CASTLE TO ONSEN
a night in the city,
A night at a hot spring.
On the first day, we leave our luggage at Okaido and climb Matsuyama Castle. On the second day, take the tram to Dogo Onsen, walk through shrines and castle ruins, and rest at a ryokan. It's a city where the airport, castle, and hot springs are connected within 40 minutes, so the scene completely changes without having to move too much. This itinerary was split between one night at a city hotel and one night at a Dogo ryokan.
2 NIGHTS · 3 DAYS
Schedule to follow
An evening in Ehime begins when you come down from the castle.
- 01Arrival at Matsuyama Airport around 11:00, immigration and baggage pickup
- 02Airport Limousine Bus → Okaido · Approximately 25-30 minutes · Cash ¥1,200 / Transportation IC ¥1,180
- 0312:30 Leave luggage at Okaido Hotel → Approximately 10 minutes walk to Kotori in Kintengai Alley
- 0412:50 Kotori Nabeyaki Udon · If sold out, switch to a nearby restaurant
- 0513:40 Go to the ropeway and purchase a round-trip ticket at Shinonomeguchi Station.
- 0614:10 Ropeway or lift → Honmaru Plaza → Tenshu in this order
- 07Leave the castle grounds by 16:30 and descend by ropeway to see the exterior of Bansuiso and take a walk around Okaido.
- 0818:00 Goshiki reservation dinner · sea bream somen or local cuisine course
- 0920:00 1 night at Okaido Hotel
You can enter the hot spring village with just one tram ride.
- 0107:00 Hotel breakfast · 08:30 Check-out
- 02Okaido → Dogo Onsen tram · Approx. 11 minutes · Cash ¥250 / Transportation IC ¥230
- 0309:10 Store your luggage at Dogo Ryokan · Check availability the day before before check-in.
- 0409:30 Isaniwa Shrine 135 stone steps → Walk in that order: Dōgo Park and Yuzuki Castle Ruins
- 0511:00 Kadoya Dogo Tsubakizaka branch · Uwajima-style sea bream rice lunch
- 0612:30 Asukanoyu 1st floor bathing · ¥610 · Use 90 minutes
- 0714:10 10 FACTORY Dogo branch · Tangerine gelato and juice break
- 0815:00 Check-in at the ryokan · Relax in the large bath and garden
- 09Kaiseki dinner around 18:00 Meal time confirmed at check-in
- 1020:00 Dogo Onsen Main Building/Haicara Street Night Walk
We end with a morning at the oldest hot spring.
- 0105:50 Arrival at Dogo Onsen main building · Leave suitcase in room
- 0206:00 Kaminoyu 1st floor bathing · Adult ¥700 · Use 60 minutes
- 0307:15 Return to ryokan · Breakfast around 08:00
- 0409:15 Souvenir shopping at Haikara Street or a short walk at Dogo Park
- 0510:00 Check-out · Confirm airport bus operation on the same day at the ryokan front desk
- 06Dogo Onsen → Matsuyama Airport Limousine Bus · Approximately 40 minutes · Cash ¥1,200 / Transportation IC ¥1,180
- 07Arrive at the airport 2 hours and 30 minutes before international departure
- 08Morning flights depart immediately after breakfast, excluding bathing and walking in the main building.
EAT ALONG THE ROUTE
From udon to sea bream rice,
Four times there is no going back.
Operating hours and prices are confirmed as of September 2026. Kotori is closed on Wednesdays, sells out early, and has irregular closures. On days where dinner at the ryokan is included, order small snacks.
