Akehama Town 明浜町

Description

Akehama is a beautiful little coastal town, made up of six small communities scattered along the coast. Tawarazu is the largest community, with a population of about 800 people. Akehama is a little out of the way, but well worth the trek on a fine day! The total population is approximately 4,000.


Location / Access / Transport

  • Akehama is located between Mikame and Yoshida. There are several ways to get to Akehama, the easiest being to turn off route 56 just after Uwa if you are heading to Uwajima (before thetunnel).

Shopping

  • Although there isn’t much shopping, Akehama has all the basic necessities – post office, grocery store and bakery.

Dining Out

  • There are two restaurants at the Akehama Seaside Park and also beautiful log cabins which can be hired reasonably cheaply during the winter months. Great for nabe parties!

Leisure

  • Akehama boasts the famous Hama Yu, a salt water onsen located on hill directly above Osozu, the man-made beach.
  • You can also try your hand at kayaking during the summer months!

Tourism / Festivals / Highlights

  • The drive to Akehama is worth it for a beautiful vista all the way across Kyushu.


Mikame Town 三瓶町

Description

Mikame is a really cute little town right on the coast between Yawatahama (north) and Akehama (south). It’s made up of several sub-villages strung along the coast, but if you’re coming from Uwa or Yawatahama you will hit the main (largest) sub-village, Mikame, first. It’s a great place to come on a beautiful day. Biking along the coast is also recommended (if you are brave, try coming all the way from Yawatahama! It takes about 1.5 hours). It has a population of about 9,000.


Location / Access / Transport

  • It’s accessible by regular buses from Yawatahama
  • by car from Yawatahama or Uwa (you can also get there along the coastal road from Yawatahama or Akehama, but these are very narrow and windy!)

Shopping

  • Mikame has a mini-shopping arcade with some cake shops and little stores, and even a karaoke bar.

Dining Out

  • There are several good restaurants in the shopping arcade.
  • C Noritake (great shabushabu); Ikoi (great yakitori place); Izumiya (sushi, Japanese food, really nice chef); Sakawaki (sushi, Japanese food); Koraku (Chinese restaurant); Inakaya (izakaya – serves anything!)
  • If you drive south, right before the sub-village Shimodomari, you will get to the Sea Side Uwakai Restaurant (but you need to make a reservation for this).

Tourism / Festivals / Highlights

  • If you drive from the main village north along the coastal road (direction Yawatahama), you will pass Susaki peninsula (after the sub-village Nagahaya, but before Shuki), which has a beautiful Shinto temple and garden, and a nice view all the way over to Kyushu.
  • There is a hotel right on the coast, with a view of the beautiful bay. Prices are around 5,000 yen per person per night, and the quality of service and food is very good.


Nomura Town 野村町

Description

Nomura is part of Seiyo City and located between Uwa and Shirokawa on Route 56. It’s famous for its cows! The population is about 11,000.


Location / Access / Transport

It’s a 15-minute drive or so to either Uwa or Shirokawa from Nomura. You can also get to Ozu on the back roads.

  • By bus: There are buses from Uwa which you catch from Unomachi Station, or the main Uwa bus station. Nomura’s bus station is located across from the post office and within walking distance of the Sumo Dome.

Shopping

  • Fuji and Aco-op are the two big supermarkets in town. They close about 7pm during the week.
  • Noble’s is a delicious bakery on Route 56 just before the post office. It’s hard to miss if you’re driving towards Uwa on 56, but a little hidden if you’re traveling the other way.

Dining Out

  • White Farm – Italian restaurant near the Dam. The food is pretty standard Japanese Italian, but the cakes are delicious. There are signs as you pass the Dam on 56 to lead the way.

Tourism / Festivals / Highlights

  • Sumo Festival – there’s a sumo festival at the beginning of December, every year. Some professional sumo wrestlers attend and have a small competition. There’s also a studentcompetition from the local schools and other events. As of 2005, it’s held in the new Sumo dome. There’s a new onsen inside the sumo dome as well. It’s a large green domed building, just off the 56 by the river.
  • Nomura Dam – not a lot here, but it’s rather beautiful in the springtime and early summer. At Christmas time there are lights up as well in this area.
  • Shikoku Karusto – this is a park of sorts at the top of the mountains in Onogahara, which is part of Nomura. There are several lookout spots and the cows that graze there are an attraction. The park is also connect to Kochi’s Tengu Highlands and apparently there’s a road you can follow that goes all the way to Matsuyama via the mountains that is quite gorgeous in the fall. The easiest way is to follow the signs that start in Shirokawa up in the mountain.
  • Castle Town


Shirokawa 城川町

Description

Shirokawa is a small town set in the mountains bordering on southern Kochi. Despite the name, there is no castle in this town! It is one of the five towns that make up Seiyo City. It’s a beautiful area, and the temple and onsen are worth checking out, if you’ve ever got some free time.


Location / Access / Transport

  • Shirokawa is located along Route 197, between Ozu and Kochi.
  • It takes about 30 minutes to drive from Ozu, and 40 minutes from Uwajima.
  • There are buses from Uwajima and Nomura, but they are pretty infrequent and very inconvenient.

Shopping

  • The Aco-op in Doi is the biggest supermarket in Shirokawa. However, you may want to do the bulk of your shopping in Nomura or Uwa.
  • Harmonic Shirokawa, in the michi-no-eki (roadside station) along the 197, sells a lot of organic meat and vegetables.

