Ehime in five days: one base or two Ozu nights?
Spend four nights in one Matsuyama accommodation, with separate days for castle, bath, Uchiko and Ozu; or spend two Matsuyama nights then two in Ozu. The latter moves via Uchiko and separates old-street/riverside walks from the castle. For a final-morning departure, move the castle to the preceding day or omit it.
Choose a 4 nights, 5 days itinerary
Four nights in Matsuyama with trips to both towns
Spend four nights in Matsuyama for city walks, castle, hot spring and both towns from one accommodation. Make separate day trips to Uchiko and Ozu; choose final-day bathing according to departure time.
Four nights in Matsuyama with trips to both towns →4 nights, 5 daysTwo nights in Ozu to reduce return journeys
After two nights in Matsuyama, spend two in Ozu for unhurried old-street and riverside walks. Move via Uchiko, then separate the Ozu walk and castle visit across two days. Return to JR Matsuyama on the final day.
Two nights in Ozu to reduce return journeys →Four nights in Matsuyama with trips to both towns
Spend four nights in Matsuyama for city walks, castle, hot spring and both towns from one accommodation. Make separate day trips to Uchiko and Ozu; choose final-day bathing according to departure time.
Day 1: arrive at Okaido for food and a walk
Spend four nights in Matsuyama, allocating separate days to the castle, Dogo, Uchiko and Ozu. Keep one accommodation and make separate JR return trips to both towns.
- Matsuyama Airport or JR Matsuyama Station → Okaido stop
Not every airport bus reaches Okaido; check that yours stops there. From JR Matsuyama-Ekimae, take city tram 5 towards Dogo Onsen and alight at Okaido. JR Matsuyama and Matsuyama-shi are different stations. The recorded adult airport→Okaido fare is JPY 1,200 cash or JPY 1,180 with a nationwide transport IC card; this arrival journey is excluded from the sightseeing subtotal below. Choose a bus you can catch after baggage collection and immigration procedures.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Airport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableMatsuyama Airport bus guide
- Okaido shopping street → Food, walks and the same Okaido accommodation
Choose an open restaurant in Okaido shopping street, walk nearby and return to your accommodation. If arriving late, shorten the walk and rest. Visit the castle and hot spring from the next day.
Day 2: visit Matsuyama Castle and return to your accommodation
Walk from your Okaido accommodation to Shinonomeguchi ropeway station.
- Okaido stop → Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station
Walk from Okaido tram stop to Shinonomeguchi ropeway’s lower station. The official walk is about 5 minutes.
- Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station → Upper station and keep ticket office
Buy an adult JPY 520 return ticket at the lower station and take the ropeway. From the upper station, walk through Honmaru to the keep ticket office. The operator’s approximately 30-minute route from the lower station’s first floor to that office excludes touring the keep interior.
- Keep ticket office → Matsuyama Castle keep
Adult keep admission is JPY 520, separate from the return ropeway ticket. Usual hours are 09:00–17:00, with entry ending 30 minutes before closing. August and December–January hours differ; check your date’s deadline before entering.
- Matsuyama Castle keep → Ropeway lower station and Okaido shopping street
After visiting, return to the upper boarding point and take the ropeway down. Walk from the lower station towards Okaido for food or a rest.
Access to the lower stationCastle fees and hoursStairs and visiting guidance
Day 3: walk Uchiko’s old streets and return to the same accommodation
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama-Ekimae.
- Okaido accommodation → JR Uchiko Station
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama-Ekimae and walk into JR. Change to a train stopping at Uchiko. Separate-section non-reserved limited-express tickets cost JPY 1,610 per adult single: fare 850 + supplement 760; two singles under the same conditions total 3,220. Check both arrival and return trains for your date. Accommodation walks, tram/JR waits and ticket purchase are outside train travel time.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Uchiko tourism-association visiting guideFare tableMatsuyama StationUchiko StationIyo-Ozu Station
- JR Uchiko Station → Uchiko’s old streets
On arrival at Uchiko, walk about 1 km/15 minutes to the tourism association’s southern entrance to the old streets. Explore them and Uchiko-za’s exterior, then eat at an open restaurant. Guidance suggests 1–2 hours for streets alone or about 3 including food. The main hall is closed for works; interior admission and fees are excluded. Check closure days and separate fees for any houses/museums you plan to enter.
Uchiko tourism-association visiting guideTourism-association closure guidance
- Uchiko’s old streets → Okaido accommodation
Walk back to Uchiko Station and take a Matsuyama-bound train. Outside JR, take tram 5 towards Dogo Onsen and alight at Okaido. Fit lunch around the station walk and boarding margin to avoid missing your return. Check actual return services and the final train for your date.
