In the summer months, local fireworks events are held all over rural Japan. Organized by sundry Rotary Clubs, Lions Clubs and Chambers of Commerce, they are typically quite spectacular, reflecting the pride of the local area, and they draw crowds in..
The Seto Inland Sea is a rugged environment of islands separated by channels that are roiled by strong currents when the tide changes. From the 13th to 16th centuries various suigun—feudal navies—arose and developed their unique liveliho..
August 6th to 8th may only be three days to those who visit Uchiko's Sasa Matsuri—or bamboo festival—but it's a major part of the town's calendar for months before. Businesses, schools and local officials all get together in their separate groups to..
Toon City, pronounced Tō-on, is a city in name only. There’s no built-up center to it at all, which may seem strange to people who are used to the conventional meanings of words. But in Japan, if enough people live in a given area, it’s called a city, even if it has none of the normal ch..
Uchiko is small town that lies to the southwest of Matsuyama. It stands at the bottom of a river valley with rice fields spread out around it. Looking at this quiet, bucolic scene today, it’s hard to imagine that the place was once an economic powerhouse with a flourishing culture producing ..
Kuma Highland—Kuma Kōgen in Japanese—is a large inhabited area at a high elevation in central Ehime bordering Kochi Prefecture. It encompasses an astonishing range of geological features, which makes it a fascinating area to visit. But be warned—once you’ve scratched the su..
Matsuyama isn't usually known for its ramen. If you ask the locals, they aren't really able to say what Matsuyama’s unique regional spin on the noodle dish is. Considering the relative scarcity of ramen shops, I jump at the op..
On the banks of the Isshite river sits an unexpected, vintage train car. The bikes parked outside and the cheerful, if somewhat peeling, blue and yellow paint alert the traveler that this is no accident site. Wildflowers, plant pots, and hand painted..
No more than one minute’s walk from Mitsu train station in the North-West of Matsuyama, is a tiny, rustic, no-nonsense okonomiyaki joint with a sassy obaachan chef of local renown. Featured in the Matsuyama 2016 Okonomiyaki rally, this is the r..
This business hotel is located in the vicinity of Uwajima Castle, but can be reached on foot from Uwajima Station as well. It provides everything one needs for a comfortable stay at a reasonable price. I stayed here on the seventh night of my Shikoku..
Shikoku Henro pilgrims looking for a place to stay near remote temples 44 and 45 won’t be presented with many options. Furuiwayaso is about the only hotel in the vicinit. It’s classified as kokumin shukusha, an inexpensive type of lodging..
Just a few blocks from the seafront castle of Imabari, the Imabari Kokusai Hotel is one of the city's better places to bed down for the night. You can't miss it - the hotel's main tower looms large on the Imabari skyline and it's a ve..
Every March, Dogo Onsen is dressed up in lanterns and red pinstripes to celebrate its cultural history and provide a platform for the local community to get together. The onsen itself is saturated in folklore and has ties to Studio Ghibli, novelist ..
These days, outside of Harajuku, Japan’s cosplayers seem scarcer than they once were in the 1990s. It’s been suggested that this may be due to the rise of “utility” or “normcore” fashion. So these sort of gathering..
Shikoku is home to many talented craftspeople. Some of Shikoku’s most famous and enduring crafts include Awagami (Tokushima washi paper), Tobeyaki (Tobe’s distinctive blue pottery), and Iyo-Kasuri (hand-woven, blue patterned fabric). The..