DAY 1 · Lunch
Nabeyaki Udon Kotori
- movement line
- Approximately 8-10 minutes walk from Okaido/Gintengai · First meal after getting off the airport bus
- menu
- Nabeyaki Udon, Inarizushi
- budget
- Udon approx. ¥700 · 2 inari approx. ¥300 · Cash available
- sales
- 10:00–14:00 · Closes when supplies run out · Closed on Wednesdays and irregular times
The sweet iriko broth in the aluminum pot is the key. They do not take reservations and sell out quickly, so if you cannot enter by 13:20, please move to an alternative restaurant to adhere to the castle viewing hours.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 1 · Dinner
Local Cuisine Goshiki Main Branch
- movement line
- Approximately 5 minutes on foot from Okaido Tram stop, after getting off the castle
- menu
- Sea bream somen, Matsuyama-style and Uwajima-style sea bream rice, Zakoten local cuisine
- budget
- Lunch ¥1,000–3,000 · Dinner ¥3,000–7,000
- sales
- Lunch 11:00–14:00 · Dinner 17:00–21:00, until 22:00 on Saturdays · Closed irregularly
Somen topped with a sea bream is often served for two or more people. If you're alone, it's a good idea to reserve a small set of local dishes, and if you're with more than one person, it's a good idea to reserve the sea bream somen course to reduce duplicate orders.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 2 · Lunch
Kadoya Dogo Tsubakizaka Branch
- movement line
- Right next to Asuka-no-yu · After a walk around Isaniwa Shrine and Dogo Park
- menu
- Uwajima sea bream rice made by mixing raw sea bream with egg and soy sauce and serving it on rice
- budget
- Uwajima sea bream rice approx. ¥1,980 · approx. ¥2,000–3,500 per person
- sales
- 11:00–15:00, last order 14:30 · 17:00–22:00, last order 21:30 · Closed January 1
Unlike Matsuyama-style pot rice, raw sea bream is mixed into the sauce. If you open at 11 o'clock, you can reduce waiting and bathing congestion. Reservations may not be possible, so give priority to on-site guidance.
Check the latest information ↗
DAY 2 · Snack
10 FACTORY Dogo Branch
- movement line
- Right in front of Dogo Onsen Station After bathing in Asuka-no-yu and before checking in at the ryokan
- menu
- Ehime tangerine gelato, tangerine juice comparison set by variety, tangerine beer
- budget
- Approximately ¥500–1,500 per person
- sales
- Latest store information 09:00–21:00, last order 20:00 · Open all year round
It's a short stop that's great for using up the extra time until check-in. If you order three types of juice with different acidity together, the difference between Ehime tangerines is clear, and since it is before dinner at the ryokan, it is safer to share only one gelato.
Check the latest information ↗135 STEPS
Leave your luggage first
Go up to the shrine.
It takes about 10 minutes from Dogo Onsen Station to Isaniwa Shrine, but there are 135 stone steps at the end. Since it is not a route to climb with a suitcase, leave your luggage at the ryokan, see the shrine first, and then come down to connect Dogo Park and Yuzuki Castle ruins. If you finish the areas with large altitude changes first, it will be much easier to take a bath after lunch.
If it's raining or your knees are uncomfortable, just look at the exterior at the bottom of the stairs and go straight to Dogo Park. It is more satisfying to check in at 15:00 and have dinner at the ryokan than to visit all the attractions.
ONE FARE
The streetcar
When getting off rather than getting on.
For streetcars, you pay when you get on and off at the back. From April 2026, adults will pay ¥250 in cash and ¥230 for national transportation IC cards. It takes about 11 minutes from Okaido to Dogo Onsen, so it is cheaper for this itinerary to pay for only the sections you need rather than an all-day ticket. The tourist Botchan train only operates on weekends and public holidays and costs ¥1,300 per ride, so it was not counted as essential transportation.
WHERE TO STAY
Dogo Ryokan two,
Two downtown hotels
Recommendation Conclusion
For DAY 1, Candeo is better to reduce the travel route to the castle and Okaido, and Comfort is better for free breakfast and lower prices. For DAY 2, Funaya is recommended for a garden and quiet relaxation, and Yamatoya Main Store is recommended for the 1-minute location of the main building and traditional facilities. Choose one hotel in the city and one ryokan in Dogo.
Dogo Onsen Funaya
Approximately 3 minutes on foot from Dogo Onsen Station · Just below Isaniwa Shrine
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥57,200–125,000+ / 1 night, 2 meals included
- breakfast
- Plan to choose between Japanese set meal or American breakfast · Check reservation conditions
- Dinner
- Check-in at 17:00 is recommended for plans that include Setouchi Kaiseki or French course and dinner.
- parking
- Car ¥880 per night, no reservation required, two-wheeled vehicle ¥440
- Advantages
- Founded in 1627, the hotel features a large Japanese garden and a large public bath and open-air bath 100% sourced from natural sources, providing plenty of time to relax within the hotel.
- Cons
- Rates vary greatly depending on room class and meal location, and dinner may be excluded from the cheapest plan.
