Matsuyama, Ehime
Encyclopedia
is the capital city
of Ehime Prefecture
on the Shikoku
island of Japan
. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889.
The city is known for hot springs
(onsen
) and is home to Dōgo Onsen
, the oldest hot spring bath house in Japan. A second favorite tourist spot is Matsuyama Castle
. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage
are in Matsuyama.
, a fiefdom of Iyo Province
consisting mainly of a castle town, supporting Matsuyama Castle
. There was a nearby village at Dōgo Onsen
to the east and a port somewhat farther to the west at Mitsuhama
providing a link to the Japanese mainland (Honshū
) and Kyūshū
.
Dōgo Onsen
was already famous in the Nara period
, and Shotoku Taishi visited the spa in the year 596. It is also mentioned in passing in The Tale of Genji
. The site of the former Yuzuki Castle
is nearby.
Famous Buddhist temples in Matsuyama include Ishite-ji
(石手寺), Taisan-ji
(太山寺), and Jōdo-ji
(浄土寺), all dating back to the 8th century, although the oldest surviving buildings are from the early 14th century, as well as Taihō-ji
(大宝寺) and Enmyō-ji
(円明寺). Famous shrines of the city include Isaniwa Jinja
(伊佐爾波神社), built in 1667.
The haiku
poet Masaoka Shiki
lived in Matsuyama. His house, now known as the Shiki-do, and a museum, the Shiki Memorial Museum
, are popular attractions, and the centerpieces of the city's claim as a center of the international haiku movement. Other famous haiku poets associated with Matsuyama include Kobayashi Issa
(an occasional visitor), Shiki's followers, Takahama Kyoshi and Kawahigashi Hekigoto, and Taneda Santōka
. Santoka's house, known as Isso-an, is also a tourist attraction and is periodically open to the public. The Matsuyama Declaration of 1999 proposed the formation of International Haiku Research Center, and the first Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards were given in 2000. Recipients have included Yves Bonnefoy
(2000), Cor van den Heuvel
(2002) and Gary Snyder
(2004).
The famed novel Botchan
by Natsume Sōseki
is set in Matsuyama. As a result, there are numerous sites and locales named after the main character, including Botchan Stadium
, the Botchan Ressha
(an antique train that runs on the streetcar route), and Botchan dango.
Matsuyama also figures in several works by Shiba Ryōtarō, notably his popular novel, Saka no ue no kumo
[Clouds Above the Hill] (1969). In anticipation of the upcoming NHK
Taiga drama
adaptation of Saka no ue no kumo
, a Saka no ue no kumo Museum
was established in 2007.
Matsuyama was also the setting of a 1907 novel about the Russo-Japanese War
, As the Hague Ordains, by American writer Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore
. Matsuyama figures in the novel because the city housed a camp for Russian prisoners during the war. A Russian cemetery commemorates this important episode in Matsuyama history. The Russo-Japanese War
is also remembered in Matsuyama because of the contributions of two Japanese military leaders, the Akiyama brothers, Akiyama Saneyuki
and Akiyama Yoshifuru
, who were born in the city.
joined the castle town with neighboring Dōgo
, Mitsuhama
, and other townships, aided by urban sprawl
, creating a seamless modern city that now ranks as the largest in Shikoku
. As of the most recent merger, on January 1, 2005, joining the city of Hōjō
and town of Nakajima
(from the former Onsen District
) with Matsuyama, the city had an estimated population
of 512,982 and a density
of 1196 persons per km². The total (merged) area is 428.86 km².
Matsuyama is one of the Japanese cities that did not do away with their streetcar systems (Iyo Railway
).
Matsuyama Airport
has regular flights to Tokyo
, Osaka
, and other major Japanese cities and selected international destinations, including both Shanghai
and Seoul
. There is regular ferry service to Hiroshima
and regular night ferries to Kobe
, Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyūshū
, and several other destinations. Also, hydrofoil
service exists between Hiroshima
and a few other destinations.
Matsuyama is home to several universities including Ehime University
(part of the Japanese national university
system) and several private colleges, including Matsuyama University
and Matsuyama Shinonome College
.
Matsuyama has several important museums. The Museum of Art, Ehime is the city's main art museum, its collections emphasizing the works of regional artists. The Shiki Memorial Museum
is a museum that focuses on the life and work of Masaoka Shiki
, with special attention to his contribution to haiku
. The Saka no ue no kumo Museum
features exhibits connected with the famous novel and television series. There is an Itami Juzo museum dedicated to the famous film director.
