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Ehime has three trains worth planning a trip around. The Botchan train (Botchan ressha) is a small sightseeing train that runs between tram stops in Matsuyama, run by Iyotetsu. The Iyonada Monogatari is a sightseeing train of JR Shikoku with meals on board. The Iyotetsu suburban train 700 series makes its last runs on November 7, 2026. This page compares them: running days, fares, booking rules and the application deadline of October 16.
In short
- The Botchan train runs on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays only. One ride is ¥1,300 for an adult, and you cannot reserve (section 1).
- The Iyonada Monogatari starts from Matsuyama Station. All seats are reserved, and booking opens at 10:00, one month before the ride (section 2).
- Since October 2, 2026, Matsuyama to Iyo-Ozu is ¥4,780 in total, before the meal ticket (section 2).
- The 700 series farewell event is held on November 7. Applications close on Friday, October 16, 2026 at 15:00 (section 3).
Checked with official pages on October 12, 2026.
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Three trains compared
| Train | When it runs | Price | Booking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Botchan train | Sat, Sun and national holidays (no service December 30 to January 3) | Adult ¥1,300, child ¥650 | Not possible; line up on the day |
| Iyonada Monogatari | Set dates from October 2026 to March 2027 (calendar below) | Matsuyama to Iyo-Ozu ¥4,780, meal extra | Required; opens 1 month before at 10:00 |
| 700 series farewell event | Saturday, November 7, 2026 | ¥10,000 per person | Application, closes October 16 at 15:00 |
1. Botchan train: weekends and holidays, ¥1,300, no reservation
Iyotetsu
The Botchan train runs on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays only. A ride is ¥1,300 for an adult and ¥650 for a child, and Iyotetsu does not take reservations. It does not run on weekdays, even in Golden Week or the Obon holidays. It also stops from December 30 to January 3, even on a weekend. Bad weather or emergency inspections can cancel a run. Botchan train (Iyotetsu, Japanese)
There are two routes: Dogo Onsen to Matsuyama City Station, and Dogo Onsen to JR Matsuyama Station and Furumachi. From Dogo Onsen Station, trains to Matsuyama City Station leave at 9:19, 13:19 and 14:59, and the train to Furumachi leaves at 10:48. Return trips leave Matsuyama City Station at 10:04, 14:04 and 15:44, and Furumachi at 11:47.
| Route | Leaves from | Departure times |
|---|---|---|
| Dogo Onsen to Matsuyama City Station | Dogo Onsen | 9:19 / 13:19 / 14:59 (arrives 9:39 / 13:39 / 15:19) |
| Matsuyama City Station to Dogo Onsen | Matsuyama City Station | 10:04 / 14:04 / 15:44 (arrives 10:24 / 14:24 / 16:04) |
| Dogo Onsen to Furumachi | Dogo Onsen | 10:48 (JR Matsuyama Station 11:13, Furumachi 11:17) |
| Furumachi to Dogo Onsen | Furumachi | 11:47 (JR Matsuyama Station 11:56, Dogo Onsen 12:21) |
You can board at Dogo Onsen, Okaido, Matsuyama City Station, JR Matsuyama Station and Furumachi. You can get on and off at Okaido and JR Matsuyama Station, but at Minamihoribata and Kamiichiman you can only get off. You buy the ticket from the crew, and nationwide transit IC cards work. A ticket bought in the Mican app is shown to the crew when you board, but you may not be able to board a full train.
The train holds up to 36 people, and with no reservations the popular runs have a line. For the four runs that leave Dogo Onsen Station (9:19, 10:48, 13:19 and 14:59), numbered tickets (整理券, seiriken) are given out from 8:30 in the morning at the Dogo ticket counter. Disability discounts do not apply. Only folding strollers and wheelchairs can be taken on board. If you show your Botchan ticket, a standard gondola on the Kururin Ferris wheel at Iyotetsu Takashimaya is ¥500 per person (once per person; see-through gondolas are excluded). For tram fares and IC cards, see Matsuyama Tram and Bus Fares (2026).
