2025 Seiyo Travel Guide: Must-see attractions, popular food, hotels, transportation routes (updated in April)

Shikoku Karst, which stretches along the ridge on the border between Kochi and Ehime prefectures and is about a two-hour drive from Kochi, is one of Japan's three major karst regions. The view from an altitude of 1,500m is spectacular, and with mountains as far as the eye can see, you'll feel like you're in Switzerland! ୨୧..∵....∵....∵....∵....∵....∵....∵..୨୧ Location: Shikoku Karst Location: Nishitani, Kumakogen-cho, Kamiukena-gun, Ehime Prefecture Access: Approximately 2 hours by car from Matsuyama ୨୧..∵....∵....∵....∵....∵....∵....∵....∵..୨୧ #Nature and Spectacular Scenery #Shikoku Trip #Shikoku Tourism #Ehime #Kochi #Shikoku #Karst #Shikoku Karst #Drive Trip #Nature #Spectacular Scenery

🇯🇵 [Ehime Prefecture] A scenic spot known as the "Switzerland of Japan"! Shikoku Karst! (^^) Shikoku Karst is a beautiful plateau region located in the Shikoku Mountains, characterized by vast grasslands and strange limestone rocks. You can enjoy the beauty of nature in every season, especially in autumn when the leaves turn beautiful. It is an area with plenty of tourist attractions and natural experiences, making it the perfect place for families, friends, and couples to travel. The soft serve ice cream 🍦 is also super delicious! Let's take an exhilarating drive through the "Sky Road" (^^)!!! #0yentripFebruary2025

📍Yuboku no Sato Yuboku no Sato is a farm, shop and restaurant located near Unomachi, Uwa-cho. In the processed food section, ready-to-eat foods such as sausages and hamburgers are sold, as well as various minced meats. In accordance with the philosophy of "making food that is safe for everyone to eat," none of the products contain chemical seasonings, preservatives or colorings. The additive-free sausages are especially recommended. In addition to slices and chunks of meat, the meat section sells pork cutlets and croquettes that you can simply fry at home. They were happy to accommodate requests such as "a little bit of each cut." Dry-aged beef, which is aged using a method called dry-aging, is also sold here. The restaurant is open at lunchtime and dinnertime, and serves dishes made with Hanaga beef and Hanaga pork delivered directly from the farm. If you make a reservation at least one business day in advance, you can also take out hors d'oeuvres and steak bowls. Hanaga beef is characterized by the fact that it is aged for about one month. It is a healthy lean meat with no meaty odor and a rich flavor (umami) in itself. As they purchase the whole cow, you can enjoy a variety of rare cuts. #Free hotel stay

Grazing is common around the Shikoku Karst area, and the milk and soft serve ice cream produced there are famous local products. One of these is Milk Garden, located in Onogahara. They use milk from their own farm, and are extremely popular for their mildly sweet sweets that make the most of the milk's natural flavor. Freshly squeezed milk that morning and milk roll cakes that you can take home are also popular! How about enjoying a nature bath? #FreeHotelStay

📍Sekiji Pond, Ehime Prefecture Sekiji Pond is a reservoir that boasts a water volume of 1 million tons. It has a circumference of about 2.4 km. It was built in 1644, and expanded to its current size in 1962. In early April, about 500 cherry trees bloom, and the cherry blossoms reflected on the water are exceptional. The surrounding Senbonzakura trees reflect on the water, and in autumn many people visit the pond as a famous spot for viewing autumn leaves. Every year, a cherry blossom festival is held during the cherry blossom season. Take a photo with the reflection, and voila! Your photo is complete! #0yentravelJanuary2025

📍Straw mammoths and straw groves in Ehime Prefecture A mammoth appears in a rice field!? Straw mammoth art is located a 3-minute walk from Iyoishijo Station in Uwa-cho, Seiyo City. This straw mammoth was created in 2011 in collaboration with Musashino Art University in Tokyo and local volunteers to liven up the lotus flower festival. With the cooperation of local residents, the mammoth's straw is replaced every year from March to April. In spring, with the lotus flower of the city. In summer, with green rice fields where rice has grown. In autumn, with rice fields where rice has been harvested. In winter, with straw groves lit up. You can see the straw mammoths in all four seasons. #0 yen trip January 2025

📍Kokemushiro, Ehime Prefecture The entrance to the moss mat leads to the gallery and cafe. On both sides are gardens covered in moss. Put the entrance fee in the fee box near the entrance and enter. A vast garden covered in moss. Walk on the stone pavement to avoid stepping on the delicate moss. Moss mat is bathed in sunlight filtering through the trees. The breeze flows through the mat, making it cool even in summer. On a nice day, you can enjoy matcha, coffee, and sweets on the outdoor wooden deck. A raccoon figurine quietly stands in the garden. There is also a waterwheel in the garden. You can also enjoy a cup of coffee inside the shop. The moss mat, which was planted by the owner, Murakami, and cared for daily in what was once a rice terrace, has been selected as one of the 88 Views of Shikoku (No. 48). The on-site cafe serves coffee made with groundwater pumped up from 50 meters underground, drinks such as matcha, and sweets made with local ingredients. On nice days, you can enjoy the outdoors on the wooden deck while feeling the nature. #0yentravelJanuary2025

