Hot Springs at the Dogo Onsen Honkan! An Ehime-style Juicer at a New Kind of Inn: "Dogo Yaya!"

From Matsuyama Airport to Dogo Onsen

Matsuyama Airport, the entrance to Dogo Onsen, is conveniently located and easy to access from the city. It only takes 15 minutes via the Limousine Bus to reach JR Matsuyama Station, 20~25 minutes to reach the Iyo Railway Matsuyama City Station, and only about 40 minutes to go straight to Dogo Onsen. There are also other bus lines available as well. If you’re traveling light, you can take the bus to JR Matsuyama Station or Matsuyama City Station, then switch to a tram and take the scenic route to Dogo. If you time it right, you may even be able to take the “Botchan Ressha,” a restored steam-engine train. The “Botchan Ressha” is 300 JPY to ride, and is stops at Matsuyama City Station more frequently than JR Matsuyama Station (however, during busy seasons, you may have to take a number and wait in line). Regular trams cost a flat 150 JPY per ride, and if you plan on riding it more than three times within the same day, you can make use of the 1 Day tickets, available for 400 JPY.

A Symbol of the Town: The Dogo Onsen Honkan

Once you’ve checked into your hotel or inn, the thing you definitely want to see is the public bath that doubles as the town’s symbol: the Dogo Onsen Honkan, or the Dogo Onsen main building. From the Dogo Onsen Station, it is only about a five-minute walk away through a roofed shopping street lined with gift shops. A building with a long history, in 2014 it celebrated its 120-year anniversary since its renovation. The spring is a simple spring with smooth water, which is on the hotter side for a comfortable experience. There are two baths, the larger “Kami No Yu” and the smaller “Tama No Yu,” with four different courses shown below that you can enjoy. Depending on the course, there is even a guided tour into the bath reserved for members of the imperial family: “Yu Shinden.” The male-only “Kami No Yu” is separated into east and west areas, but their interiors are the same. * Kami No Yu Downstairs 400 JPY 60 minutes of use Access to the bath and the changing room *Kami No Yu Second Floor 800 JPY 60 minutes of use Access to the second floor hall for a break (tea and rice cracker included) and use of a yukata (traditional Japanese after-bath kimono) *Tama No Yu Second Floor 1200 JPY 60 minutes of use Access to the second floor hall for a break (tea and rice cracker included), use of a yukata and a towel Includes access to Kami No Yu and tour of Yu Shinden * Tama No Yu Third Floor Private Room 1500 JPY 80 minutes of use Access to a third floor private room for a break (tea and Botchan rice cake included), use of a yukata and a towel Includes access to Kami No Yu and tour of Yu Shinden *Kami No Yu does not have towels or soap, so they must be purchased on site (rental towels with soap are available for 60 JPY) or brought with you. Use of hairdryers cost 10 JPY per 3 minutes of use. *The towels included in the Tama No Yu courses are small, so if you require the use of a bath towel, they must be rented (200 JPY) or brought with you.

There are many people who take a while to decide which course they would like, so it is advised that you decide on one beforehand. The bathhouse opens at 6:00 AM, and the Japanese drums they play at that time give it a very nostalgic feel. Why not start your day a little earlier and enjoy a morning bath? Though they are generally open every day, year-round, they do close for one day in December every year for spring cleaning. Their cleaning day can be found on the Matsuyama City homepage. In 2013, they were closed on December 3rd (Tuesday).

After the Bath, Enjoy a Nice Glass of the Local Beer

Next door to the Dogo Onsen Honkan, there is a little izakaya (Japanese style restaurant/bar) called the “Dogo Beer Hall.” Open during the day, it is directly managed by the brewery, and you can enjoy a nice local beer after your bath. The beer in the picture is their Soseki Beer. Other than that, they have many beers with location-appropriate names, such as their Botchan Beer and their Madonna Beer. They also serve snacks and dishes that are made with Ehime-prefecture specialties, so you can come for anything from a glass of after-bath beer to a full meal.

The Inn that Caters to Guests of the Dogo Onsen Honkan: Dogo Yaya

Being one of Japan’s premier hot spring areas, Dogo Onsen is full of old hot spring inns, dormitories, and other lodging options, but an especially unique inn is the “Dogo Yaya.” This inn does not include a hot spring facility, and was mainly built for people coming to enjoy the public bathes such as the Dogo Onsen Honkan and Tsubaki No Yu. Therefore, with the exception of their deluxe rooms, their rooms come with only a shower, and do not include a bath. However, they sell discount tickets at the front desk and provide rental tote bags and towels for the public bathes nearby. These towels are not just regular towels, but Imabari towels available in a variety of designs for you to choose from.

As the guest rooms are not in a location that lets you see the surrounding areas, the rooms have a compact and modern design with only high windows to let in light. This reasonably priced inn can provide a comfortable experience to anyone from solo travelers to business trips, couples, and families.

A Unique Machine in the Breakfast Hall!!

This “Dogo Yaya” has a variety of plans, from a simple one-night stay to those that come with two meals, but you should definitely go for one that includes breakfast. The Japanese-Western breakfast buffet provides a variety of fresh veggies and even has made to order, hot dishes such as fried dishes and French toast. It was in the drinks corner of the buffet hall that we found this orange juice machine! When you pull the lever, an orange rolls down from above and is squeezed before your eyes. Though there was once an urban legend about there being orange juice faucets in Ehime prefecture, this machine brings that story to life. What more do you need to have a fun time at breakfast? Enjoy a glass of this freshly squeezed orange juice.