Famous products (meibutsu
) of Matsuyama include tart
s and Botchan dango. In the 17th century, the lord of Matsuyama castle Sadayuki Matsudaira (松平定行) introduced the process of tart-making, originally brought to Japan by the Portuguese, to Matsuyama. At first it was a Castella
with jam. According to legend Sadayuki made some changes, such as adding red bean paste
. Now there are many kinds and makers of tarts in Matsuyama; some add yuzu
paste or chestnut
to the red bean paste. In addition to tarts, Botchan dango is also a famous product of Matsuyama. Botchan dango was named after the famous novel Botchan
by Natsume Sōseki
. It consists of three bean paste beads of three flavors, matcha
, egg, and red bean paste. Within the paste is contained mochi.
Matsuyama is the site of a number of festivals, including the Dogo Festival, held in the spring, the Matsuyama Festival, held in August, and the Fall Festival, held in October, which features battling mikoshi
.
The city is represented in the J. League
of football
with its local club, Ehime F.C.
. The Ehime Mandarin Pirates
also represent the city in the baseball
Shikoku Island League Plus.
manufacturer), Iseki
(tractor
and engine equipment), Hatada Ichiroku (Japanese style confectionery
), Poem, a food processing division of Pom (Ehime Drink Company), and the retailing companies Fuji and Daiki all have their headquarters based in Matsuyama.
Chemical manufacturing companies Teijin
and Toray
have based their factory operations in Matsuyama.
, as designated by Sister Cities International
: Sacramento, California
, United States Freiburg
, Germany Pyeongtaek
, South Korea
Cities of Japan
||A is a local administrative unit in Japan. Cities are ranked on the same level as and , with the difference that they are not a component of...
of Ehime Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture
is a prefecture in northwestern Shikoku, Japan. The capital is Matsuyama.-History:Until the Meiji Restoration, Ehime prefecture was known as Iyo Province...
on the Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
island of Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain." The city was founded on December 15, 1889.
The city is known for hot springs
Hot Springs
Hot Springs may refer to:* Hot Springs, Arkansas** Hot Springs National Park, Arkansas*Hot Springs, California**Hot Springs, Lassen County, California**Hot Springs, Modoc County, California**Hot Springs, Placer County, California...
(onsen
Onsen
An is a term for hot springs in the Japanese language, though the term is often used to describe the bathing facilities and inns around the hot springs. As a volcanically active country, Japan has thousands of onsen scattered along its length and breadth...
) and is home to Dōgo Onsen
Dogo Onsen
is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan.-History:Dōgo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen hot springs in Japan, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. The springs are mentioned in the Man'yōshū is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama,...
, the oldest hot spring bath house in Japan. A second favorite tourist spot is Matsuyama Castle
Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)
is a flatland-mountain castle that was built in 1603 on Mount Katsuyama, whose height is 132 meters, in Matsuyama city in Ehime Prefecture . It is not to be confused with Bitchū Matsuyama Castle.- History :...
. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage
Shikoku Pilgrimage
The or is a multi-site pilgrimage of 88 temples associated with the Buddhist monk Kūkai on the island of Shikoku, Japan. A popular and distinctive feature of the island's cultural landscape, and with a long history, large numbers of pilgrims still undertake the journey for a variety of ascetic,...
are in Matsuyama.
History and culture
Matsuyama was in medieval times part of the Iyo-Matsuyama DomainIyo-Matsuyama Domain
The was a Japanese domain of the Edo period, with its holdings centered in modern-day Matsuyama, Ehime.-History:The Iyo-Matsuyama domain passed through several hands before settling as the fief of a branch of the Hisamatsu-Matsudaira. In the Bakumatsu period, the domain took part in the Tokugawa...
, a fiefdom of Iyo Province
Iyo Province
was an old province of Japan in the area that is today Ehime Prefecture on Shikoku. Iyo bordered on Awa, Sanuki, and Tosa Provinces. It was sometimes called ....
consisting mainly of a castle town, supporting Matsuyama Castle
Matsuyama Castle (Iyo)
is a flatland-mountain castle that was built in 1603 on Mount Katsuyama, whose height is 132 meters, in Matsuyama city in Ehime Prefecture . It is not to be confused with Bitchū Matsuyama Castle.- History :...
. There was a nearby village at Dōgo Onsen
Dogo Onsen
is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan.-History:Dōgo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen hot springs in Japan, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. The springs are mentioned in the Man'yōshū is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama,...
to the east and a port somewhat farther to the west at Mitsuhama
Mitsuhama
Mitsuhama , formerly also known as Mitsugahama, is the main port of Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan.In October, 1888, a light railway line connecting Mitsuhama with Matsuyama began operation....
providing a link to the Japanese mainland (Honshū
Honshu
is the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
) and Kyūshū
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
.