📍Ehime Prefecture Shikoku Karst A scenic spot likened to the "Switzerland of Japan" The "Shikoku Karst" spreads along the ridge that spans Ehime Prefecture and Kochi Prefecture. This is a place where you can see the unique scenery of karst, such as the Karenfeld, where white limestone looks like a flock of sheep, and the bowl-shaped depression called the Doline. The panoramic scenery that spreads from 1000m to 1500m above sea level and the rare highland plants are a must-see! The vast land, the endless blue sky, and the herds of grazing cows are an idyllic landscape. Prefectural Route 383 runs east to west through the Shikoku Karst for about 25km. The vast grasslands dotted with white limestone rocks create a tranquil landscape, and it is a spectacular driving route where you can feel the clear blue sky and pure white clouds close by. The scenery of a single road running through the endless grasslands has been selected as one of the "100 Famous Roads of Japan." #0YenTravelJanuary2025

🇯🇵 [Ehime Prefecture] Akashi-ji Temple, the 43rd temple of the 88 Shikoku Pilgrimage! Akashi-ji Temple, the 43rd temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, is also known as "Akashi-san" and is the 43rd temple of the Shikoku Pilgrimage. It is a historic temple that is crowded with pilgrims. The sect is Tendaijimon sect. It was founded by the imperial wish of Emperor Kinmei. It is known as a temple associated with Minamoto no Yoritomo, as he built the Gongendo Hall and other buildings to pray for the soul of the Zen nun at Ike. In 2007, the main hall, Daishi Hall, bell tower, and other buildings were registered as tangible cultural properties by the country. [Location] 205 Akashi, Uwa-cho, Seiyo-shi, Ehime [Access] Approx. 29 minutes on foot from Unomachi Station exit Approx. 41 minutes on foot from Shimouwa Station exit 2 Approx. 53 minutes on foot from Kamiuwa Station exit #0 yen trip January 2025

"Moss Mushiro" is a moss-filled cafe built in the Satoyama area of ​​the Seiyo region of Ehime Prefecture. Moss Mushiro means that the entire area is covered in moss. The owner planted cedar trees one by one, planted moss and nurtured it with great care on what was originally barren farmland. The wooden hut has been turned into a cafe, where you can enjoy tea brewed with delicious groundwater pumped up from 50 meters underground and desserts such as the famous moss manju. The green moss garden spreads out like a painting from the wide windows of the tatami room, which is very relaxing. The garden is basically free for everyone. However, although it is popular, it is good manners to put 100 yen in a wooden box as an environmental improvement contribution. You can freely stroll around the garden. The owner's As a hobby, unusual objects and pottery from all over the country are placed here and there in the moss garden. It's a bit like a treasure hunt, and it's fun. The water is so clear that if you look down, you'll see a wasagani walking around. Below the cafe is the owner's house, and in front of it is a small gazebo gallery (free admission, but 100 yen optional). The carp and moss in the pond in front of it are also spectacular. The parking lot can only accommodate about two cars in front of the shop, so if it's full, you'll have to park on the side of the road a little further away. I was surprised to find such a wonderful cafe in the remote countryside of Nishiyo. #tripgourmet #EhimePrefecture #spectacularcafe #mossspot #moss

I visited Akemare in Ehime Prefecture! For someone like me who lived in the city, the abundant nature was very soothing! The people are kind, and the scenery is beautiful! Although there are issues with population decline and depopulation, the residents are creatively expanding various industries. I was deeply moved by their way of life and ingenuity. The place I stayed at, Akemare, offers a breathtaking view of the sea right in front of you. It's truly wonderful to take a walk in the early morning or during the golden hour. At night, you can enjoy a stunning starry sky that you can't see in cities like Tokyo, and you can even have a barbecue if you apply for it. For those going in large groups, I recommend the log houses (not recommended in summer due to the large number of insects). Overall, it was a very memorable experience! Highly recommended!

