[2025 Matsuyama Stay] Travel Guide for SETOUCHI RETREAT by Onko Chishin (Updated May)

Setouchi Retreat Aonagi is a hotel designed by Tadao Ando, ​​one of Japan's leading architects. This is a resort hotel with only 7 rooms, renovated from a building that was originally an art museum🏨 Located in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, you can enjoy the natural scenery as well as the beauty of the concrete architecture✨ Even the sunlight shining through the hotel on a particularly fine day makes for beautiful photos. This hotel is famous for its infinity pool, which can be enjoyed only in the summer🏊♀️ Guests can also use the lounge, which is also an adult space where you can listen to music while enjoying a drink🫶 Both the food and the rooms are the best experiences, so this is a hotel you should visit as a reward for your daily life🏨 #ModernArchitecture #EhimeTourism

✅Must-see Matsuyama Castle: Built during the Warring States period, it is one of 12 remaining castle keeps in Japan. You can take the cable car up and down the east side of Matsuyama Castle for JPY 520 round trip, or you can take a one-way cable car ride and walk down in just 15 mins. Inside the castle, you can see historical materials, and from the castle keep, you can overlook the whole city and the Seto Inland Sea in the distance. ✅Must-see Dogo Onsen: One of the oldest hot springs in Japan, with a history of over 3,000 years, it is the inspiration for Yubaba's bathhouse in *Spirited Away*. In addition to bathing, you can also enjoy a free foot bath. The surrounding Dogo shopping street is very lively, and the Botchan Karakuri Clock at the entrance "transforms" every hour. 👍Most recommended: Baishinji Station: The station where Rika and Kanji broke up at the end of *Tokyo Love Story*. You can take the Iyo Railway from Matsuyama Station, and the journey takes 15 mins. Many fans come here to tie handkerchiefs in remembrance. 👍Most recommended: Isaniwa Shrine: With a thousand years of history, it is one of Japan's three great Hachiman-zukuri shrines. It is a 5-min walk from the Dogo Onsen Honkan, and the stone steps are a beautiful spot for photos. 👍Most recommended: Shiki-no-Oka Museum of Art: Designed by Tadao Ando, the theme is the eponymous masterpiece by Ryotaro Shiba. Food 🍲Tai Meshi (Sea Bream Rice): A specialty of Ehime Prefecture. Try the unique way of eating it: raw egg + broth + sea bream + rice. Recommended restaurants include "Matsuyama Taimeshi Akiyoshi," "Ganso Uwajima Taimeshi Marumizu," and others. 🍲Citrus Products: Matsuyama City has a variety of citrus juices, citrus ice cream, and more. "10 Factory" on Dogo Shopping Street is a good choice, and there's even a shop where you can "turn on the tap and get orange juice." 🍲Botchan Dango: Small rice cakes with red bean paste, egg, and matcha, perfect for dessert. 🍲Wagyu Charcoal Grill Bistro Tobi-gyu: The wagyu beef in this restaurant is of high quality and the meat is excellent. 🏨Luxury: SETOUCHI RETREAT by Onko Chishin, the hotel is like an art museum. 🏨Hot Spring Bathing: Beteiobrotsukiyo, Dogo Oyu, Dogo Onsen Hotel - Dogo Funaya, etc., offer excellent service and hot spring experiences. 🏨Upscale: Dogo Onsen Daiwa Yamatoya Honten, Koyugien Haruka Ryokan, convenient for shopping, with a high-class feel. 🚉Transportation Guide: For external transportation, you can fly to Matsuyama Airport, or choose to take a JR train, highway bus, or Seto Inland Sea ferry from surrounding cities. For transportation within the city, you can take the streetcar in Matsuyama City, which can reach most attractions. The fare is a uniform JPY 210, payable when you get off.

#Travel record of accommodation Setouchi Retreat Aonagi by Onkochishin has won prestigious awards around the world, including the Michelin Guide. The building was renovated from a part of it that was open to the public as an art museum, and was designed and built by Tadao Ando. 7 all-suite rooms in total. I stayed in a semi-open-air hot spring suite with a panoramic view and an original full-flat reclining bath. I was very satisfied to be able to experience Ando's architecture. For meals, we were served Japanese cuisine packed with the rich seafood and mountain bounty of Setouchi. In an art space, I was able to experience the Japanese food culture that has been passed down in the region. The sommelier explained things to me very carefully. If the weather is good, you can see all the way to the Seto Inland Sea. Unfortunately, it was hazy, but the fantastic atmosphere is also nice. ꙳ ੭ * ‧ ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ‧ ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ * . ˚ ⨯ ੭ * ‧꙳ ੭ * ‧ ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ ‧ ⨯ . ⁺ ✦ * Spot information 📍There are no signs to the hotel, and you just drive along mountain roads, so you may feel a little anxious until you arrive. It's far from the city, so we recommend that you do your shopping at a convenience store beforehand. #Hot spring #Luxury hotel #Ehime #Domestic travel #Girls trip #Gourmet #Architecture #Tadao Ando #Setouchi

🏨 Nestled in Matsuyama City, the Setouchi Retreat by Onko Chishin is your serene sanctuary away from the hustle. With a limited number of rooms, expect an intimate experience with top-notch, personalized service from a friendly, bilingual team. 🛌 Spacious rooms equipped with all the essentials ensure a comfortable stay, complete with picturesque balcony views, albeit a tad affected by light pollution. 🍣 Dining here is an affair to remember, featuring exquisite Japanese cuisine that might challenge the unaccustomed palate but delights with its high-class flavors. ☕ Bask in the sunlight of the art-filled dining area or flip through books by Tadao Ando in the café, all while savoring hand-dripped coffee made from beans you'll want to take home! 💦 Don't miss out on the private pool experience! Dive into luxury with a swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and sauna that promise to make your stay unforgettable. 🌊 Opt for a sea-view room and wake up to the Seto Inland Sea, crafting coffee as the world awakens. 📍Yanaidanimachi 794−1, Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, 799-2641, Japan #Ehime #EhimeHotel #EhimeTravel

Address－Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture Environment/Facilities: Small and exquisite, with everything you need. Features - The service is really good, making people feel very comfortable, and the price-performance ratio is extremely high. Coupled with Japan's current policy to promote tourism, it feels like staying in a hotel for free. The breakfast is also OK, not luxurious but has everything you need. Price per person - 5000 (without discount) Rating - 9.5