Dōgo Onsen
Dogo Onsen
is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan.-History:Dōgo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen hot springs in Japan, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. The springs are mentioned in the Man'yōshū is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama,...
was already famous in the Nara period
Nara period
The of the history of Japan covers the years from AD 710 to 794. Empress Gemmei established the capital of Heijō-kyō . Except for 5 years , when the capital was briefly moved again, it remained the capital of Japanese civilization until Emperor Kammu established a new capital, Nagaoka-kyō, in 784...
, and Shotoku Taishi visited the spa in the year 596. It is also mentioned in passing in The Tale of Genji
The Tale of Genji
is a classic work of Japanese literature attributed to the Japanese noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the early 11th century, around the peak of the Heian period. It is sometimes called the world's first novel, the first modern novel, the first psychological novel or the first novel still to be...
. The site of the former Yuzuki Castle
Yuzuki Castle
is a former Japanese castle near Dōgo Onsen in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture. The Kōno clan ruled Iyo Province from Yuzuki from the fourteenth century. Fortified in the sixteenth century, the castle was destroyed by the army of Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1585 during the Sengoku period. Its ruins,...
is nearby.
Famous Buddhist temples in Matsuyama include Ishite-ji
Ishite-ji
is a Shingon temple in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is Temple 51 on the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. Seven of its structures have been designated National Treasures or Important Cultural Properties.-History:...
(石手寺), Taisan-ji
Taisan-ji (Matsuyama)
is a Shingon temple in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is Temple 52 on the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage. The Hondō is a National Treasure.-History:...
(太山寺), and Jōdo-ji
Jōdo-ji (Matsuyama)
is a Shingon temple in Matsuyama, Japan. It is Temple 49 on the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage.-History:Said to have been founded by Gyōki, Kūya lodged at the temple for three years. Burned during fighting in 1416, it was rebuilt by the Kōno clan...
(浄土寺), all dating back to the 8th century, although the oldest surviving buildings are from the early 14th century, as well as Taihō-ji
Taihō-ji (Matsuyama)
is a Buddhist temple in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. The Hondō has been designated a National Treasure and a number of the temple's treasures are Important Cultural Properties.-Buildings:* Hondō , National Treasure...
(大宝寺) and Enmyō-ji
Enmyō-ji (Matsuyama)
is a Shingon temple in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. It is Temple 53 on the Shikoku 88 temple pilgrimage.-History:Said to have been founded by Gyōki, the temple was largely destroyed during the wars of the sixteenth century and has been rebuilt....
(円明寺). Famous shrines of the city include Isaniwa Jinja
Isaniwa Jinja
is a Shinto shrine in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan. Enshrined are Emperor Chūai, Empress Jingū, and Emperor Ōjin. A number of its buildings and treasures have been designated Important Cultural Properties.-History:...
(伊佐爾波神社), built in 1667.
The haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
poet Masaoka Shiki
Masaoka Shiki
, pen-name of Masaoka Noboru , was a Japanese poet, author, and literary critic in Meiji period Japan. Shiki is regarded as a major figure in the development of modern haiku poetry...
lived in Matsuyama. His house, now known as the Shiki-do, and a museum, the Shiki Memorial Museum
Shiki Memorial Museum
The Matsuyama City is a museum devoted mainly to the life and work of Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki, who was born and raised in Matsuyama.Shiki is widely considered to be the most important figure in the modernization of the Japanese haiku and tanka poetry. The museum also includes exhibits about...
, are popular attractions, and the centerpieces of the city's claim as a center of the international haiku movement. Other famous haiku poets associated with Matsuyama include Kobayashi Issa
Kobayashi Issa
, was a Japanese poet and lay Buddhist priest of the Jōdo Shinshū sect known for his haiku poems and journals. He is better known as simply , a pen name meaning Cup-of-tea...
(an occasional visitor), Shiki's followers, Takahama Kyoshi and Kawahigashi Hekigoto, and Taneda Santōka
Taneda Santoka
was the pen-name of a Japanese author and haiku poet. He is known for his free verse haiku.- Life :Santōka was born in a village on the southwestern tip of Honshū, Japan’s main island, to a wealthy land-owning family. At the age of eleven his mother committed suicide by throwing herself into the...
. Santoka's house, known as Isso-an, is also a tourist attraction and is periodically open to the public. The Matsuyama Declaration of 1999 proposed the formation of International Haiku Research Center, and the first Masaoka Shiki International Haiku Awards were given in 2000. Recipients have included Yves Bonnefoy
Yves Bonnefoy
Yves Bonnefoy is a French poet and essayist. Bonnefoy was born in Tours, Indre-et-Loire, the son of a railroad worker and a teacher....
