Saijo

Ehime spring-water city below Mount Ishizuchi, with pilgrimage temples and wild autumn festivals.

Saijo sits on the northern side of Shikoku, where clear water runs down from Mount Ishizuchi and appears in town as uchinuki, the artesian springs locals still use for drinking water. It is a working Ehime city rather than a polished tourist town, but it has a strong identity: mountain gateway, pilgrimage stop, sake-and-water town, and festival city.

The big natural lure is Mount Ishizuchi, western Japan's highest peak, reached from the Saijo side by bus and ropeway in season. In town, the Uchinuki springs give Saijo its daily rhythm, while the Shikoku Railway Culture Museum is a compact treat for train fans right by the station.

Saijo also sits on the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage route, with several numbered temples spread across the wider municipality. The most surprising building is Komyo-ji, a modern Buddhist temple by Tadao Ando, where concrete, timber, and stillness replace the expected old-temple script.

Guide

Getting There

Iyo-Saijo Station is on the JR Yosan Line, with limited express trains linking the city to Matsuyama, Imabari, and Okayama. From Matsuyama Airport, the usual route is by bus or train through Matsuyama and then east along the coast.

Saijo is spread out after municipal mergers, so check which station or bus stop you need before setting off for temples or the Ishizuchi side of town. Rental bicycles work well for central sights around Iyo-Saijo Station.

Guide

Things to Do

Saijo rewards a slow day: drink the spring water, visit the railway museum, look for Ando's Komyo-ji, and use the city as the northern approach to Mount Ishizuchi.

Guide

When to Go

October is the most exciting time to be in Saijo, when the autumn festival brings heavy danjiri and mikoshi floats into the streets and along the Kamo River. Spring and autumn are also the best hiking seasons for Mount Ishizuchi; midsummer is hot and humid in town, while winter can bring snow higher up the mountain.