Matsuyama Ropeway Shopping District

This covered arcade connects JR Matsuyama Station to the base of the castle ropeway, making it the natural path for most visitors heading uphill. Shops along the L-shaped street sell Ehime specialties including mikan citrus products, Imabari towels, and Tobe-yaki pottery. Several stalls carry Botchan dango, the tri-colored rice dumplings named after Natsume Soseki's novel set in Matsuyama. Smaller fashion boutiques and zakka stores fill out the mix. Being fully covered means weather never disrupts a browse, and its location between the castle above and Dogo Onsen to the east positions it as a convenient break between the city's two main attractions.