5 Best Sights in Matsuyama, Shikoku

A 15-minute walk from Dogo Onsen, Ishite-ji is Shingon Buddhism at play. Half serene pilgrimage destination, half ancient Buddhist-themed fun park, the temple is more than worth a visit. As sprawling and elegantly unkempt as the city around it, it contains surprises that are, like the temple cats, too numerous to count.

Enter the temple by way of a stone road that's flanked by wooden stalls with vendors selling calligraphy brushes, omiyage-paper fortunes, and pilgrimage gear. Just inside the colossal temple gate you'll see a table for folding origami cranes; make one and it will be added to the heavy, colorful bunches hanging around the pillars. Past the cranes lies the main hall of worship, where you're likely to see a pilgrim or two chanting a sutra. In the surrounding area you'll also see painted panels, golden statues, a giant mandala on the stairway to the main shrine, a wooden kami (spirit) with a sword you can heft, and a huge bronze bell to ring (¥100).

It's serene and memorable, but the real fun at Ishite-ji Temple starts in a long, dark cave to the left of the main worship hall. It feels impossibly long, and when you finally emerge on the other side—past startling wooden statues and 88 stone Buddhas—you'll be confronted by a 100-foot statue of the priest Kobo Daishi striding across the mountains. The mountain behind the temple also holds a few surprises: a scrambling rock pathway leads up the mountain, where two spooky caves are yours to explore (even most locals don't know about them).

Tell people you're heading to Matsuyama, and Dogo Onsen will be the first place they recommend. This hot spring has been the city's top attraction for the last millennium. Japan's oldest written text mentions it as a favorite of gods, emperors, and peasants alike, and it's still in daily use by locals and visitors. The main wooden building at present-day Dogo dates from 1894 and looks like a fairy tale castle; an especially pristine one thanks to a multiyear restoration that ended in 2024.

Just down the road from the historic honkan (main building), you'll also find the swanky Asuka-no-Yu annex that opened in 2017. Built in a traditional style, it offers an experience similar to Dogo Onsen, with several baths, tatami chill-out areas, the chance to don a lightweight yukata robe, and refreshments. All baths at both facilities are separated by gender. Both facilities also offer a range of ticketing options, from access to just a bath or bath access along with relaxation rooms and tea and sweets. Whichever bath you opt for, remember proper onsen etiquette: wash and rinse yourself (and your towel) before getting into the bath (without your towel).

The permanent collection of this museum occupying a modern city-center building isn't that big, but the selection of recent Japanese art is terrific, and the temporary exhibits are extensive. The galleries often host exhibits of works by local artists.

The late Juzo Itami (1933–97) is regarded as one of Japan's most innovative and captivating film directors, known for his affectionate and absurdist portraits of Japanese life. Each film starred his wife, Nobuko Miyamoto, and an off-the-wall supporting character, sometimes played by Itami himself. The director's best-known films include Tampopo (1985), centering on a bedraggled ramen-shop owner trying to make the perfect soup, and Ososhiki (The Funeral, 1984), the story of an idiosyncratic family coming together for a funeral. If you haven't seen these films, they're musts for any visitor to Japan; if you have, then you'll love the museum, curated by Miyamoto herself, showcasing video clips and objects from Itami's life.

Mighty Matsuyama Castle stands on a 433-feet mountain in the middle of town, and the views of the city from here are stunning. Dating from 1603, it's one of the most impressive castles in Japan. Inside you can watch footage of the post–World War II reconstruction; the shaping and joining of wood and the stamping out of straw wattle for the walls is astonishing. There is no concrete, no rebar, and only enough nails to hold down the floorboards. Dark-wood passageways carry the smell of old smoke from the numerous fires the castle has endured.

To get to the castle, walk uphill about 30 or 40 minutes or ride the ropeway partway up and continue on foot about 15 minutes to the castle. The station is on Ropeway Street, just north of the Okaido shopping arcade. If you have time, also visit the Ninomaru garden just west of the castle.