The lively and bustling Dogo Onsen shopping street and the must-see Botchan Karakuri Clock

In the morning, we departed from the New Iya Onsen Kazurabashi Hotel in Tokushima, visited Besshi Copper Mine and the Towel Museum in Imabari, and planned to stay the night at the Tsubakikan Hotel near Dogo Onsen Station in Matsuyama, Shikoku. In the afternoon, we quickly drove to Dogo Onsen and parked at Tsubakikan Hotel after paying the parking fee. Without unloading our luggage, we walked around the famous Dogo Onsen Honkan area, visiting the well-known Botchan Karakuri Clock and the Botchan Train.

It was just a short 5-minute walk to Dogo Onsen Honkan. To our surprise, there were so many tourists there, either taking photos or lining up to enter the hot springs. It was our first time experiencing such a popular tourist destination.

We then headed to Dōgo Onsen Shopping Street, also known as Dogo Haikara Street, which is filled with delicious food. Since it was a rare visit and summertime, we decided to enjoy some ice cream.

At the Dogo Monaka shop, we ordered matcha ice cream and orange ice cream. Eating ice cream in the air-conditioned shop was incredibly refreshing. Afterward, we walked to the beautiful Tsubaki no Yu and Asuka no Yu, two annexes of Dogo Onsen.

These two buildings, Tsubaki no Yu and Asuka no Yu, are quite large and are part of Japan’s oldest hot spring area, steeped in legends such as Prince Shotoku bathing here and Emperor Saimei’s visits. Interestingly, there were fewer tourists in this area.

Our family continued along Dogo Haikara Street to the Botchan Karakuri Clock, a landmark in front of JR Dogo Onsen Station. From 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., the clock features 20 mechanical dolls that appear on the hour, accompanied by music, attracting many tourists to watch.

While waiting for the hour to strike at the Botchan Karakuri Clock, we explored nearby attractions such as the footbath, statues, and historical displays. We also noticed guests from the nearby Dogo Prince Hotel boarding their vehicles. Additionally, the charming Retro Romantic train passed by.

We took some photos of Dogo Onsen Station, which features a slightly European-style design. Inside, we saw the trains, including one that runs from Matsuyama City Station, with Dogo Onsen Station as its final stop.

The Botchan Train, located near Dogo Onsen Station, is a retro steam locomotive that departs three times daily for Matsuyama City Station. At 10:48 a.m., it also departs for JR Matsuyama Station via Furumachi. The schedule varies daily. The following day, we plan to ride this vintage steam train.