Dogo Onsen and Matsuyama Castle: Ehime's Classic One-Two Stop

Dogo Onsen is one of Japan's oldest hot spring bath houses, with a wooden main building dating to the late 1800s and a soaking tradition claimed to go back many centuries longer. It's popularly said to have influenced the bathhouse in Spirited Away — treat that as a well-known local claim rather than a confirmed fact.

The historic building has gone through restoration work in recent years, so parts of it may still be under renovation or operating on a modified layout — check the current status before you go. Standard onsen etiquette applies: wash thoroughly before entering the communal bath.

Matsuyama Castle is one of only twelve Japanese castles with an original keep that survived intact rather than being a concrete postwar reconstruction. It sits on a hill above the city, reachable by ropeway, chairlift, or a walking trail, with good views over Matsuyama from the top.

Ehime is famous within Japan for mikan (mandarin oranges), and several Shikoku Pilgrimage temples sit within the prefecture. There's no shinkansen here — expect to arrive by regional train, ferry, or a short flight, and to rent a car if you want to see much beyond Matsuyama itself.