Getting to the major airports and seaports
This page contains important information about getting to the major air and ocean ports both on Shikoku as well as to and from major destinations from where your ship or plane will land.
Information about ports not on Shikoku will be added as it comes. If you have a suggestion, please contact the webmaster.
Matsuyama AirportPhone: Matsuyama Airport - 089-973-5225
Website
Bus:
From JR Matsuyama station:
Take Bus number 52 from the local bus platform. Be sure that the bus is going to the airport and not from the airport. If you can't read the kanji on the front,
ask the driver, "Kono basu wa, Matsuyama kuukou ni ikimasu ka?". This bus takes about a half hour from JR Matsuyama and costs about 300-350 yen. This bus
usually begins its route at Matsuyama City Station (Shieki) or Okudogo and makes stops at Dogo Onsen and Okaido. From Shieki, the bus departs every 15 minutes or so.
You may also take the blue Airport Express Limousine Bus. This bus is a bit faster than the local bus, but costs about the same. There are also blue express
buses to the seaport, but the airport bus has an airplane on the side, while the sea port has a boat. Timetables for this bus are available at Shieki.
If you are taking the train to Matsuyama to go to the airport, there are discount Train/Bus tickets available for a seven day period. Good for when you are taking a quick holiday and don't want to drag your car up to Matsuyama and pay for parking at the airport. These tickets have to be purchased from a station office. You can get them the same day, but if you buy them in advance, it's probably better. Prices vary, but from Uwajima to Matsuyama Airport, round trip, it costs 5,600 yen including the Iyotetsu limousine bus fare compared to the cost of two one-way train tickets and two one-way bus tickets at 6,200 yen. It's not a huge savings, but every little bit helps. Coming from the northeast, Kawanoe's round trip price is 7,000 yen, down from about 8,600 yen.
Taxi:
Matsuyama Airport has the advantage of being very closely located to downtown Matsuyama city, only about 6 km from the center of the city, so getting there and back by taxi won't bankrupt you. The taxi is your fastest way to the Airport. Taxis vary in price but usually cost from 1500 to 2500 yen to the airport depending upon where you start. From JR Matsuyama, it costs about 1500 yen. Taxis are also readily available near Okaido, Dogo Onsen and Shieki any time of day.
Often referred to as Matsuyama Sightseeing Port when translated from Japanese, don't let the name confuse you. In Japanese Matsuyama Kankoukou, its located in the Takahama area of northern Matsuyama. It's different from Takahama port which services many of the small islands around Matsuyama.
Phone: Matsuyama Port - (089) 951-0128
Bus:
From JR Matsuyama Station:
By Limousine Bus it takes 25 minutes. Take a blue and white Iyotetsu Limousine Bus bound for Matsuyama Kankoukou (its the one with the boat on the side).
From Dogo Onsen:
By Limousine Bus it takes 25 minutes. Take a blue Iyotetsu Limousine Bus bound for Matsuyama Kankoukou.
Train:
From Matsuyama Shieki:
By Iyotetsu Train it takes 45 minutes and it takes 550 yen. Take the train from Platform 2 in the direction of Takahama. When you arrive at Takahama, there
will be a city bus waiting to take you the last few hundred meters to Matsuyama Kankoukou (Port). The buses leave every 15 minutes. You can buy a ticket for
the train and bus ride together at Shieki.
From JR Matsuyama Station:
Cross the road and walk down the wide street that runs perpendicular to the station. About three blocks away on the right is Otemachi station. From here on platfrom 2, you can get the same train that leaves Shieki out to Takahama.
Bus:
From JR Matsuyama Station: It takes 1 hour and 30 minutes and it costs 1200 yen by port limousine bus.
The bus leaves JR Matsuyama Station at 20:40 and arrives at Toyo Port at 22:10.
The returning limousine leaves Toyo Port at 06:20 and arrives at JR Matsuyama at 07:43.
Car:
If you're driving, please visit the port's website and look for the access map (akusesu written in katakana). Toyo Port is on route 196 between Komatsu and Toyo.
Taxi:
From JR Nyugawa or Iyo-Komatsu Stations by both cost about 2,000 yen. Iyo-Komatsu Station is not served by express trains, so it may be less convenient.
Train:
If you are not coming from Matsuyama, take the JR line train to Nyugawa station in Toyo where you can catch a taxi for about 2,000 yen.
Taxi:
From JR Niihama Station you can hail a cab easily. It costs about 2,000 yen. From Niihama Port, you can get a cab by picking up the taxi telephone in front of the ticket window. It automatically dials a taxi company, just tell them your name and where you are. Closer to the port is Takihama station, however there is no express train at this station.