Uchiko tourism-association visiting guideUchiko StationMatsuyama StationCity tram timetable
Day 4: walk from Iyo-Ozu to Ozu Castle
As on the previous day, take tram 5 from Okaido to JR Matsuyama-Ekimae.
- Okaido accommodation → JR Iyo-Ozu Station
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama-Ekimae and walk into JR. Choose a limited express stopping at Iyo-Ozu via Uchiko. Do not apply these stop/fare examples to trains via Iyo-Nagahama. The adult non-reserved limited-express single via Uchiko is JPY 1,840: fare 1,080 + supplement 760; return under the same conditions is 3,680.
- JR Iyo-Ozu Station → Ozu Castle entrance
The official walk from Iyo-Ozu to Ozu Castle is about 30 minutes. Follow old Ozu Kaido through Tokiwamachi shopping street and over the Hijikawa bridge. Leave time to walk back to the station too.
Official Ehime tourism guideOzu Castle visiting and walking guide
- Ozu Castle → Okaido accommodation
Ozu Castle runs 09:00–17:00, ticket sales until 16:30; adult admission JPY 550. Afterwards, eat lunch or walk by the river, leaving 30 minutes to retrace the castle-to-station route plus boarding margin. Fit visits/meals around an available Matsuyama-bound train on your date. Reducing walks with a circular bus requires separate checks of operating days, frequency and fares. At JR Matsuyama, take tram 5 towards Dogo Onsen to your Okaido accommodation.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Uchiko tourism-association visiting guideOzu City castle guideOzu Castle accessIyo-Ozu StationUchiko Station
Day 5: bathe at Dogo Onsen before departure
- Okaido accommodation → Dogo Onsen Honkan
Take tram 3 from Okaido towards Dogo Onsen, alight at the terminus and walk along Haikara-dori to Honkan. Kami-no-Yu bath-only costs JPY 700 per adult, runs 06:00–23:00, reception until 22:30, allows 60 minutes and accepts no advance reservations. The station walk and queue are separate from tram time. Other rest-room options have different prices/reception conditions.
Bath options, prices and reservation rulesCity tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Official Dogo Onsen Station, arcade and Honkan walking map
- Dogo Onsen Honkan → Okaido stop
After bathing, return to Dogo Onsen Station and take tram 3 towards Matsuyama-shi, alighting at Okaido. Eat or rest in the shopping street; select the airport or JR departure route below. For a morning departure, move bathing to another day.
Included items: The subtotal includes JPY 2,290 for facilities, JPY 3,220 for return limited-express trains to Uchiko and JPY 3,680 for return limited-express trains to Ozu, plus six trams costing JPY 1,500 in cash or JPY 1,380 with an IC card.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, separate journeys between accommodation/stops/stations/facilities, initial arrival transport, airport limousine, taxis and extra transport cost more. Paid Uchiko houses/museums are excluded. Recalculate JR costs for ordinary trains, reserved seats or a pass.
This uses separate return non-reserved limited-express trips from Matsuyama to Uchiko and Ozu. Six trams cover Okaido↔JR on both days and the final Okaido↔Dogo Onsen return. Paying all six in cash costs JPY 1,500, or JPY 1,380 with a nationwide transport IC card. Staying in one accommodation still requires each town’s train return.
Castle fees and hoursBath options, prices and reservation rulesApril 2026 fare table, page 2Boarding and paymentFare tableOzu City castle guide
Two nights in Ozu to reduce return journeys
After two nights in Matsuyama, spend two in Ozu for unhurried old-street and riverside walks. Move via Uchiko, then separate the Ozu walk and castle visit across two days. Return to JR Matsuyama on the final day.
Day 1: arrive in Okaido and visit Matsuyama Castle
After two nights in Matsuyama, move to Ozu for two nights. Walk old streets and the riverside on day 4, then visit the castle on the final day.
- Matsuyama Airport or JR Matsuyama Station → Okaido stop
From JR Matsuyama-Ekimae, take city tram 5 towards Dogo Onsen and alight at Okaido. From the airport, check that a limousine you can catch after arrival stops at Okaido. Not every airport bus reaches this stop. Initial arrival transport is excluded from the sightseeing subtotal.
City tram timetableAirport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableAccess to the lower station
- Okaido stop → Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station
Walk from Okaido tram stop to Shinonomeguchi ropeway’s lower station. The official walk is about 5 minutes.