(2000), Cor van den Heuvel
Cor Van Den Heuvel
Cor van den Heuvel is an American haiku poet, editor, commentator and archivist.-Biography:Van den Heuvel was born in Biddeford, Maine, and grew up in Maine and New Hampshire. He lives in New York City with his wife Leonia Leigh Larrecq....
(2002) and Gary Snyder
Gary Snyder
Gary Snyder is an American poet , as well as an essayist, lecturer, and environmental activist . Snyder is a winner of a Pulitzer Prize for Poetry...
(2004).
The famed novel Botchan
Botchan
Botchan is a novel written by Natsume Sōseki in 1906. It is considered to be one of the most popular novels in Japan, read by most Japanese during their childhood. The central theme of the story is morality.-Narrative:...
by Natsume Sōseki
Natsume Soseki
, born ', is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period . He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales...
is set in Matsuyama. As a result, there are numerous sites and locales named after the main character, including Botchan Stadium
Botchan Stadium
is a multi-purpose stadium in Matsuyama Central Park, Matsuyama, Japan. It is currently used mostly for baseball matches. The stadium holds 30,136 people.It is named after well-known novel Botchan written by Natsume Sōseki who once lived in Matsuyama....
, the Botchan Ressha
Botchan Ressha
The is a diesel-powered replica of a small-gauge steam locomotive installed in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan in 1888 as the original Iyo Railway...
(an antique train that runs on the streetcar route), and Botchan dango.
Matsuyama also figures in several works by Shiba Ryōtarō, notably his popular novel, Saka no ue no kumo
Saka no ue no kumo
, "Cloud over the slope," is a popular Japanese historical novel by Shiba Ryōtarō originally published serially from 1968 to 1972 in eight volumes...
[Clouds Above the Hill] (1969). In anticipation of the upcoming NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
Taiga drama
Taiga drama
is the name NHK gives to the annual, year-long historical fiction television series it broadcasts in Japan. Beginning in 1963 with the black-and-white Hana no Shōgai, starring kabuki actor Onoe Shōroku and Takarazuka star Awashima Chikage, the network has hired a producer, director, writer, music...
adaptation of Saka no ue no kumo
Saka no ue no kumo (TV series)
is a current NHK 21 Century special drama which is scheduled to be aired for three years starting from November 29, 2009. 13 episodes, 90 minutes each, have been planned. The first series, with 5 episodes, was broadcast in 2009, while series two and three, each with 4 episodes, are being broadcast...
, a Saka no ue no kumo Museum
Saka no ue no kumo Museum
Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum is a museum located in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan, and inspired by the novel Saka no ue no kumo, written by Ryotaro Shiba....
was established in 2007.
Matsuyama was also the setting of a 1907 novel about the Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
, As the Hague Ordains, by American writer Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore
Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore
Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore was an American writer, photographer and geographer, who became the first female board member of the National Geographic Society. She visited Japan many times between 1885 and 1928....
. Matsuyama figures in the novel because the city housed a camp for Russian prisoners during the war. A Russian cemetery commemorates this important episode in Matsuyama history. The Russo-Japanese War
Russo-Japanese War
The Russo-Japanese War was "the first great war of the 20th century." It grew out of rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea...
is also remembered in Matsuyama because of the contributions of two Japanese military leaders, the Akiyama brothers, Akiyama Saneyuki
Akiyama Saneyuki
was a Meiji-period career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was famous as a planner of Battle of Tsushima in the Russo-Japanese War. The Japanese general Akiyama Yoshifuru was his elder brother.-Early life and career:...
and Akiyama Yoshifuru
Akiyama Yoshifuru
was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was considered the father of the modern Japanese cavalry. Akiyama Yoshifuru was Vice Admiral Akiyama Saneyuki's older brother.-Early life:...
, who were born in the city.
The city today
In the twentieth century, various mergersOnsen District, Ehime
was a district located in Ehime Prefecture. Due to the mergers — The district dissolved on January 1, 2005.The district had an estimated population of 40,690 and the total area was 248.73 km² .-History:This district was located in what is currently the center of Matsuyama...
joined the castle town with neighboring Dōgo
Dogo Onsen
is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, Japan.-History:Dōgo Onsen is one of the oldest onsen hot springs in Japan, with a history stretching back over 1,000 years. The springs are mentioned in the Man'yōshū is a hot spring in the city of Matsuyama,...
