After finishing the Shimanami Kaido, we took a train anticlockwise around the coast towards Matsuyama. The train’s route closely follows part of the Shikoku Pilgrimage, and as we looked out of the window at the blue horizon, I remembered myself nine years ago, walking in the other direction in the rain.
That year was pivotal in my life; I quit a very stressful job and started living with my now-wife. In 2025, I find myself on the edge of another big career change, and it was good to revisit this moment to remind myself that everything will be okay in time.
Our accommodation for the night was the charming Former Suziki Residence (旧鈴木邸), a historic merchants’ house in Mitsuhama (三津浜), a port town just outside Matsuyama.
The residence, built around 1903 by rice merchant Suzuki Seimiyoshi, features a traditional Japanese interior, a garden with a 1950s teahouse, and a ceramic transom added during renovations led by his son Shigeyoshi.
It was a lovely place to spend the night, and I wish we had more time to explore the local area.
In the morning, we took the nearby Mitsu no Watashi (三津の渡し) 400-year-old ferry boat across the port inlet to Minatoyama Station (港山駅) and caught a local train to Matsuyama.
Matsuyama is probably my favorite city in Shikoku, and of course, we paid a visit to Dōgo Onsen (道後温泉), one of the oldest hot springs in Japan.
Whilst my other half relaxed in the baths, I wandered down the road to Isaniwa Shrine (伊佐爾波神社), which I had missed on my last visit. It’s worth the climb up the steep stone stairs.
I also popped into Mustakivi (ムスタキビ), a wonderful gallery where you can purchase works by Mr. Ishimoto, one of Marimekko’s original textile designers.
Our goal for the day was to reach Takamatsu on the eastern side of Shikoku. We broke the 2.5-hour train journey in half by visiting Komyoji Temple (光明寺) in a nondescript neighbourhood near Iyo-Saijō Station.
Unmistakenly designed by Tadao Ando (安藤 忠雄), the amazing concrete and wooden building is sadly no longer open to the public. However, we enjoyed sitting by the reflecting pool outside for a few minutes. Photos of the interior look incredible.
Arriving in Takamatsu, we headed straight to a fantastic yakitori restaurant we last visited in 2023. It was my fourth time in the city, and I always enjoy gaining familiarity with a place over multiple visits and discovering my favourite spots.
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