Yamatoya Honten, Dogo Onsen
Approximately 1 minute walk from Dogo Onsen main building, inside Haikara Street
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥38,000–95,000+ / 1 night, 2 meals included
- breakfast
- Check availability of Japanese/Western buffet, Ehime menu, and tangerine juice corner.
- Dinner
- Setouchi seasonal kaiseki dinner start time varies by plan
- parking
- 50 vehicles · ¥1,000 per vehicle per night · Staff guidance at the entrance upon arrival
- Advantages
- It is closest to the main building and has a cypress open-air bath, an indoor Noh stage, and a Japanese sake bar, providing a good balance between tradition and convenience.
- Cons
- Because it has 90 rooms, the dining room and large bathroom may be crowded, and depending on room assignment, you may see city buildings before the view.
Candeo Hotels Matsuyama Okaido
Right in front of the Okaido tram stop · Priority to airport buses and castle and evening routes
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥11,000–28,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- 13th floor buffet 06:30–09:30 · Guest adult ¥1,980
- Dinner
- No restaurant operation other than breakfast · Use of Okaido commercial district
- parking
- No dedicated parking, affiliated parking 14:00 – 12:00 the next day, approx. ¥1,200
- Advantages
- The castle ropeway street and airport bus stop are close by, and you can overlook the city from the sky spa on the top floor.
- Cons
- The front desk is on the 13th floor, so the first entry may be unfamiliar, and additional fees may apply if you leave the parking lot midway.
Comfort Hotel Matsuyama
Approximately 3-4 minutes walk from Matsuyama City Station · Priority to airport bus and return trip
- price
- 2 people per room approx. ¥9,000–20,000 / 1 night
- breakfast
- Complimentary Japanese and Western buffet and smoothies for hotel guests. Check upon check-in for service hours.
- Dinner
- No restaurant dinner · Use of Gintengai and Shi Station commercial areas
- parking
- Lots of 5 spaces and several partner parking lots · First-come, first-served · Typically ¥500–800 per night
- Advantages
- The most economical choice with free breakfast, a library café open from 10:00–24:00, and self-storage lockers.
- Cons
- A tram ride is required to get to Okaido and the castle, and the basic rooms are difficult for two people to open large suitcases at the same time.
Rate criteria · Approximate range of 2 people per room per night searchable in September 2026. For ryokans, breakfast and dinner and room class, and for hotels, the day of the week, breakfast, and cancellation conditions vary greatly. Please check again on the reservation screen whether bathing tax and meals are included.
BUDGET GUIDE
Estimated cost per person
This is the cost per person for a two-person trip and excludes flights and shopping. Breakfast and dinner at Dogo Ryokan are included in the accommodation fee. Funaya's top-tier rooms, holiday rates, and Goshiki course choices make the biggest difference to your overall budget.
GOOD
Advantages of this schedule
- The airport, castle, and hot springs are connected by bus and tram.
- Experience both a city hotel and a Dogo ryokan
- The view of the castle, the colors of the shrine, and the night of the hot spring do not overlap.
CHECK
Things to know
- For afternoon arrivals, it may be difficult to view the castle before the castle closes.
- Lifts are closed on rainy days and ropeway closures vary depending on the season.
- Ryokan dinner-included plans may not provide meals in case of late check-in.
OFFICIAL SOURCES
Please check again before departure.
Iyotetsu · Airport Limousine Bus Timetable · Cash/IC Fee ↗Iyotetsu · How to ride the streetcar · Fares for 2026 ↗Matsuyama Castle, Tenshu, Ropeway operating hours and fees ↗Dogo Onsen main building/facilities bathing fees/hours ↗Dogo Onsen Asukanoyu · Fees and reservations by course ↗Kadoya · Dogo Tsubakizaka branch official business information ↗Funaya · Standard rate per room including two meals ↗Yamatoya Main Store, Check-in, Parking, Facility Information ↗Candeo/Okaido access/affiliate parking fee ↗Comfort Hotel/Airport Access/Parking Information ↗PHOTO CREDITS · Dogo Onsen main building night view: Samurai Sauna Magazine · Matsuyama Castle: 攻城団 / MAX CARTER · Isaniwa Shrine: Expedia introduction image · Ropeway: Matsuyama City official tourist information · Food and room images are images of the official gallery or introduction/review page of each store/lodge and have been resized for editing.
English edition of our Korean guide. Times and prices retain the source review date; they are not live booking quotes. Check eligibility for visitor fares and plan international flights separately.