- Shinonomeguchi ropeway lower station → Upper station and keep ticket office
Buy an adult JPY 520 return ticket at the lower station and take the ropeway. From the upper station, walk through Honmaru to the keep ticket office. The operator’s approximately 30-minute route from the lower station’s first floor to that office excludes touring the keep interior.
- Keep ticket office → Matsuyama Castle keep
Adult keep admission is JPY 520, separate from the return ropeway ticket. Usual hours are 09:00–17:00, with entry ending 30 minutes before closing. August and December–January hours differ; check your date’s deadline before entering.
- Matsuyama Castle keep → Ropeway lower station and Okaido shopping street
After visiting, return to the upper boarding point and take the ropeway down. Walk from the lower station towards Okaido for food or a rest.
Keep admission and a return ropeway ride have separate fees. Walking only around Honmaru does not require keep admission. Moving this visit to day 2 requires rescheduling its existing visits, transport and admission deadlines.
Day 2: visit Dogo Onsen and spend another night in Matsuyama
After visiting Dogo Onsen, spend a second night in the same Okaido accommodation.
- Okaido accommodation and stop → Dogo Onsen Station
Go from your accommodation to Okaido stop, take tram 3 towards Dogo Onsen and alight at the terminus.
- Dogo Onsen Station and Haikara-dori → Dogo Onsen Honkan
Walk along Haikara-dori to Honkan. Kami-no-Yu bath-only costs JPY 700 per adult, runs 06:00–23:00, reception until 22:30, allows 60 minutes and accepts no advance reservations. Allow the walk after alighting and on-site queue separately.
Bath options, prices and reservation rulesOfficial Dogo Onsen Station, arcade and Honkan walking map
- Dogo Onsen Honkan and station → Okaido accommodation
After bathing, eat at an open shop in the arcade and take tram 3 from Dogo Onsen towards Matsuyama-shi, alighting at Okaido to return to the same accommodation. For an afternoon castle visit, check the keep deadline and final ropeway separately and recalculate access/admission.
Day 3: move to Ozu accommodation via Uchiko
Change accommodation from Matsuyama to Ozu via Uchiko today. Storage for large bags in Uchiko is unconfirmed; choose this only if you can walk with light luggage. Otherwise, use the direct Iyo-Ozu route below.
- Okaido accommodation → JR Uchiko Station
Take tram 5 from Okaido towards JR Matsuyama-Ekimae and walk into JR. Choose a train stopping at Uchiko. Separate-section non-reserved limited-express tickets cost JPY 1,610 per adult Matsuyama→Uchiko: fare 850 + supplement 760. Check your actual arrival train and leave time for the tram-to-JR transfer and tickets.
City tram timetableApril 2026 fare table, page 2Uchiko tourism-association visiting guideFare tableMatsuyama StationUchiko StationIyo-Ozu Station
- JR Uchiko Station → Uchiko old streets and Uchiko-za exterior
Walk about 1 km/15 minutes from Uchiko Station to the old streets’ southern entrance. Explore old buildings and lanes and have lunch. The tourism association recommends 1–2 hours for walking or about 3 with food. Uchiko-za’s main hall is closed for works, so interior visits are excluded.
Uchiko tourism-association visiting guideTourism-association closure guidance
- Uchiko’s old streets → JR Uchiko Station
After walking and lunch, retrace your route to Uchiko Station. Add ticket purchase and boarding margin to the approximately 15-minute walk from the southern entrance, then choose an Iyo-Ozu-bound train for your date.
- JR Uchiko platform → JR train stopping at Iyo-Ozu
Choose a train that stops at Iyo-Ozu on your actual date. The separate-section non-reserved limited-express example is JPY 780: basic fare 330 + supplement 450. This amount does not apply unchanged to ordinary trains, reserved seats or passes.
- JR train towards Iyo-Ozu → Outside JR Iyo-Ozu Station
Alight at Iyo-Ozu and leave the station. Choose the accommodation route from its booked address; plan dinner and rest nearby.
A Uchiko walk requires two sections: Matsuyama→Uchiko and Uchiko→Iyo-Ozu. Skipping the stop uses one Matsuyama→Iyo-Ozu section. Look up trains and stops for your actual date.
Day 4: walk Ozu’s old streets and return to the same accommodation
- Ozu accommodation → Ozu Machi-no-Eki Asamoya and old streets
First check your accommodation’s route to Ozu Machi-no-Eki Asamoya. Ozu City describes the surrounding Kinan district’s old streets, Ohanahan Street, red-brick building, riverside and castle as within walking distance of each other. From Asamoya, see Ohanahan Street and the red-brick exterior, have lunch and walk towards the Hijikawa riverside, returning to the same accommodation. Building interiors and particular shops’ opening are excluded. Set the Asamoya route/time from your booked address.
