Matsuyama, the laid-back capital of Shikoku, is a literary and bathing city that most never reach – and that's exactly why you should go. Perched on a hillside above the 3,000-year-old Dogo Onsen district, Dogo-Kan is the work of the late Kisho Kurokawa, one of Japan's most celebrated architects, who poured his philosophy of 'symbiosis' into every detail. The result is a ryokan that is both centuries old in tradition yet contemporary in spirit, with an Edo-inspired lobby, communal baths fed by pure Dogo spring water, and kaiseki dinners built around the seasonal catch of the Setouchi coast. All in all, a thoroughly Japanese experience in a town that feels worlds away from anything familiar.
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Modelled on an Edo-period storehouse, the lobby sets the tone with dark timber beams and beautiful lattice screens. The Ougi lounge looks onto a 300-year-old pine tree and serves complimentary drinks and snacks throughout the day. Dining happens at the in-house restaurant Shiki, where multi-course kaiseki is served on handpicked Arita-yaki ceramics. The communal bathing area is generous, with indoor pools, reclining baths, cascading showers, open-air soaking and a sauna, all fed by 100% Dogo Onsen water.
There are 90 rooms across eight floors, ranging from compact western twins to expansive tatami suites. The most sought-after are the nine 7th-floor rooms, each with its own private open-air garden bath, every one a different shape in a playful Kurokawa touch. The most recent 8th-floor, adult-only rooms offer a modern Japanese aesthetic and the views stretching to Matsuyama Castle and the mountains beyond are spectacular. For something special, the VIP garden room includes a tea ceremony space, Juando, overlooking a tranquil garden and a hinoki cypress bath.
A seven-minute stroll downhill brings you to the Dogo Onsen Honkan, the iconic 1894 bathhouse said to have inspired the fantastical world of Spirited Away. The covered shopping arcade connecting the bathhouse to the station is lively with yukata-clad visitors browsing mikan juice, Botchan dango sweets and Tobe ceramics. Matsuyama Castle, one of Japan's few surviving originals, is a short tram ride away, as is the Tadao Ando-designed Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum and the literary trail devoted to Masaoka Shiki, the father of modern haiku. Catch the nostalgic Botchan steam train – a diesel replica of the original 1888 locomotive – or venture further to the mystical tunnels of Ishiteji Temple, number 51 on the Shikoku Pilgrimage.
Wandering Yukemuri Road – the ryokan's atmospheric corridor designed to evoke old Edo streetscapes – before slipping into the communal baths is a ritual you'll look forward to every evening.
Pop down to the Dogo Onsen Honkan in the early morning (it opens at 6am) before the crowds arrive. The ryokan lends guests yukago baskets with towels – just ask at reception.
The building dates back to 1989 and some areas feel their age. The road up to the entrance also has a couple of less-than-charming establishments – it's harmless, just unexpected.
A literary castle town with 3,000 years of hot spring tradition and top-tier cycling routes on its doorstep.
