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Occupying the west of Shikoku and formerly known as Iyo, Ehime Prefecture (愛媛県) is home to Shikoku's largest city, Matsuyama, and has the greatest number of the 88 pilgrimage temples – 27, to be precise. Like Tosa (Kōchi Prefecture), the southern part of the prefecture has always been considered wild and remote; by the time pilgrims arrive in Matsuyama, they know that the hard work has been done and they are well on their way to completing their goal. To pilgrims, Ehime is known as Bodai-no-dōjō, the 'place for attainment of wisdom'. There are large clusters of temples around Matsuyama and Imabari, at the southern end of the Shimanami Kaidō bridge system, which links Shikoku with Honshū and makes for a spectacular bike ride.
Prefectural highlights are the immaculately preserved feudal castle and historic Dōgo Onsen in Matsuyama, and the sacred peak of Ishizuchi-san (1982m), the highest mountain in western Japan.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Ehime Prefecture.
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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 surviving castles, and one of the very few with anything interesting to peruse inside: the castle has a treasure trove of artefacts with excellent English-language displays. A ropeway (one way/return ¥270/510) is on hand to whisk you up the hill, though there is a pleasant pathway if you prefer to walk.
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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 isolated, but extremely atmospheric Temple 45, the Iwaya-ji. Its cliffside buildings tower precariously above the valley and visitors might almost feel the presence of the holy men of long ago. A trail lined with age-old statues winds up to the temple, then up and over the mountain above.
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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.
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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 legend associated with Kōbō Daishi in which a baby was born with a stone in its hand. Don't miss exploring the tunnels and caves at the rear of the complex. A statue of Kōbō Daishi overlooks the temple from high on the hillside.
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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 impressive sight above the river, but exploring its interior is particularly fascinating – cross-sections of its roof construction, displays of armour and a scale model of the castle's bones are displayed in pristine condition.
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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 shrine have a few tree-trunk phalluses and numerous statues and stone carvings, but it's the notorious three-storey Sex Museum, packed with anthropological erotica from all corners of the procreating world, that brings 'em in.
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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 Ōzu Commercial Bank but later became the town's police HQ. Several period television series have been filmed in the area and the locals are suitably proud. Old town is about 500m east of the castle.
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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 daimyō (regional lord) Date Munetoshi. The donjon (main keep) is one of only 12 originals left in Japan; there is nothing much to see inside. The surrounding park, Shiroyama-kōen, is a pleasant place for a stroll.
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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 wax figures portraying a typical merchant's home of the early 20th century. If you understand Japanese, the recorded voicing of various characters in the house is entertaining; otherwise, get the lowdown from the English flyer.