#0yentravelautumn This summer, I went on a trip around Shikoku. I departed from Haneda Airport and arrived at Takamatsu Airport in Kagawa Prefecture. In Kagawa Prefecture, I went to a Sanuki udon restaurant called Waraya. It was very delicious to eat cold udon in a quaint building. The first photo is Shikoku Karst in Kochi Prefecture. The road to get there is a bit rough by car, but you can see a very beautiful view, and it's very refreshing to see a view that you can't often see in Japan. The second photo is Chichibugahama Beach in Kagawa Prefecture. Depending on the weather and time of day, you can take the best photo. The third photo is Kazura Bridge in Tokushima Prefecture. If you like the outdoors, why not go and check it out? #Chichibugahama Beach

A very popular coffee shop where you can enjoy coffee in the breathtaking view of Shikoku Karst☕️ Even though it was a weekday during the day, there was a line almost all the time😳 They make the coffee one cup at a time, so it takes a little time, but you can enjoy the breathtaking view while you wait, so it's not a problem at all🥹 There are plenty of photo spots, such as cow-shaped objects and swings with a breathtaking view. The only food available was cow-shaped cookies, but there were food trucks lined up nearby, so those who want to eat a hearty meal can rest assured🌭 . . . 📍Karst Coffee 🗺️Ehime, Japan 🕑Weekdays 11:00-16:30/Saturdays and Sundays 10:00-17:00 💰¥600 #Fritabi #DomesticTravel #Cafe

"Ready, set, go!" It's time for a mopping contest! Today we're introducing a famous mopping spot👇The Uwa Rice Museum in Seiyo City, Ehime Prefecture★A rice museum with a 109m-long wooden corridorThis facility was built in 1928 as the former Uwamachi Elementary School building, and was relocated to a hill overlooking the Uwa Basin, and opened in 1991🌾This facility displays many rice-related materials, including about 80 varieties of rice and farming tools used in the Uwa region, and there are many messages written on the blackboard room, making it a place that will warm your heart just by looking at it! The corridor is a wooden corridor with a total length of 109m, the longest in Japan‼️Why is it so long?... The reason for this was that the school had a desire to be the best school in Japan at the time of construction, and as a result, it was built as a single-story building with 12 classrooms lined up side by side, and a 109m wooden corridor was completed. 👀 As you can see in the photo, there are still old-fashioned classrooms, so you can take some atmospheric photos. 📸★A mopping race in the 109m corridor! 🏎Another attraction that is attracting attention at this museum is the "mopping race." You can only experience mopping a 109m-long corridor here! All you have to do is use an original mopping rag marked "Z (mopping) -1" to mop the entire corridor. 💨It is held in a time trial format, and those who achieve good results will have their records posted. 📝You can experience it for 500 yen! 💰The trial fee includes a certificate and rental shoes and knee pads★After racing, take a break at the cafe☕️After mopping the floor, head to "Loca-cafe" behind the school building. The cafe serves home-roasted coffee, with three types of "LOCA Blend" (400 yen including tax) with different roasting degrees: "Mild," "Bitter," and "Nigari"🎉To accompany it, we recommend "Chocogra" (230 yen including tax), which has home-roasted coffee as a secret ingredient! The perfect sweetness goes perfectly with coffee 🤤 [Loca-cafe business information] Closed: Mondays and Tuesdays (Tuesdays and Wednesdays if Monday is a national holiday) Business hours: 12:00-17:00 Inquiries: 0894-62-6517 ★ Uwa Rice Museum business information Address: 2-24 Unomachi, Uwa-cho, Seiyo-shi, Ehime 797-0015 TEL: 0894-62-6517 Parking: Free (50 spaces) Admission fee: Free Opening hours: 9:00-17:00 Closed: Every Monday (the following day if Monday is a national holiday) Year-end and New Year's holiday fee: Trial course 500 yen Reservation: Reservation required for 10 or more people *No reservation required for less than 10 people ★Access🚙10 minutes from Matsuyama Expressway Nishiyo-Uwa IC🚙70 minutes from Matsuyama Station🚃Approx. 10 minutes walk from JR Yosan Line "Uonomachi Station" #Sakura2024 #Japan's Greatest Views #Domestic Travel #Ehime Tourism

This time, I'm on a trip to Ehime! This time, I visited Moss Strawberry! It's about an hour's drive from Matsuyama, and you can see it after climbing a little mountain. There was a parking lot for 3-4 cars! The entrance fee is 100 yen per person! There is a cafe inside, so you can order matcha tea and moss buns there! You can enjoy just the Moss Strawberry area without using the cafe, but the air is delicious and the atmosphere is great, so I recommend buying a drink at the cafe and relaxing! This seems to be a place that was built from scratch by hand, and there are many warning signs in various places saying "Don't step on the moss!" and "One breath is 1 yen." There are many other funny warning signs, so I recommend taking a leisurely stroll! There are many stones laid out in the moss, and you will walk on them, so I don't recommend wearing heels 🥲 It's cool and there is a lot of greenery, so it's soothing! It seems to have been selected as one of the 88 Scenic Views of Shikoku, so please go and check it out 🥰! #Summer weekend trip #Keihan group campaign #Ehime #Ehime sightseeing #Ehime date #cafe #moss mat #forest bathing