Taxi:
From JR Imabari Station you can hail a cab easily. The port is relatively close, so cab fare is about 500 yen depending on the cab company.
Car:
If you're driving, please visit the port's website and look for the access map (akusesu written in katakana).
Taxi:
From JR Yawatahama Station you can eaily hail a cab. It only costs about 1000 yen and takes about 5-10 minutes depending on traffic.
By foot:
If you are up for it, the port is about a half-hour walk.
Hiroshima Port
Hiroshima port is pretty removed from all the good stuff in Hiroshima. The Peace Park and A-bomb Dome are the closest attractions. However, it is really easy to get around Hiroshima on the city streetcar system. Grab an English-language streetcar map from the information center. It contains information on tram stops in relation to tourist attractions as well as fare guides and approximate times between destinations.
From the port to JR Hiroshima there are two routes, one through the shopping/touristy areas and one more direct. The routes take about 30 minutes to an hour depending on traffic and which tram you take.
All trams in Hiroshima cost 150 yen with the exception of the line that goes to Miyajima. If you are just passing through Hiroshima and need to get to the station, take the green line tram (number 5, not to be confused with the newer trams that are actually green in color). It takes a bit over a half hour and drops you off right in front of the station.
The shinkansen entrance to the station and most bus stops are on the other side, there's an underground walkway or you can go over the tracks through the station if you buy a ticket.
If you are going to Miyajima from Hiroshima port, you can get tickets at the ticket counter. All information on ticket prices is in English as well as Japanese and if you get confused, most of the ticket counter clerks can help you in simple English.
Another good resource is Get Hiroshima, a free seasonally updated map and event guide to the city.
Osaka port (Nanko)
Osaka's main port is a bit removed from the center of the city, but easily accessible by highway bus from Kansai Airport as well as by subway. The Japanese name for Osaka's main port is Osaka Nanko. If you have purchased a Kansai Thru-pass voucher, you cannot exchange it for the actual pass at the port, you must exchange it at the stationmaster's office in one of the subway stations. If you don't know what I'm talking about see the Saving Money section.
For the ferry and bus connecting set offered from Shikoku Orange ferry, the limousine bus bound for Kansai International Airport leaves Osaka Port from right in front of the office at 7:30 and reaches the airport around 8:05. On your way back, the bus leaves the airport from stop number 3 at 21:10 and arrives at the ferry port around 21:45. Give yourself enough time; traffic on the highway might delay your arrival time. For ferry departures at other times in the day, you will have to take the airport limousine bus to Port Town Higashi (1,300 yen) and then get on the New Tram for one stop (200 yen) back in the direction you came from. A bit of a hassle, but easily the fastest and nearly the cheapest way to the port.
Kobe Port
Kobe is a lovely town to visit, but it has more than one port that Kansai Kisen uses. If you have a round-trip ticket from Kansai Kisen to Kobe, you will arrive at Kobe's Rokko Island port and depart from Kobe Port. It's a bit confusing, but please keep it in mind so you don't end up stranded. From either of Kobe's ports you can get a bus to the main station of Sannomiya or Kobe station (where the shinkansen departs from).
All ALTs who stay for a second year in Ehime will go to Kobe for the recontracting conference and a lot of ALTs choose to go by ferry to sleep or save money. If you do, in the morning, get to Sannomiya Station and go out to get the free shuttle to the hotel. If you choose to not use the free shuttle, you can take the Portliner train and then walk to the hotel.
Kansai International Airport
You might consider flying all the way back to Tokyo for some sightseeing or if you have
discounted tickets. However, Kansai airport is the most convenient international airport to
use from Ehime. Flights from Matsuyama to Kansai operate on a daily basis. The airport can also
be reached by ferry or by bus.
Kansai Airport is out on a man-made island and quite a jaunt from the center of the city. There is an express train and local trains that can get you there relatively cheaply. There are many limosine buses from Osaka subway and train stations and a shuttle bus from Osaka port to Kansai International. Be aware if you book domestic travel to Osaka, that Osaka has two airports, Kansai International and Itami Airport. Most domestic flights from Matsuyama go to Itami rather than Kansai.
The airport limousine bus website is located at KATE.co.jp. The site is in Japanese, but the time tables are easy to read as long as you know the kanji for where you are going. The nearest limousine bus stop to Ehime is at Marugame Eki in Kagawa prefecture.
Please note that there is an extra tax on all tickets when leaving from Kansai. You will also pay extra fees if you are leaving on weekends, though these are included in the cost of your ticket.