Ozu Akarengakan

Ozu Akarengakan (Redbrick Hall) was built in 1901 as the main office for the Ozu Commercial Bank. This building features a distinctive blend of Western and Japanese styles; it is a brick building constructed with English masonry, and it has Japanese tile roof. The company’s logo is displayed on the ridge-end tiles. At present, the first floor is a store that sells handicrafts made within Ehime Prefecture, and the second floor contains a rest space and cafe.

Ozu Machi-no-eki Asamoya

This retail facility sells specialty products from Iyo and Ozu. Free parking and bicycle parking are also available, making this location a good base for sightseeing in Ozu. The facility also has a tourist information center, a restaurant, restrooms, a gift shop, and more. The Ozu Tourist Information Center handles reservations for various attractions and distributes tourist pamphlets.

Omori Warosoku

This shop makes Japanese candles using traditional methods that haven’t changed in 200 years. Visitors can observe the skill of the artisans up close. While seventh-generation shop owner Ryotaro Omori works on making candles, his wife kindly explains to us what Japanese candles are.

Shimohagatei Soba Restaurant

Located in a 140-year-old traditional Japanese house designated as a National Tangible Cultural Property, this restaurant offers handmade soba noodles made with fresh local ingredients. The restaurant also offers special dishes made with seasonal ingredients that change monthly. (The photograph shows sudachi-soba, the special dish for August 2024.)

Bananko Lighthouse

This lighthouse by the breakwaters of Bananko (now Iyo Port) was constructed in 1812 and rebuilt out of stone in 1869. It used to protect merchant ships and fishing boats that entered the harbor at night. It is a cultural asset (building) designated by the City of Iyo.

Masaki Castle Monument

Masaki Castle’s ancient origins are said to go back to the Heian period. It is said that a fort was built within the temple precincts as a strategic base for military transportation.

Matsuyama Fudanotsuji

As the starting point (and end point) of the Ozu Kaido, Tosa Kaido, Imabari Kaido, and Takamatsu Kaido, this was a major intersection that connected Matsuyama to other parts of Shikoku. It was a busy gathering place for travelers and merchants. This was the place where the Matsuyama clan used to post their most basic laws and ordinances, which were written on wooden placards.

Birthplace of the Akiyama Brothers

This is the birthplace of the brothers Yoshifuru and Saneyuki Akiyama, the main characters of the novel Clouds on the Slope by Ryotaro Shiba. They took part in the Russo-Japanese War, helping to lead Japan to victory. The home where they were born has been restored to nearly its original condition, allowing visitors to remember the brothers’ achievements and lives.