, Mitsuhama
Mitsuhama
Mitsuhama , formerly also known as Mitsugahama, is the main port of Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan.In October, 1888, a light railway line connecting Mitsuhama with Matsuyama began operation....
, and other townships, aided by urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
, creating a seamless modern city that now ranks as the largest in Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
. As of the most recent merger, on January 1, 2005, joining the city of Hōjō
Hojo, Ehime
was a city located in Ehime, Japan.As of 2003, the city had an estimated population of 28,292 and the density of 277.02 persons per km². The total area was 102.13 km²....
and town of Nakajima
Nakajima, Ehime
was a town located in Onsen District, Ehime, Japan.On January 1, 2005 Nakajima, along with the old city of Hōjō, was merged into the expanded city of Matsuyama and no longer exists as an independent municipality....
(from the former Onsen District
Onsen District, Ehime
was a district located in Ehime Prefecture. Due to the mergers — The district dissolved on January 1, 2005.The district had an estimated population of 40,690 and the total area was 248.73 km² .-History:This district was located in what is currently the center of Matsuyama...
) with Matsuyama, the city had an estimated population
Population
A population is all the organisms that both belong to the same group or species and live in the same geographical area. The area that is used to define a sexual population is such that inter-breeding is possible between any pair within the area and more probable than cross-breeding with individuals...
of 512,982 and a density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
of 1196 persons per km². The total (merged) area is 428.86 km².
Matsuyama is one of the Japanese cities that did not do away with their streetcar systems (Iyo Railway
Iyo Railway
The is a transportation company in Matsuyama, Japan. The company or its lines are commonly known as . The private company operates railway, tram, and bus lines, and is a core company of Iyotetsu Group, which also operates other business such as department stores and travel agencies.-History:The...
).
Matsuyama Airport
Matsuyama Airport
-Statistics:...
has regular flights to Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
, and other major Japanese cities and selected international destinations, including both Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and Seoul
Seoul
Seoul , officially the Seoul Special City, is the capital and largest metropolis of South Korea. A megacity with a population of over 10 million, it is the largest city proper in the OECD developed world...
. There is regular ferry service to Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
and regular night ferries to Kobe
Kobe
, pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka...
, Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyūshū
Kokura Kita-ku, Kitakyushu
is a ward of Kitakyūshū, Fukuoka, Japan. It is the north part of what used to be Kokura City before the merger of five cities to create the new city of Kitakyūshū in 1963...
, and several other destinations. Also, hydrofoil
Hydrofoil
A hydrofoil is a foil which operates in water. They are similar in appearance and purpose to airfoils.Hydrofoils can be artificial, such as the rudder or keel on a boat, the diving planes on a submarine, a surfboard fin, or occur naturally, as with fish fins, the flippers of aquatic mammals, the...
service exists between Hiroshima
Hiroshima
is the capital of Hiroshima Prefecture, and the largest city in the Chūgoku region of western Honshu, the largest island of Japan. It became best known as the first city in history to be destroyed by a nuclear weapon when the United States Army Air Forces dropped an atomic bomb on it at 8:15 A.M...
and a few other destinations.
Matsuyama is home to several universities including Ehime University
Ehime University
is a Japanese national university in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. The university has one of the largest student populations in the Shikoku region.After Japan's defeat in World War II, Aidai was established in May 1949 among many other national universities by the Japanese government during the...
(part of the Japanese national university
Japanese national university
As of 2008, there were 87 , 89 public universities and 580 private universities in Japan. National universities, tend to be held in higher regard in higher education in Japan than private or public universities....
system) and several private colleges, including Matsuyama University
Matsuyama University
is a private university in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1923, and it was chartered as a university in 1949. The present name was adopted in 1989. Shiho Ochi and Kōichi Tabo of Superfly are alumni.-External links:* *...
and Matsuyama Shinonome College
Matsuyama Shinonome College
is a private women's college in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. The predecessor of the school was founded in 1886, and it was chartered as a university in 1992.-External links:*...
.
Matsuyama has several important museums. The Museum of Art, Ehime is the city's main art museum, its collections emphasizing the works of regional artists. The Shiki Memorial Museum
Shiki Memorial Museum
The Matsuyama City is a museum devoted mainly to the life and work of Japanese writer Masaoka Shiki, who was born and raised in Matsuyama.Shiki is widely considered to be the most important figure in the modernization of the Japanese haiku and tanka poetry. The museum also includes exhibits about...
is a museum that focuses on the life and work of Masaoka Shiki
Masaoka Shiki
, pen-name of Masaoka Noboru , was a Japanese poet, author, and literary critic in Meiji period Japan. Shiki is regarded as a major figure in the development of modern haiku poetry...
