At a glance

  • Choose the airport bus stop nearest your accommodation among Matsuyama Station, Ōkaidō, and Dōgo Onsen.
  • Check the official guidance for the Matsuyama Castle ropeway, chairlift, and tower, and for the available bathing and admission options at Dōgo Onsen’s main building.
  • Uchiko-za’s main theater has been closed for major repairs since September 2024, with reopening targeted for spring 2029 according to the official tourism information. Instead, check whether Uchiko-za’s dressing rooms, Gakuya, are open to visitors that day, and include the Museum of Commerce and Life and the Kamihaga Residence in your walk around town.
  • Think of tai-meshi as a lunch option and izakaya as a dinner option. Choose a specific restaurant after checking its hours and availability that day.

Day by day

Suggested itinerary

See each day's route, highlights, background and stay together in one place.

Day 1

Matsuyama Airport → accommodation → Ōkaidō → Dōgo Onsen and shopping street

Day 2

Matsuyama Castle → Bansuisō → tai-meshi lunch → explore the city by tram → local izakaya

Day 3

JR to Uchiko → historic streets → Uchiko-za Gakuya (dressing rooms), if open → Museum of Commerce and Life → Kamihaga Residence → return to Matsuyama

Places and meals

Matsuyama Castle

Check tower and ropeway operations.

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Dogo Onsen Honkan

Check bathing and admission options and wait times.

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Uchiko-za Gakuya (dressing rooms)

The main theater is closed for renovation, with reopening targeted for spring 2029. Check whether the dressing rooms are open to visitors on your travel date.

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Baishinji Station Coast

A short seaside walk on a good-weather day.

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How to fit it in

A good fit for a first visit to Matsuyama when you want to see more than hot springs: the castle, local food, and a small town in Ehime.

Reality check

Transport

The airport limousine bus, Iyotetsu city tram, and JR route to Uchiko have separate fare systems.

Time

Allow about a day and a half for Matsuyama, 6–8 hours for the round trip to Uchiko, and about an hour for airport transfers.

Cost

List your actual rides and compare the total cost of a transit pass with individual tickets. Budget separately for hot springs and castle admission.

Safety

Avoid alcohol before and after using the hot springs. Check the last return train from Uchiko and the last airport bus in advance.

If plans change

Matsuyama Castle service suspended or closed

Don’t force a trip to the top of the mountain. Visit Bansuisō, Ōkaidō, and cultural sites in the city that are open.

If the Uchiko train schedule doesn’t work

Don’t risk missing the last return service. Spend the day in Matsuyama instead, visiting Dōgo Onsen and the Baishinji coast, for example.

Small tip

Compare passes only if you’ll take the city tram and regional trains often. Be sure to check which passes include the JR route to Uchiko.

Final check before departure

  • Check the airport bus, city tram, and JR Uchiko timetables separately.
  • Before booking, check transport to Matsuyama Castle and the available bathing and admission options at Dōgo Onsen.
  • Plan for the long closure of Uchiko-za’s main theater. Check whether the dressing rooms and Kamihaga Residence are open, and confirm the last return train.

Official information checked on October 3, 2026, says Uchiko-za’s main theater is closed for renovation, with reopening targeted for spring 2029. Check whether the Gakuya dressing rooms are open to visitors on your date. Recheck restaurant and hot spring hours and booking procedures in the official information for that day.

Information checked: 2026-10-03

Google Maps

Check the location on the map

Use Google Maps to review the location and nearby route. Recheck opening hours and prices with the official source before visiting.

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