Ehime in 4 nights/5 days: one hotel or two Ozu nights?
Stay four nights at one Matsuyama hotel and give the castle, hot springs, Uchiko and Ozu separate days, or stay two Matsuyama nights followed by two in Ozu. The Ozu itinerary moves via Uchiko, then sets aside separate days for old-street and riverside walks and the castle. For a final-morning departure, move the castle to the previous day or omit it.
Choose a 5 days / 4 nights itinerary
Four Matsuyama nights with trips to both towns
Spend four nights in Matsuyama to enjoy city walks, the castle, hot springs and both towns from one hotel. Give Uchiko and Ozu a day each, and choose final-day bathing according to your departure time.
Four Matsuyama nights with trips to both towns →5 days / 4 nightsTwo Ozu nights to reduce return journeys
Spend two nights in Matsuyama, then two in Ozu to walk the old streets and riverside at a leisurely pace. Move hotels via Uchiko, with different days for Ozu walks and the castle. Return to JR Matsuyama Station on your final day.
Two Ozu nights to reduce return journeys →Four Matsuyama nights with trips to both towns
Spend four nights in Matsuyama to enjoy city walks, the castle, hot springs and both towns from one hotel. Give Uchiko and Ozu a day each, and choose final-day bathing according to your departure time.
Day 1: arrive in Okaido for meals and walks
Stay four nights in Matsuyama, with different days for the castle, Dogo, Uchiko and Ozu. Keep the same hotel and make a JR return trip to each town.
- Matsuyama Airport or JR Matsuyama Station → Okaido stop
Not every airport bus serves Okaido, so check the stops. If arriving by JR, take city tram 5 from JR Matsuyama Station towards Dogo Onsen and get off at Okaido. JR Matsuyama and Matsuyama City are different stations. The checked adult airport–Okaido fare is ¥1,200 cash or ¥1,180 with a nationwide transport IC card. This airport journey is excluded from the sightseeing subtotal below. Choose a bus you can board after baggage collection and immigration procedures are complete.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Airport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableMatsuyama Airport bus information
- Okaido shopping street → Okaido meals and walks, then the same hotel
Choose somewhere open for a meal in Okaido shopping street, walk nearby and return to your hotel. If arriving late, shorten the walk and rest. Castle and hot-spring visits start the next day.
Day 2: go up to Matsuyama Castle and return to your hotel
Walk from your Okaido hotel to Shinonomeguchi ropeway station.
- Okaido stop → Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station
Walk from Okaido tram stop to the Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station. Official guidance gives about 5 minutes on foot.
- Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station → Upper station and keep ticket office
Buy a ¥520 adult return ticket at the lower station and take the ropeway. From the upper station, walk through the Honmaru grounds to the keep ticket office. The operator’s roughly 30-minute journey from the lower station’s first floor to the ticket office excludes time inside the keep.
- Keep ticket office → Matsuyama Castle keep
Adult keep admission costs ¥520, separately from the return ropeway ticket. Usual hours are 09:00–17:00, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Hours differ in August and December–January; check your date’s closing time before entering.
- Matsuyama Castle keep → Ropeway lower station and Okaido shopping street
After your visit, return to the upper boarding area and take the ropeway down. Walk from the lower station towards Okaido for a meal or a break.
Lower station accessCastle fees and hoursStairs and visitor information
Day 3: walk Uchiko’s old streets and return to the same hotel
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama Station.
- Okaido hotel → JR Uchiko Station
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama Station, get off and walk to the JR station. Change to a train stopping at Uchiko. With separate tickets for non-reserved limited-express travel via Uchiko, the adult one-way cost is ¥850 basic fare plus a ¥760 supplement, totalling ¥1,610 or ¥3,220 return under the same conditions. Check both arrival and return services for your date. Walking from the hotel to the station, waiting for trams or JR and buying tickets take additional time.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Uchiko Tourism Association visitor informationFare tableMatsuyama StationUchiko StationIyo-Ozu Station
- JR Uchiko Station → Uchiko’s old streets
From Uchiko Station, follow the tourism association’s route about 1 km/15 minutes to the southern entrance of the old streets. Explore the streets and Uchiko-za’s exterior, then have lunch somewhere open. The association suggests 1–2 hours for street walks or about 3 hours with a meal. Uchiko-za’s main building is closed for construction, so interior visits and admission are excluded. Check individual closures and extra charges if planning to enter houses or museums.
Uchiko Tourism Association visitor informationTourism association closure information
- Uchiko’s old streets → Okaido hotel
Walk back from the old streets to Uchiko Station, take a Matsuyama-bound train and change outside the JR station to tram 5 towards Dogo Onsen, getting off at Okaido. Plan your meal alongside the station walk and boarding allowance so you catch your return train. Check actual return services and the last train for your date.
