Uchiko's picturesque and protected main street has a number of interesting buildings, many of which now serve as museums, souvenir stalls, craft shops, accommodation and charming teahouses. The old buildings typically have cream-coloured plaster walls and 'wings' under the eaves that serve to prevent fire spreading from house to house. As the street is in the Historic District Preservation Zone, there are strict regulations on how buildings are renovated.
Yōkaichi Historic District
Top choice in Ehime Prefecture
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
20.97 MILES
Perched on top of Mt Katsuyama in the centre of town, the castle dominates the city, as it has for centuries. Matsuyama-jō is one of Japan's finest…
17.51 MILES
Pilgrims will be hoofing it through Shikoku's mountainous interior to get here, but you'll want your own wheels if you're not a henro to get to the…
21.72 MILES
East of Dōgo Onsen is Ishite-ji, the 51st of the 88 Temples and one of the most impressive in the circuit. Ishite means 'stone hand' and comes from a…
7.22 MILES
One of Japan's most authentically reconstructed castles, Ōzu-jō and its outlying buildings are original survivors from the Edo period. The castle is an…
23.17 MILES
Once upon a time, many Shintō shrines had a connection to fertility rites. Of those that remain, Taga-jinja is one of the best known. The grounds of the…
6.97 MILES
Ōzu's old town is well worth a stroll, with a number of Meiji-era houses plus Akarenga-kan, a red-brick building constructed in 1901, which was originally…
23.73 MILES
Dating from 1601, Uwajima-jō is a small three-storey castle on an 80m-high hill in the centre of town. The present structure was rebuilt in 1666 by the…
Museum of Commerce & Domestic Life
0.26 MILES
A few minutes' walk north along the main road from the visitors' centre is the Museum of Commerce & Domestic Life, which exhibits historical materials and…
Nearby Ehime Prefecture attractions
0.11 MILES
Here at Uchiko's last remaining candle manufacturer the candles are still made by hand, according to traditional methods; you can watch the candle makers…
0.11 MILES
Within the Kamihaga-tei complex toward the northern end of Yōkaichi, the Japanese Wax Museum has excellent English explanations on the wax-making process…
3. Museum of Commerce & Domestic Life
0.26 MILES
A few minutes' walk north along the main road from the visitors' centre is the Museum of Commerce & Domestic Life, which exhibits historical materials and…
0.28 MILES
At the northern end of the historic district, you'll see signs pointing to this temple up the hill. It's just a few minutes' walk up to the giant…
0.35 MILES
About halfway between the station and Yōkaichi is Uchiko-za, a magnificent traditional kabuki theatre. Originally constructed in 1916, the theatre was…
6.83 MILES
Across town from Ōzu-jō, Garyū-sansō is an elegant Meiji-period teahouse and garden in an idyllic spot overlooking the river. On Sundays from April to…
6.97 MILES
Ōzu's old town is well worth a stroll, with a number of Meiji-era houses plus Akarenga-kan, a red-brick building constructed in 1901, which was originally…
7.22 MILES
One of Japan's most authentically reconstructed castles, Ōzu-jō and its outlying buildings are original survivors from the Edo period. The castle is an…