Japan (Lonely Planet, 11th Edition) - Chris Rowthorn [516]
Garyūsansō (; admission ¥500, or joint ticket with Ōzu-jō ¥800; 9am-5pm), across town from the castle, is an elegant Meiji-period tea house and garden in an idyllic spot overlooking the river. There is an excellent English pamphlet.
The best place at which to stay is family-run Ōzu Kyōdokan Youth Hostel (; 24-2258; http://homepage3.nifty.com/ozuyh; San-no-maru; per person ¥3200), which has huge tatami rooms and a folklore museum full of interesting little curios from the town’s boom years as a Tokugawa-period castle town. The hostel is directly below the castle.
Uchiko
0893 / pop 20,300
During the late Edo and early Meiji periods, Uchiko boomed as a major producer of wax. As the town prospered, rich merchants built a number of exquisite houses along a street called Yōkaichi – many of these houses are still standing today.
INFORMATION
There are coin lockers at the station.
Tourist information booth (43-1450; 9.30am-5pm Thu-Tue) You can pick up an English map at this booth, located on your right as you leave JR Uchiko station.
SIGHTS
Uchiko-za
About halfway between the station and Yōkaichi is Uchiko-za (44-2840; admission ¥300; 9am-4.30pm), a magnificent traditional kabuki theatre. Originally constructed in 1916, the theatre was completely restored in 1985, complete with a revolving stage. Performances are still held at the theatre; call ahead for a schedule.
Museum of Commerce & Domestic Life
A few minutes’ walk further north along the main road from Uchiko-za (see above) is Museum of Commerce & Domestic Life (44-5220; admission ¥200; 9am-4.30pm), which exhibits historical materials and wax figures portraying a typical merchant scene of the early 20th century.
Yōkaichi
Uchiko’s picturesque main street has a number of interesting buildings, many now serving as museums, souvenir stalls, craft shops and charming tea houses. The old buildings typically have cream-coloured plaster walls and ‘wings’ under the eaves that serve to prevent fire spreading from house to house. In recent years, residents have banded together to preserve the street, and to make sure that any renovations are sympathetic to the traditional characteristics of the buildings.
On the left as you walk up the street, look for Ōmori Rōsoku (43-0385; 9am-5pm, closed Mon & Fri), Uchiko’s last remaining candle manufacturer. The candles are still made by hand here, according to traditional methods, and you can watch the candle-makers at work.
As the road makes a slight bend, several well-preserved Edo-era buildings come into view, including Ōmura-tei and Hon-Haga-tei, the latter of which is a fine example of a rich merchant’s home. The Hon-Haga family established the production of fine wax in Uchiko, winning awards at World Expositions in Chicago (1893) and Paris (1900).
Further on, the exquisite Kami-Haga-tei, a wax merchant’s house within a large complex of buildings related to the wax-making process, is closed for renovations until late November 2010. The adjacent Wax Exhibition Room (44-2771; admission ¥400; 9am-4.30pm) has good English explanations on the wax-making process and the town’s prosperous past.
SLEEPING & EATING
Matsunoya Ryokan (44-5000; www.dokidoki.ne.jp/home2/matunoya, in Japanese; per person with/without 2 meals ¥12,600/7500; ) This friendly ryokan between the station and the main attractions has neatly kept tatami rooms. The attached Poco a Poco restaurant serves pasta and other simple lunches for ¥1000.
GETTING THERE & AROUND
Uchiko is 25 minutes from Matsuyama by tokkyū (¥1250, hourly) and by futsu (¥740, one hour). Yōkaichi is 1km north of Uchiko station, and is well signposted in English.
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MATSUYAMA
089 / pop 513,000
Shikoku’s largest city is a major transportation hub that rivals anything on the ‘mainland’. Matsuyama has several first-rate attractions, most notably its immaculately preserved castle