Ozu City castle guideOzu Castle accessOzu City Asamoya and old streets
- Ozu Machi-no-Eki Asamoya and old streets → Ozu accommodation
You need not cover every street in rain or if long walks are difficult. The castle is on day 5, but for an early departure, move it to day 4 during 09:00–17:00. Check 16:30 ticket closure and your accommodation-to-castle route. Boat trips require separate operation/booking checks.
Day 5: visit Ozu Castle before departure
- Ozu town centre → Ozu Castle
Ozu Castle runs 09:00–17:00, ticket sales until 16:30; adult admission JPY 550. The official station-to-castle walk is about 30 minutes. Follow old Ozu Kaido through Tokiwamachi shopping street and across the Hijikawa bridge. Move the castle earlier for an early final-day departure. The return non-reserved limited express Iyo-Ozu→JR Matsuyama via Uchiko costs JPY 1,840 per adult: fare 1,080 + supplement 760.
Uchiko tourism-association visiting guideFare tableMatsuyama StationUchiko StationIyo-Ozu StationOzu City castle guideOzu Castle access
- Ozu Castle → JR Iyo-Ozu Station
Retrace the route from Ozu Castle to Iyo-Ozu. Allow the approximately 30-minute walk plus boarding margin and choose a Matsuyama-bound train for your date. Limited expresses via Uchiko and ordinary trains via Iyo-Nagahama have different routes and fares.
- JR Iyo-Ozu Station → Your actual departure boarding point
For Matsuyama Airport, take a Matsuyama-bound limited express from Iyo-Ozu via Uchiko and alight at JR Matsuyama. Walk to the airport limousine stand and transfer to the bus. The recorded adult JR-station-to-airport fare is JPY 1,000 cash or JPY 980 with a nationwide transport IC card, first come, first served without reservations. The airport requires this bus transfer. For another city, choose its train separately; recheck routes/fares when the destination changes.
Iyo-Ozu StationFare tableAirport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableMatsuyama Airport bus guide
For a morning flight, move Ozu Castle to the preceding day or omit it. Allow JR, airport-bus and check-in time around your departure.
Included items: The subtotal includes JPY 2,290 for facilities and limited-express journeys from Matsuyama to Uchiko at JPY 1,610, Uchiko to Ozu at JPY 780 and Ozu to Matsuyama at JPY 1,840. Three trams add JPY 750 in cash or JPY 690 with an IC card.
Extra costs: Flights, accommodation, meals, luggage storage, separate journeys between accommodation/stops/stations/facilities, initial arrival transport, airport limousine, taxis and extra transport cost more. Paid Uchiko houses/museums are excluded. Recalculate JR costs for ordinary trains, reserved seats or a pass.
This applies to visiting Uchiko, spending two nights in Ozu and returning towards Matsuyama Airport. JR sections are used once each: Matsuyama→Uchiko 1,610, Uchiko→Iyo-Ozu 780, Iyo-Ozu→Matsuyama 1,840. Three trams cover the Dogo Onsen return and Okaido→JR once. The JR-station airport bus and Uchiko bag storage are extra. Skipping Uchiko or departing Ozu for another city changes JR sections and costs.
Castle fees and hoursBath options, prices and reservation rulesApril 2026 fare table, page 2Boarding and paymentFare tableOzu City castle guide
Questions before you leave
Can I go directly from Ozu to Matsuyama Airport?
By train and airport bus, travel from Iyo-Ozu to JR Matsuyama, then transfer to the airport limousine. Its adult single from outside JR Matsuyama is JPY 1,000 cash or JPY 980 with a nationwide transport IC card or Mican app. JR fares and train/bus waits are extra. This bus fare uses the 1–24 October 2026 guidance; check new fares/timetables afterwards.
Airport limousine routes, fares and 1–24 October 2026 timetableIyo-Ozu Station
Official sources and confirmation dates
- Castle fees and hours ·
- Access to the lower station ·
- Stairs and visiting guidance ·
- Bath options, prices and reservation rules ·
- Uchiko tourism-association visiting guide ·
- Tourism-association closure guidance ·
- Official Ehime tourism guide ·
- Ozu City castle guide ·
- 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 guide ·
- City tram timetable ·
- April 2026 fare table, page 2 ·
- Boarding and payment ·
- Ozu Castle visiting and walking guide ·
- Ozu City Asamoya and old streets ·
- Official All Shikoku Rail Pass guide ·
- Official Dogo Onsen Station, arcade and Honkan walking map ·
- All Shikoku Rail Pass: official 1 October 2026 revision notice ·