Dining Out

  • There is a really nice restaurant in the old Hosenbo Onsen, complex, as you head out on the 107 towards Kihoku Town. It’s a nice setting, and the food is beautiful (Chinese, Japanese, Italian), but unfortunately the menu can be a little hard to decipher if you have limited Japanese.
  • Along the same road, and just a little further down, is a Korean BBQ restaurant.

Nightlife

  • The main karaoke bar, Marchen, is just opposite these restaurants. It’s a foreign-friendly place, and also has a cheap and cheerful restaurant, with a picture menu. Look out for the tacky blue building!

Leisure

  • Onsen and swimming pool complex along the 197, towards Kihoku/Uwajima.
  • Doi Athletic Grounds – good place to find some walking trails around Doi.

Tourism / Festivals / Highlights

  • Gallery Shirokawa has a unique display of kamaboko (steamed fish cakes) board art. Artistsfrom around the world have donated thousands of decorated boards, making for an interestingdisplay. The gallery is located just behind the Shirokawa Town Office.
  • Ryutakuji Temple is beautiful, particularly in the cherry blossom season. The temple itself is over 600 years old. In the same area is a really nice park area. There are cabins you can stay at during the warmer months, and a great (but painful) roller slide.
  • Every July, Doi holds its Doronko Matsuri (Mud Festival). This is certainly an unusual festival as in it centers around a huge mud pool. And yes, there is some mud wrestling, although it comes in the form of an old story about a group of farmers. The festival usually attracts hundreds of wannabe-photographers from all over Japan, as there is also a photograph competition held in conjunction with the festival.
  • Very nice, reasonably priced accommodation available at the onsen complex.


Uwa Town 宇和町

Description

Uwa is the central town in Seiyo City, and is home to Museum of Ehime History and Culture. The　population stands at about 17,000.

Website – http://www.city.seiyo.ehime.jp/


Location / Access / Transport

Uwa is located on Route 56, between Ozu and Uwajima.

  • By train: Unomachi Station (klSc) – 15 minutes south of Yawatahama and 15 minutes north of Uwajima. Express and non-express lines.
  • By bus: Matsuyama-Uwajima bus, various stops. Uwa – Nomura bus, various stops. Overnight bus to/from Osaka, Kobe

Shopping

  • There are several supermarkets located around Uwa – the two major ones being Fuji Grand and Shoppers (on the road to Nomura). Fuji Grand is located on Route 56, and is surrounded by a 100yen shop, Baha (movie/CD rental, and books), The Casual (clothing and homeware), McDonalds, Mr Donuts and more.
  • Clothing-wise, there isn’t a lot of choice in Uwa. Wake Sports (next to McDonalds), The Casual, and Shimamura (on the 56, on the way out to Ozu) are your best options.
  • For electronics, there are two options – Yamada-denki (Route 56, towards Ozu), and Best Denki (next to Shoppers).
  • For good coffee, imported alcohol and some foreign foods, check out Summit, located near to Fuji Grand on Route 56.

Dining Out

If you want to get past the picture menu of Joyfull (on Route 56), there are many different options around Uwa. Some popular choices are:

  • Oine (Asia-fusion) and Kushihiro (yakitori) located a few paces from Unomachi Station.
  • Toyo-ken (yakiniku), Shanghai-ken (Chinese), Kikusui (okonomiyaki) and Maruhide (kaiten-sushi) all along the 56.
  • Montelibro (Italian) across from the Lawson’s on the way to Nomura.
  • Yuuboku no Sato (mno-(p) has a great menu, including some “western-style” café foods. Lunch prices are reasonable, although dinner is a little more on the expensive side. Cakes and coffee are delicious! Attached to the restaurant is a butchery with some great meat!
  • Café and pottery store (only open on weekends). It’s peaceful and great for lovely Japanese presents. It’s before Uwa town coming from Yawatahama at the base of the hills on the right 38 hand side.

Leisure

  • Loop – darts and pool hall. Located on Route 56, behind the AU-shop next to Joyfull.
  • Baha – CD/DVD rental. Located in the Fuji Grand carpark. Upstairs is a game centre.
  • Uwa Sports Park – beautiful during hanami!
  • Various sports and hobby clubs around town – Japanese sign language on Thursday nights at the Chuo Community Centre (third floor of the BOE building).

Nightlife

  • Fishermans Bar, near Unomachi Station, is a popular local hang-out. Every six weeks or so there is a DJ event. The bar-tender, Koji, loves to meet new people and will teach you a lot of casual Japanese!
  • Various bars and izakayas (Japanese pubs) are located around the town.
  • Very! is a karaoke box located behind Unomachi Station, by the river.
  • Dolphin, just down the road from Fishermans is a darts bar.

Tourism / Festivals / Highlights

  • Museum of Ehime History and Culture: has permanent and rotating exhibits. English audio sets are available.
  • Folk Art Museum: modern visuals, lots to look at.
  • Kaimei Gakko: antique school which is now a museum
  • Nakan-cho (qS): small Edo Period restored street
  • Bunkakaikan: performance center, various events during the year
  • Renge Matsuri – mud soccer and standard festival going-ons in springtime
  • Summer Festival in Nakan-cho
  • Kanonsui – fresh water. During summer you can try Nagashi-Somen!
  • Meiseki Temple – just along the road from the prefectural museum – very beautiful – number 43 of the Shikoku pilgrimage.