Uchiko Tourism Association visitor informationUchiko StationMatsuyama StationCity tram timetable
Day 4: walk from Iyo-Ozu Station to Ozu Castle
As on the previous day, take tram 5 from Okaido to JR Matsuyama Station.
- Okaido hotel → JR Iyo-Ozu Station
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama Station, get off and walk to the JR station. Choose a limited express serving Iyo-Ozu via Uchiko. Do not apply this stop and fare example to trains via Iyo-Nagahama. Adult non-reserved limited-express travel via Uchiko costs ¥1,080 basic fare plus a ¥760 supplement, totalling ¥1,840 Matsuyama–Iyo-Ozu each way or ¥3,680 return under the same conditions.
- JR Iyo-Ozu Station → Ozu Castle entrance
Official guidance gives about a 30-minute walk from Iyo-Ozu Station to Ozu Castle. Follow the old Ozu road through Tokiwamachi shopping street and over the Hiji River bridge. Allow time for the same station walk after visiting too.
Ehime official tourism informationOzu Castle visits and walking access
- Ozu Castle → Okaido hotel
Ozu Castle opens 09:00–17:00, with ticket sales until 16:30 and ¥550 adult admission. After visiting, have lunch or walk by the river, leaving 30 minutes to return from the castle to Iyo-Ozu Station plus boarding time. Choose a Matsuyama-bound train operating on your date and plan sightseeing and meals around it. To shorten the walk with a loop bus, check its operating days, frequency and fare separately. Back at JR Matsuyama Station, take tram 5 towards Dogo Onsen to your Okaido hotel.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Uchiko Tourism Association visitor informationOzu city castle informationOzu Castle accessIyo-Ozu StationUchiko Station
Day 5: bathe at Dogo Onsen before departure
- Okaido hotel → Dogo Onsen Honkan
Take tram 3 from Okaido towards Dogo Onsen, get off at the terminus and walk along Haikara-dori to Honkan. Its adult ¥700 Kami-no-Yu bathing-only option operates 06:00–23:00, with reception until 22:30, 60-minute use and no advance reservations. The walk from Dogo Station and on-site queue take additional time beyond the tram ride. Other options with lounges have different prices and reception conditions.
Bathing options, prices and reservation conditionsCity tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Official walking map: Dogo Onsen Station, shopping street and Honkan
- Dogo Onsen Honkan → Okaido stop
After bathing, return to Dogo Onsen Station and take tram 3 towards Matsuyama City Station, getting off at Okaido. Have a meal or break in the shopping area, then choose the airport or JR departure route below. For a morning departure, move this bath to another day.
Included items: Attractions ¥2,290 + Uchiko limited-express return ¥3,220 + Ozu limited-express return ¥3,680 + six tram rides: ¥1,500 cash / ¥1,380 by IC card
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, additional transport between hotels, stops, stations and attractions, day 1 arrival transport, airport limousines, taxis and other extra journeys are excluded. Paid houses and museums in Uchiko are excluded too. Recalculate JR costs if choosing local trains, reserved seats or a pass.
This subtotal uses non-reserved limited expresses for separate return trips from Matsuyama to Uchiko and Ozu. Six tram rides comprise Okaido–JR station on each town day and Okaido–Dogo Onsen on the final day. All six cost ¥1,500 if paid in cash or ¥1,380 with a nationwide transport IC card. Both towns require separate return train journeys even when you keep the same hotel.
Castle fees and hoursBathing options, prices and reservation conditionsApril 2026 fare table, page 2Boarding and payment methodsFare tableOzu city castle information
Two Ozu nights to reduce return journeys
Spend two nights in Matsuyama, then two in Ozu to walk the old streets and riverside at a leisurely pace. Move hotels via Uchiko, with different days for Ozu walks and the castle. Return to JR Matsuyama Station on your final day.
Day 1: arrive in Okaido and visit Matsuyama Castle
Spend two nights in Matsuyama, then move to Ozu for two. Walk the old streets and riverside on day 4 and visit the castle on your final day.
- Matsuyama Airport or JR Matsuyama Station → Okaido stop
If arriving by JR, take city tram 5 towards Dogo Onsen from JR Matsuyama Station and get off at Okaido. From the airport, check for a limousine service you can board after arrival that serves Okaido. Not every airport bus goes there. Day 1 arrival transport is excluded from the sightseeing subtotal.
City tram timetableAirport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableLower station access
- Okaido stop → Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station
Walk from Okaido tram stop to the Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station. Official guidance gives about 5 minutes on foot.
- Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station → Upper station and keep ticket office
Buy a ¥520 adult return ticket at the lower station and take the ropeway. From the upper station, walk through the Honmaru grounds to the keep ticket office. The operator’s roughly 30-minute journey from the lower station’s first floor to the ticket office excludes time inside the keep.
