Uwajima travel guide
Where to base yourself, what to eat, how to save money and ready-made day plans for Uwajima.
What to eat
- Uwajima tai-meshi — slices of raw sea bream stirred into a sauce of soy, dashi, raw egg, sesame and seaweed, then poured over hot rice. It is said to have begun as a quick meal on fishing boats.
- Jakoten — small fish ground whole, bones and all, shaped into patties and fried; eaten hot with grated radish.
- Satsuma — grilled fish pounded with barley miso and dashi, served over barley rice.
- Citrus — the hills around the town grow some of Ehime’s best mikan and blood oranges.
Pearls
The calm, deep inlets of the Uwa Sea make Ehime one of Japan’s leading producers of Akoya pearls, and Uwajima is the centre of the trade. Shops in the town and at the harbourside market sell everything from loose pearls to finished jewellery, often at lower prices than in the big cities, and some farms offer pearl-extraction experiences by arrangement.
Practical tips
Stay near the station and you can walk everywhere. The harbourside roadside market is the place for jakoten, pearls and a seafood lunch under one roof. If you want to see bull sumo, build your trip around the tournament calendar rather than hoping to be lucky. Typhoons and heavy rain can disrupt trains on this exposed stretch of line between July and October.
Where to stay in Uwajima
Uwajima’s hotels cluster within a few minutes’ walk of the JR station, including one built over the station itself. They are mostly practical city and business hotels — comfortable, inexpensive and close to the restaurants of the covered arcade.
- JR Hotel Clement Uwajima — Built over JR Uwajima Station, so you step from the train into the lobby — the most convenient address in town.
- Uwajima Oriental Hotel — A city hotel in central Uwajima within walking distance of the station, the arcade and the castle hill.
- Super Hotel Uwajima Station — A chain business hotel near the station with a hot-spring public bath.
- Uwajima Dai-ichi Hotel — A no-frills business hotel in the town centre at a modest price.
How to spend your time in Uwajima
One day
Morning train from Matsuyama, tai-meshi for lunch in the arcade, climb to Uwajima Castle, then Tensha-en and the harbour market before an evening train back.
Two days
Day one as above, staying overnight. Day two by rental car: the terraced fields of Yusu Mizugaura in the morning and Nametoko Gorge in the afternoon.
Uwajima: frequently asked questions
Is bull sumo cruel?
The bulls push against each other until one retreats; the bout is then stopped. Animals are not killed and serious injuries are uncommon, but it is a contest between large animals and some visitors will prefer to skip it.
When can I see bull sumo in Uwajima?
Only on a few dates a year — typically early January, a spring date, 24 July, 14 August and an autumn date. Check the current calendar with the city before you plan.
Is Uwajima a day trip from Matsuyama?
It can be: the express takes about 1 hour 20 minutes each way. But the town is at its best in the evening, and the coast needs extra time, so one night is better.
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