, with special attention to his contribution to haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
. The Saka no ue no kumo Museum
Saka no ue no kumo Museum
Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum is a museum located in Matsuyama, Ehime Prefecture, Japan, and inspired by the novel Saka no ue no kumo, written by Ryotaro Shiba....
features exhibits connected with the famous novel and television series. There is an Itami Juzo museum dedicated to the famous film director.
Famous products (meibutsu
Meibutsu
Meibutsu is a Japanese term for famous products associated with particular regions. Meibutsu are usually items of Japanese regional cuisine, although the category includes local handicrafts. Meibutsu typically have a traditional character, although contemporary products may qualify as meibutsu...
) of Matsuyama include tart
Tart
A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savoury, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard....
s and Botchan dango. In the 17th century, the lord of Matsuyama castle Sadayuki Matsudaira (松平定行) introduced the process of tart-making, originally brought to Japan by the Portuguese, to Matsuyama. At first it was a Castella
Castella
is a popular Japanese sponge cake made of sugar, flour, eggs, and starch syrup, very common at festivals and as a street food.Now a specialty of Nagasaki, the cake was brought by way of Portuguese merchants in the 16th century. The name is derived from Portuguese Pão de Castela, meaning "bread from...
with jam. According to legend Sadayuki made some changes, such as adding red bean paste
Red bean paste
Red bean paste or Azuki bean paste is a sweet, dark red bean paste originating from China. It is used in Chinese cuisine, Japanese confectionery, and Korean cuisine. It is prepared by boiling and mashing azuki beans and then sweetening the paste with sugar or honey...
. Now there are many kinds and makers of tarts in Matsuyama; some add yuzu
Yuzu
The yuzu is a citrus fruit and plant originating in East Asia. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda...
paste or chestnut
Chestnut
Chestnut , some species called chinkapin or chinquapin, is a genus of eight or nine species of deciduous trees and shrubs in the beech family Fagaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The name also refers to the edible nuts they produce.-Species:The chestnut belongs to the...
to the red bean paste. In addition to tarts, Botchan dango is also a famous product of Matsuyama. Botchan dango was named after the famous novel Botchan
Botchan
Botchan is a novel written by Natsume Sōseki in 1906. It is considered to be one of the most popular novels in Japan, read by most Japanese during their childhood. The central theme of the story is morality.-Narrative:...
by Natsume Sōseki
Natsume Soseki
, born ', is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period . He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales...
. It consists of three bean paste beads of three flavors, matcha
Matcha
refers to finely-milled green tea, most popular in Japan. The cultural activity called the Japanese tea ceremony centers on the preparation, serving, and drinking of matcha. In modern times, matcha has also come to be used to flavour and dye foods such as mochi and soba noodles, green tea ice cream...
, egg, and red bean paste. Within the paste is contained mochi.
Matsuyama is the site of a number of festivals, including the Dogo Festival, held in the spring, the Matsuyama Festival, held in August, and the Fall Festival, held in October, which features battling mikoshi
Mikoshi
A is a divine palanquin . Shinto followers believe that it serves as the vehicle to transport a deity in Japan while moving between main shrine and temporary shrine during a festival or when moving to a new shrine...
.
The city is represented in the J. League
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
of football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
with its local club, Ehime F.C.
Ehime F.C.
Ehime F.C. is a professional football club based in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture of Japan. After winning the JFL championship in 2005, the club now plays in J. League Division 2. Ehime F.C. is one of only four J. League clubs whose names simply consist of a place name and "F.C."...
. The Ehime Mandarin Pirates
Ehime Mandarin Pirates
The are a semi-professional baseball team in the Shikoku Island League of Japan. Established in 2005, the Mandarin Pirates mainly play their home games at Botchan Stadium in Matsuyama, the capital city of Ehime Prefecture.-External links:*...
also represent the city in the baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
Shikoku Island League Plus.
Economy
Miura (boilerBoiler
A boiler is a closed vessel in which water or other fluid is heated. The heated or vaporized fluid exits the boiler for use in various processes or heating applications.-Materials:...
manufacturer), Iseki
Iseki
, based in Tokyo, Japan, manufactures a variety of machinery, components, and engines.It was founded in 1926 as in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. It was incorporated in 1936 as Iseki & Co....
(tractor
Tractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
and engine equipment), Hatada Ichiroku (Japanese style confectionery
Confectionery
Confectionery is the set of food items that are rich in sugar, any one or type of which is called a confection. Modern usage may include substances rich in artificial sweeteners as well...