- Keep ticket office → Matsuyama Castle keep
Adult keep admission costs ¥520, separately from the return ropeway ticket. Usual hours are 09:00–17:00, with last admission 30 minutes before closing. Hours differ in August and December–January; check your date’s closing time before entering.
- Matsuyama Castle keep → Ropeway lower station and Okaido shopping street
After your visit, return to the upper boarding area and take the ropeway down. Walk from the lower station towards Okaido for a meal or a break.
Keep admission and the return ropeway are charged separately. If walking only around Honmaru, you do not need keep admission. To move the visit to day 2, revise your planned stops, transport and admission deadlines.
Day 2: visit Dogo Onsen and spend another night in Matsuyama
Visit Dogo Onsen today, then spend a second night at the same Okaido hotel.
- Okaido hotel and stop → Dogo Onsen Station
Walk from your hotel to Okaido stop, take tram 3 towards Dogo Onsen and get off at the terminus.
- Dogo Onsen Station and Haikara-dori → Dogo Onsen Honkan
Walk along Haikara-dori to Honkan. Its adult ¥700 Kami-no-Yu bathing-only option operates 06:00–23:00, with reception until 22:30, 60-minute use and no advance reservations. Allow separate time after the tram for walking to Honkan and queuing.
Bathing options, prices and reservation conditionsOfficial walking map: Dogo Onsen Station, shopping street and Honkan
- Dogo Onsen Honkan and Dogo Onsen Station → Okaido hotel
After bathing, have a meal somewhere open in the shopping street. Take tram 3 from Dogo Onsen Station towards Matsuyama City Station, get off at Okaido and return to the same hotel. To visit Matsuyama Castle that afternoon, separately check keep last admission and the final ropeway service, and recalculate your route and admission costs.
Day 3: move via Uchiko to your Ozu hotel
Today you change hotels, travelling from Matsuyama via Uchiko to Ozu. Storage for large bags in Uchiko has not been confirmed, so choose this only if you can walk with light luggage. Otherwise, use the direct Iyo-Ozu route below.
- Okaido hotel → JR Uchiko Station
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama Station, get off and walk to the JR station. Choose a train serving Uchiko. Buying separate tickets for non-reserved limited-express travel gives an adult Matsuyama–Uchiko cost of ¥850 basic fare plus a ¥760 supplement, totalling ¥1,610. Check arrival services for your actual date and allow time to change from the tram and buy JR tickets.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Uchiko Tourism Association visitor informationFare tableMatsuyama StationUchiko StationIyo-Ozu Station
- JR Uchiko Station → Uchiko’s old streets and Uchiko-za exterior
Walk about 1 km/15 minutes from Uchiko Station to the southern entrance of the old streets. Explore old buildings and lanes and have lunch. The tourism association suggests 1–2 hours for walking or about 3 hours with a meal. Uchiko-za’s main building is closed for construction, so interior visits are excluded.
Uchiko Tourism Association visitor informationTourism association closure information
- Uchiko’s old streets → JR Uchiko Station
After walking and lunch, retrace your route to Uchiko Station. Add ticket purchase and boarding time to the roughly 15-minute walk from the southern street entrance, then choose an Iyo-Ozu train for your date.
- JR Uchiko Station platform → JR train stopping at Iyo-Ozu
Take a train serving Iyo-Ozu on your actual date. The non-reserved limited-express example for this section costs ¥330 basic fare plus a ¥450 supplement, totalling ¥780. Local trains, reserved seats and passes require a new calculation.
- JR train to Iyo-Ozu → Outside JR Iyo-Ozu Station
Get off at Iyo-Ozu and leave the station. Choose the route to your Ozu hotel using its booked address, then plan a meal and rest nearby that evening.
Stopping to walk in Uchiko uses two sections: Matsuyama–Uchiko and Uchiko–Iyo-Ozu. Skipping the visit uses one Matsuyama–Iyo-Ozu section. Check trains and stops for your actual date.
Day 4: walk Ozu’s old streets and return to the same hotel
- Ozu hotel → Ozu Machi-no-Eki Asamoya and old streets
First check the route from your hotel to Ozu Machi-no-Eki Asamoya. Ozu city information places the old streets, Ohanahan Street, the Ozu Red Brick Building, the riverside and Ozu Castle within walking distance of one another in the Kinan district around Asamoya. Start at Asamoya, explore Ohanahan Street and the Red Brick Building’s exterior, then have lunch, walk towards the Hiji River and return to the same hotel. Building interiors and visits to specific shops are not included. Plan the hotel–Asamoya route and time using your booked address.
