

• Ride the ropeway or single-seat chairlift from Shinonome-guchi Station up to Chojaganaru Station near the castle.
• Enter the original main keep, one of only twelve castle keeps in Japan that survive from the Edo period, and climb through its wooden interior.
• Walk the castle grounds and stone walls for views over central Matsuyama and, on clear days, the Seto Inland Sea.
• Skip the ropeway and hike up one of the walking trails if you prefer exercise over convenience.

Tickets and fees

Checked in July 2026: buy the ropeway or chairlift ticket at the base station and the castle keep ticket separately at the top, or look for combination tickets that bundle both. Advance booking generally isn't needed for a normal visit.

Getting there

From JR Matsuyama Station or Matsuyama City Station, take a tram to Okaido or Minami-Horibata stop, then walk a few minutes to the Shinonome-guchi ropeway station.

Nearby

Dogo Onsen is a short tram ride away and pairs well with a castle visit; see the Dogo Onsen guide. Travelers continuing north can connect toward the Shimanami Kaido cycling route from Imabari.

What to do

• Ride the full route from Onomichi (Hiroshima) to Imabari (Ehime), crossing six islands: Mukaishima, Innoshima, Ikuchijima, Omishima, Hakatajima, and Oshima.
• Cross the Kurushima-Kaikyo Bridge near Imabari, one of the longest suspension bridge systems in the world, on its separated cycling deck.
• Stop on Ikuchijima to see the Kosanji Temple complex and the Hirayama Ikuo Museum of Art.
• Use one of the public rental terminals along the route if you want a one-way ride, since bikes can be picked up in Onomichi and dropped off near Imabari.

Tickets and fees

Checked in July 2026: no toll applies to cyclists on the dedicated bike route as of this writing, but the exemption is a time-limited government measure, so confirm current status before you go. Bicycle rental is paid directly at rental terminals near Onomichi Station or at other terminals along the route; a small local ferry crossing to Mukaishima at the Onomichi end also charges a separate low fare.

Getting there

Start from JR Onomichi Station in Hiroshima Prefecture (bike rental terminals nearby) and finish near JR Imabari Station in Ehime Prefecture, or ride the route in the opposite direction. Rental terminals allow one-way drop-off along the way if you do not want to ride the return leg.

Nearby

The route begins in Onomichi, which is worth a half day of its own for its temple walk and old town before or after riding.

What to do

• Walk the roughly 600-meter Yokaichi-Gokoku preserved street lined with white-walled merchant houses and lattice windows.
• Visit the Kamihaga Residence to see how the town's wax (mokuro) merchants lived and worked.
• Look for the Uchiko-za theater building; check locally first, since it has been closed for renovation since 2024.
• Rent a bicycle near Uchiko Station to cover the town and nearby countryside at an easy pace.

Tickets and fees

Checked in July 2026: walking the historic street itself is free; individual museum houses charge separate small entry fees, and some sell combination tickets covering two or three buildings. Confirm which houses are open before visiting, since the Uchiko-za theater has been closed for multi-year earthquake-resistance construction since September 2024.

Getting there

From Matsuyama Station, take the JR Yosan Line limited express to JR Uchiko Station, about 25 to 40 minutes depending on train type. The preserved district is about a 15-minute walk from the station, or a short taxi or bicycle ride.

Nearby

Uchiko is an easy day trip from Matsuyama; combine it with Matsuyama Castle or Dogo Onsen if you have more time in Ehime.