Ehime

Ehime is one of the four prefectures that make up Shikoku. If you look at the kanji for Shikoku, it is 四国, the first part meaning four, and the latter meaning country. So four countries. Or in this case, prefectures. OK, so I just copied that from the last one. It has been a while ok?

 So here is where we were, Matsuyama 松山, probably the largest city in the prefecture. Also with the most to offer, especially on our power trip through Shikoku. Though I would still love to go back and visit Uwajima!

This is a close up of the area showing Matsuyama. 

So among the things Matsuyama is known for, is what they call the Japanese Machu Picchu according to the Japanese travel books. It was a former mining factory a ways back which was condemned in an accident and never rebuilt. The site for it is rather small but it does offer a beautiful viewpoint of the mountains. The mine was for a prosperous copper vein that they found and were making very good money off of. Still today you can see and even purchase some of the copper ware at the local stores. There even a museum a little ways down the road promoting the copper trade and as well as educating the young ones about minerals and ores. We did go to this museum and I have to admit...I don't think I would recommend it. The actual site is free and less...childish...But still it was a cute thing to do and enjoy.

Next on anyone's list should be to check out the castle. This castle is actually worth going to see. This one is not a reconstruction of its former glory, but is in this case still in its glory. This castle has first has a fun little chair lift up to the castle grounds. There is of course a walk way up, but it is a nice bit of an incline. They actually sell combo tickets for both the ropeway and the castle itself for a decent price. The castle is of course off limits for shoes and they have you remove them at the door and carry them around in a plastic bag about the place in order to protect their beautiful polished wood floors. The castle is certainly smaller than others and with a certain lack of castle grounds, but it is still unique and beautiful and most importantly original. 

And the last, and probably the most important stop you should make here, is to Dogo Onsen. And to some of you, I am sure that sounds familiar exactly not at all, but perhaps when I tell you what it is affiliated with? Ok, the Gibli movie, Spirited Away, used Dogo Onsen as a basis for its movie setting. 

Need some help remembering?

OK, now that we all remember, or realized that we might have missed out on something great, let's move on. This onsen is pretty much in the middle of the city and it is a grandiose affair. It is beautiful. And huge. And is apparently the only public onsen that any emperor in Japan has ever visited let alone frequented. He even had his own rooms at the onsen. To this day, the onsen is still functioning and has people in and out of its doors until late in the evening. Unfortunately I cannot boast that I have had the chance to bathe here as I would simply not have made the last train back to the hotel if I had. I did get to walk all around it and I can tell you there is a little shrine along the side where you can feel just how warm the natural water is.

As you can see, people are coming in and out in the yukatas after a refreshing bath.

Numerous expensive rickshaws just waiting to transport you all around the city for quite a sum!