), Poem, a food processing division of Pom (Ehime Drink Company), and the retailing companies Fuji and Daiki all have their headquarters based in Matsuyama.
Chemical manufacturing companies Teijin
Teijin
is a Japanese chemical and pharmaceutical company. It is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange with a market capitalisation of USD 3.9 billion. It operates in five main business segments: synthetic fibres; films and plastics; pharmaceuticals and home health care; trading and retail; and IT and new...
and Toray
Toray
is a multinational corporation headquartered in Japan that specializes in industrial products centered around technologies in organic synthetic chemistry, polymer chemistry, and biochemistry. Its founding business areas were fibers and textiles, as well as plastics and chemicals...
have based their factory operations in Matsuyama.
Notable residents
- Kenta AbeKenta Abeis a right-handed professional baseball pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers in Nippon Professional Baseball. He was the number 4 draft pick for the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes in 2003. During his high school days, he played at Koshien Stadium.-External links:*...
, baseball player - Akiyama SaneyukiAkiyama Saneyukiwas a Meiji-period career officer in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was famous as a planner of Battle of Tsushima in the Russo-Japanese War. The Japanese general Akiyama Yoshifuru was his elder brother.-Early life and career:...
, admiral in the Imperial Japanese NavyImperial Japanese NavyThe Imperial Japanese Navy was the navy of the Empire of Japan from 1869 until 1947, when it was dissolved following Japan's constitutional renunciation of the use of force as a means of settling international disputes... - Akiyama YoshifuruAkiyama Yoshifuruwas a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and was considered the father of the modern Japanese cavalry. Akiyama Yoshifuru was Vice Admiral Akiyama Saneyuki's older brother.-Early life:...
, general in the Imperial Japanese ArmyImperial Japanese Army-Foundation:During the Meiji Restoration, the military forces loyal to the Emperor were samurai drawn primarily from the loyalist feudal domains of Satsuma and Chōshū... - Kotomi AokiKotomi Aokiis a Japanese manga artist. She currently resides in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan. She received the 2008 Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Boku no Hatsukoi o Kimi ni Sasagu.- Works :* Asa mo, Hiru mo, Yoru mo...
, manga artist - Ryō AonoRyō Aonois a Japanese snowboarder who has six World Cup victories. He is set to compete for Japan at the 2010 Winter Olympics in half-pipe.- References :...
, snowboarder - Sidney GulickSidney GulickSidney Lewis Gulick was an educator, author, and missionary who spent much of his life working to promote greater understanding and friendship between Japanese and American cultures.-Biography:...
, missionary - Harada SanosukeHarada Sanosukewas a Japanese warrior who lived in the late Edo period. He was the 10th unit captain of the Shinsengumi, and died during the Boshin War.-Background:...
, 10th unit captain of the ShinsengumiShinsengumiThe were a special police force of the late shogunate period.-Historical background:After Japan opened up to the West following U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry's visits in 1853, its political situation gradually became more and more chaotic... - Tomoko HondaTomoko Hondais an announcer of Fuji Television. Honda graduated from Rikkyo University and has been an announcer of Fuji TV since April, 2006. She is reported to associate with Makoto Hasebe.-References:...
, announcer - IppenIppenIppen Shonin , also known as Zuien, was a Japanese Buddhist itinerant preacher who founded the Ji branch of Pure Land Buddhism....
, Buddhist preacher - Jūzō ItamiJuzo Itami, born , was an actor and a popular modern Japanese film director. Many critics came to regard him as Japan's greatest director since Akira Kurosawa. His 10 movies, all of which he wrote himself, are comic satires on elements of Japanese culture....
, film director - Mansaku Itami, film director
- Masaru KageuraMasaru Kageurawas a Japanese baseball player from Matsuyama, Ehime. His team reached the final in the 1932 National High School Baseball Championship, but his team was defeated by Masao Yoshida in the final. He joined Tigers and he was a good rival for Eiji Sawamura in Giants. He was killed in the battle of the...
, baseball player - Katō YoshiakiKato Yoshiakiwas a Japanese daimyo of the late Sengoku Period to early Edo Period who served as lord of the Aizu Domain. A retainer of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, he fought in the battle of Shizugatake in 1583, and soon became known as one of the shichi-hon-yari , or Seven Spears of Shizugatake, Hideyoshi's seven most...
, daimyoDaimyois a generic term referring to the powerful territorial lords in pre-modern Japan who ruled most of the country from their vast, hereditary land holdings... - Chiaki KusuharaChiaki Kusuharais a Japanese Olympic beach volleyballer. She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, and is partnered with Mika Teru Saiki.-External links:**...
