Japan (October 2018): Matsuyama
Matsuyama is the largest city in Shikoku
(pop. ~520,000) and the capital of the Ehime prefecture. It is famous
throughout Japan for its large castle (Matsuyama-jo), one of the finest castles
that survived the Meiji period, and for its onsens,
especially Dogo Onsen Honkan, a luxurious bath house built during the Meiji
period. In addition, 8 of the 88 Henro temples (#46
to #53) are located in or around the city.
Matsuyama
also prides itself for being the birthplace of Masaoka
Shi (1867-1902), who is regarded as a major figure in the development of
modern haiku poetry. There are more than 90 haiku postboxes around the city
where people can submit their haikus for judgement and possible publication.
The one below is located on the eastern slope of the hill where Matsuyama-jo
was built.
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Matsuyama-jo:
Matsuyama-jo
was built between 1602 and 1628 by Kato Yoshiaki, a lord of the Aizu clan, on
top of Kastsuyama-san (132m). It was assigned to the Matsudaira clan in 1635 remained under their control until
the end of the feudal era. The current castle tower was constructed in 1820
after the original tower had been destroyed by lightning. One of the 12 castles
that survived the Meiji restoration, it was partially damaged during WW II and
later restored. It is a complex multi-layered castle with a main and a
secondary keep, multiple turrets, and several access gates. Its gracefully
curved stone walls are particularly beautiful. The castle provides panoramic
views over the plain where the present city of Matsuyama has been built.
Matsuyama-jo
seen from the southern side of Kastsuyama-san.
Lower part of
the castle.
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Midddle part.
Upper part.
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Stone fitting
in a wall (almost as good as in Inca buildings!).
Samurai
armors exposed in the castle tower. They are believed to have belonged to (from
left to right): Matsudaira Sadayuki
(the first lord of the Matsudaira clan), Kato
Yoshiaki (the founder of Matsuyama-jo), and Sadanao
(the 4th lord of the Matsudaira clan).
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Views over Matsuyama from the castle.
Matsuyama′s harbor on the Inland Sea is visible in second photo below.
In Ninomaru shiseki-teien, a garden
located below the castle on its southern side.
Dogo Onsen Honkan
and around:
Dogo Onsen Honkan is a
large wooden castle-shaped bath house built in 1894 over Japan′s oldest
known hot spring (mentioned in 3000-year old chronicles). According to the
legend the spring was discovered when a white heron was found healing itself in
its water. The statue of a white heron on top of the ″tower″ of Dogo Onsen Honkan
(see second photo below) reminds us of this legend. This onsen
is extremely popular with Japanese visitors and is often crowded. Locals prefer
cheaper onsens located in the vicinity.
Some people
like to stroll in the area in their yukatas.
Ashiyu (foot bath) near Dogo Onsen Honkan.
Botchan Karakuri clock next to
the above foot bath. It is modeled after the white-heron tower of Dogo Onsen Honkan.
On the hour it comes to life with animated scenes inspired from the 1906 novel ″Botchan″ by Natsume Soseki, one of the most popular novels in Japan. The novel
is based on the author′s experience as a teacher dispatched from Tokyo to
Matsuyama in the early 20th century.
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In the old
sake brewery located on Minakuchi Shuzo (street) near
Dogo Onsen Honkan.
Temple walk southeast of Dogo Onsen:
This 6km walk
shown in dashed red line below connects three Shinto shrines (Yu Jinja, Isaniwa Jinja, and Kuwabara Hachiman Jinja) and three Buddhist Henro
temples (#51 Ishite-ji, #50 Hanta-ji,
and #49 Jodo-ji). It starts at the Dogo Onsen tram station and ends
at the Kume train station.
Yu Jinja (literally Hot Spring shrine) venerating two deities
involved in the origin of the Dogo hot spring.
Isaniwa Jinja, a beautiful shrine
representative of the Hachiman-zukuri style of
construction.
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Ishite-ji, Henro
Temple #51, a large complex with many buildings.
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Objects exposed in the museum attached
to Ishite-ji.
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Kuwabara Hachiman Jinja.
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Hanta-ji, Henro Temple #50.
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Jodo-ji, Henro Temple
#49.
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Matsuyama harbor:
Fishing boats
moored in the port near the Mitsu train station.