Ozu city castle informationOzu Castle accessOzu city Asamoya and old streets
- Ozu Machi-no-Eki Asamoya and old streets → Ozu hotel
If it rains or longer walks are difficult, shorten the street route. The castle is on day 5, but an early departure makes a day 4 visit between 09:00 and 17:00 a better option. Check the 16:30 end of ticket sales and the route from your hotel to the castle. For a sightseeing boat too, check operation and booking conditions separately.
Day 5: visit Ozu Castle before departure
- Ozu city centre → Ozu Castle
Ozu Castle opens 09:00–17:00, with ticket sales until 16:30 and ¥550 adult admission. Official guidance gives about a 30-minute walk from Iyo-Ozu Station. Follow the old Ozu road through Tokiwamachi shopping street and over the Hiji River bridge. If departure is early, move the castle visit to an earlier sightseeing day. For the journey back to JR Matsuyama via Uchiko, the adult one-way non-reserved limited-express fare is ¥1,080 basic fare plus a ¥760 supplement, totalling ¥1,840.
Uchiko Tourism Association visitor informationFare tableMatsuyama StationUchiko StationIyo-Ozu StationOzu city castle informationOzu Castle access
- Ozu Castle → JR Iyo-Ozu Station
Retrace your route from Ozu Castle to Iyo-Ozu Station. Allow about 30 minutes on foot plus boarding time and choose a Matsuyama-bound train for your date. Limited expresses via Uchiko and local trains via Iyo-Nagahama have different routes and fares.
- JR Iyo-Ozu Station → Your actual departure platform
For Matsuyama Airport, take a limited express from Iyo-Ozu to Matsuyama via Uchiko and get off at JR Matsuyama Station. Walk to the airport-bound limousine stand outside and change to an airport bus. The checked adult one-way fare is ¥1,000 cash or ¥980 with a nationwide transport IC card, with first-come boarding and no reservations. Reaching the airport requires this bus connection. If heading to another city, choose a separate train for that destination and recheck the route and fare.
Iyo-Ozu StationFare tableAirport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableMatsuyama Airport bus information
For a morning flight, move Ozu Castle to the previous day or omit it. Allow enough time for JR, the airport bus and flight formalities before your departure.
Included items: Attractions ¥2,290 + Matsuyama–Uchiko limited express ¥1,610 + Uchiko–Ozu limited express ¥780 + Ozu–Matsuyama limited express ¥1,840 + three tram rides: ¥750 cash / ¥690 by IC card
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, additional transport between hotels, stops, stations and attractions, day 1 arrival transport, airport limousines, taxis and other extra journeys are excluded. Paid houses and museums in Uchiko are excluded too. Recalculate JR costs if choosing local trains, reserved seats or a pass.
This subtotal applies when visiting Uchiko, staying two nights in Ozu and returning towards Matsuyama Airport. JR fares are ¥1,610 Matsuyama–Uchiko, ¥780 Uchiko–Iyo-Ozu and ¥1,840 Iyo-Ozu–Matsuyama, using each section once. Three tram rides cover the Dogo Onsen return and one Okaido–JR station journey. The airport bus and Uchiko luggage storage cost extra. Skipping Uchiko or heading from Ozu to another city changes JR sections and fares.
Castle fees and hoursBathing options, prices and reservation conditionsApril 2026 fare table, page 2Boarding and payment methodsFare tableOzu city castle information
Questions before departure
Can I go directly from Ozu to Matsuyama Airport?
By train and airport bus, travel from Iyo-Ozu to JR Matsuyama Station, then change to an airport limousine. The adult one-way bus fare from the JR station is ¥1,000 cash or ¥980 with a nationwide transport IC card or the Mican app. JR fares and train/bus waits are separate. This bus fare comes from information for 1–24 October 2026; check new fares and timetables after that period.
Airport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableIyo-Ozu Station
Official sources and check dates
- Castle fees and hours ·
- Lower station access ·
- Stairs and visitor information ·
- Bathing options, prices and reservation conditions ·
- Uchiko Tourism Association visitor information ·
- Tourism association closure information ·
- Ehime official tourism information ·
- Ozu city castle information ·
- Fare table ·
- Matsuyama Station ·
- Uchiko Station ·
- Iyo-Ozu Station ·
- Ozu Castle access ·
- Airport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetable ·
- Matsuyama Airport bus information ·
- City tram timetable ·
- April 2026 fare table, page 2 ·
- Boarding and payment methods ·
- Ozu Castle visits and walking access ·
- Ozu city Asamoya and old streets ·
- All Shikoku Rail Pass official guide ·
- Official walking map: Dogo Onsen Station, shopping street and Honkan ·
- All Shikoku Rail Pass: official 1 October 2026 revision notice ·