, beach volleyball player - Masaoka ShikiMasaoka Shiki, pen-name of Masaoka Noboru , was a Japanese poet, author, and literary critic in Meiji period Japan. Shiki is regarded as a major figure in the development of modern haiku poetry...
, poet - Yōko MatsuyamaYoko Matsuyamais a Japanese actress best known for her work in the Crimson Bat series.-Filmography:#Crimson Bat #明治の風雪 柔旋風 #続・柔旋風 四天王誕生...
, actress - Yasuyuki Muneta, judoka
- Natsume SōsekiNatsume Soseki, born ', is widely considered to be the foremost Japanese novelist of the Meiji period . He is best known for his novels Kokoro, Botchan, I Am a Cat and his unfinished work Light and Darkness. He was also a scholar of British literature and composer of haiku, Chinese-style poetry, and fairy tales...
, writer - Kenzaburō ŌeKenzaburo Oeis a Japanese author and a major figure in contemporary Japanese literature. His works, strongly influenced by French and American literature and literary theory, deal with political, social and philosophical issues including nuclear weapons, social non-conformism and existentialism.Ōe was awarded...
, writer - Nathaniel RosenNathaniel RosenNathaniel "Nick" Rosen is an American cellist, former gold prize winner at the International Tchaikovsky Competition, and former faculty member at the USC Thornton School of Music and the Manhattan School of Music....
, cellist - Mika SaikiMika Saikiis a Japanese beach volleyball player, and former volleyball player.She competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in volleyball.She competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics, and the 2008 Summer Olympics in beach volleyball.-External links:* at FIVB.org...
, beach volleyball player - Sugiura Hisui, graphic designer
- Kyoshi TakahamaKyoshi Takahamawas a Japanese poet active during the Shōwa period of Japan. His real name was ; Kyoshi was a pen name. He was one of the closest disciples of Masaoka Shiki.-Early life:...
, poet - Makoto TamadaMakoto Tamadais a Japanese professional motorcycle racer. He is one of the few riders to win races in both MotoGP and Superbike World Championship. For he will ride for the Paul Bird Kawasaki Corse team in the Superbike World Championship.-Early years:After a junior career in minibikes, he won a regional 250cc...
, motorcycle racer - Taneda SantōkaTaneda Santokawas the pen-name of a Japanese author and haiku poet. He is known for his free verse haiku.- Life :Santōka was born in a village on the southwestern tip of Honshū, Japan’s main island, to a wealthy land-owning family. At the age of eleven his mother committed suicide by throwing herself into the...
, haikuHaiku' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
poet - Toshirō TomochikaToshiro Tomochikais a former Japanese football player and politician, an independent and member of the House of Councillors in the Diet . A native of Matsuyama, Ehime and graduate of Waseda University, he was elected for the first time in 2007....
, football player and politician - Reiko TosaReiko Tosais a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon race.-Achievements:*All results regarding marathon, unless stated otherwise-Personal bests:*5000 metres - 15:37.08 min *10,000 metres - 32:07.66 min...
, athlete - Tetsu YanoTetsu YanoTetsu Yano was a Japanese science fiction translator and writer. He began to introduce to Japanese readers the works of US science fiction writers in the late 1940s. He was the first Japanese writer of the genre to visit the United States, in 1953...
, writer
Sister cities
Matsuyama has three sister citiesTown twinning
Twin towns and sister cities are two of many terms used to describe the cooperative agreements between towns, cities, and even counties in geographically and politically distinct areas to promote cultural and commercial ties.- Terminology :...
, as designated by Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
: Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
, United States Freiburg
Freiburg
Freiburg im Breisgau is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. In the extreme south-west of the country, it straddles the Dreisam river, at the foot of the Schlossberg. Historically, the city has acted as the hub of the Breisgau region on the western edge of the Black Forest in the Upper Rhine Plain...
, Germany Pyeongtaek
Pyeongtaek
Pyeongtaek is a city in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Located in the southwestern part of the province, Pyeongtaek was founded as a union of two districts in 940 AD, during the Goryeo dynasty. It was elevated to city status in 1986, and is home to a South Korean naval base and a large...
, South Korea
External links
- Matsuyama City official website in Japanese
- Matsuyama official website in English
- Sophia Club A NPO that creates a friendly environment for foreigners
- Matsuyama Declaration
- Photos of Matsuyama including Dogo Onsen, the Castle and local temples
- Masaoka Shiki Haiku Awards
- CityMayors.com city profile by Mayor Nakamura