Is a Rental Car Necessary for Sightseeing in Dogo Onsen?

Whether you need a rental car in Dogo Onsen and Matsuyama depends on how far you plan to travel. For a stay focused on Dogo and central Matsuyama, a combination of streetcars, buses, and walking can cover many of the main sights. A car becomes more worth considering when your itinerary extends to other parts of Ehime or includes drives outside the city.

Public transport for getting around Dogo Onsen and central Matsuyama

Streetcars and local buses serve the main parts of Matsuyama. Visitors may also encounter the Botchan Ressha, a sightseeing train whose nickname comes from Natsume Soseki's novel Botchan, in which the characters use a train.

For the exact routes, operating status, and visitor services available on your travel date, check the current information from the transport operator before setting out.

Walking and streetcar access around Dogo

The area around Dogo Onsen Station, Dogo Onsen Main Building, Dogo Park, and Ishiteji contains several sights that can be combined on foot and by streetcar.

Dogo Onsen Main Building began its reconstruction under Isaniwa Yukiya, who became the first mayor of Dogo Yunomachi in 1890. The reconstruction was completed in 1894. In December 1994, it became the first public bathhouse to be designated an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Conservation and repair work that began in January 2019 was completed on December 20, 2024. Some second- and third-floor rest-course options include tea and sweets after bathing; details depend on the current course and operating arrangements.

Nearby Isaniwa Shrine is listed as a shrine in the Engishiki. It was associated with the Kono clan's Yuzuki Castle in the medieval period and was revered during the Edo period as the first of the eight Hachiman shrines of the Matsuyama domain.

Dogo Park is home to the Yuzuki Castle Site, associated with the Kono clan, who expanded their influence from Kono-go in Kazahaya District, now part of Matsuyama's Hojo area. Yuzuki Castle was a medieval hilltop castle that used the terrain rather than stone walls or a keep. It is thought to have had two moats and two earthen ramparts by the first half of the sixteenth century.

Ishiteji is a little farther from the central Dogo cluster. As recorded on April 27, 2021, its Niomon Gate was designated a National Treasure (building) on November 22, 1952. The Main Hall and three-story pagoda were designated Important Cultural Properties (buildings) on May 27, 1907.

Itineraries where a rental car is usually unnecessary

If your itinerary centers on Dogo, Matsuyama Castle, and Okaido, you can make a substantial sightseeing day without renting a car. Matsuyama Castle's construction on Mount Katsuyama began in 1602 under Kato Yoshiaki, lord of Iyo-Matsumae Castle. Its keep is one of Japan's twelve surviving castle keeps dating from before the Edo period.

Itineraries where a rental car may be worth considering

If you plan to visit other parts of Ehime or make trips into the suburbs, consider comparing a rental car with public transport for each leg. For example, the free Mitsu Ferry is a coastal attraction, and a car may give you more flexibility when combining it with other outlying stops. Confirm current operating information before visiting.

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Sources

• Dogo Onsen Main Building
• Dogo Onsen visitor guide
• History, water quality, and character of Dogo Onsen
• Botchan Ressha: About the train
• Isaniwa Shrine Main Hall — Matsuyama City
• Yuzuki Castle Site — Dogo Park
• Ishiteji Niomon Gate — Matsuyama City
• Ishiteji Main Hall — Matsuyama City
• Ishiteji Three-story Pagoda — Matsuyama City
• Matsuyama Castle Site — Ehime Prefecture
• The Twelve Surviving Castle Keeps — Matsuyama City
• Mitsu Ferry service — Matsuyama City
• Ehime Memory database

Last verified: August 15, 2026