Hoshinooka

Soak in the natural thermal water and admire the architecture and period décor of the bathhouse that inspired the wonderful drawings of the animated film Spirited Away.

Picturesque cherry blossom trees form a different kind of moat around a three-story feudal castle with views extending across Matsuyama.

As one of the four haiku masters of Japan, poet Masaoka Shiki was a bright, yet fleeting, light in Japanese literature.

Occupying the site of a medieval castle, this park is a tranquil oasis with colorful vegetation, varied wildlife, an observation deck, a museum and castle ruins.

The dark, angled slates and glass panels create a stylish building to house a museum based on a novel dear to Matsuyama locals.

Admire a bird’s-eye view of lush greenery, mountains and Matsuyama’s cityscape while riding in a gondola or an open-sided chairlift to the city’s feudal castle.