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2. Iyonada Monogatari: all seats reserved, ¥4,780 from Matsuyama to Iyo-Ozu since October 2
JR Shikoku
Every seat on the Iyonada Monogatari is a reserved Green Car seat. You need a ticket and a limited express and Green Car ticket, and you buy the meal ticket separately. Meals made with local ingredients are served on board, and they must be booked in advance. On every trip the train stops for about 8 to 12 minutes at Shimonada, a section where you can see the Iyo Sea. Iyonada Monogatari (JR Shikoku, Japanese)
The journey has four trips (編, hen), named Ozu, Futami, Yawatahama and Dogo, and the route starts at Matsuyama Station. The official site describes four trips a day. In October 2026, however, only the Ozu and Futami trips run on the 2nd and 9th, and only the Yawatahama and Dogo trips run on the 16th, 23rd and 30th.
| Trip | Route and times | Meal (tax included) |
|---|---|---|
| Ozu trip (morning) | Matsuyama 8:28 to Iyo-Ozu 10:28 | ¥3,500 |
| Futami trip (midday) | Iyo-Ozu 10:57 to Matsuyama 13:03 | ¥6,000 |
| Yawatahama trip (midday) | Matsuyama 13:38 to Iyo-Ozu 15:13 to Yawatahama 15:56 | ¥6,000 |
| Dogo trip (evening) | Yawatahama 16:27 to Iyo-Ozu 16:49 to Matsuyama 18:30 | ¥3,500 |
The official operating calendar lists the dates from October 2026 to March 2027. It can change at short notice, for example because of the weather. Operating dates (Iyonada Monogatari, Japanese)
| Month | Dates |
|---|---|
| October 2026 | 2 (Ozu and Futami only), 3, 4, 9 (Ozu and Futami only), 10, 11, 12, 16 (Yawatahama and Dogo only), 17, 18, 23 (Yawatahama and Dogo only), 24, 25, 30 (Yawatahama and Dogo only), 31 |
| November | 1, 3, 6, 7, 8, 13, 14, 15, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28, 29 |
| December | 5, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, 26, 27 |
| January 2027 | 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 |
| February | 6, 7, 11, 13, 14, 20, 21, 23, 27, 28 |
| March | 6, 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 22, 26, 27, 28 |
For cars 1 and 2, the Green Car charge was raised from ¥1,700 to ¥2,500 for rides from October 2, 2026. Matsuyama to Iyo-Ozu is ¥4,780 in total: fare ¥1,080, limited express charge ¥1,200 and Green Car charge ¥2,500. Matsuyama to Yawatahama is ¥5,130, because the fare is ¥1,430. Seats 13 and 14 of car 1 are a group seat for 3 to 4 people (¥9,000 per table, plus each person’s fare and limited express charge). The private rooms in car 3, called Fiore Suite, take 2 to 8 people. The Green private room charge is still ¥33,600 per room. Fares and booking (Iyonada Monogatari, Japanese)
Booking opens at 10:00 a.m., one month before the ride. Tickets are sold at JR ticket offices (みどりの窓口, Midori no Madoguchi) across Japan, at main travel agencies and on JR West’s online booking site e5489. Car 3 cannot be booked on e5489. The meal ticket (食事予約券) can be bought at JR Shikoku’s ticket offices from one month to four days before the ride. Tabi no Yoyaku Center (旅の予約センター, 087-825-1662) takes bank transfers from one month to ten days before. JR West’s app “tabiwa by WESTER” also sells meals from one month to four days before, but it does not sell the ticket and limited express and Green Car tickets, so buy those first.
The meals are a morning set for the Ozu trip (¥3,500), a Japanese and Western set for the Futami trip (¥6,000), a French mini course for the Yawatahama trip (¥6,000) and afternoon tea for the Dogo trip (¥3,500). The menu changes between September and October, and November and December. Children up to sixth grade can have the “Iyonada Waku-waku Kids Box” (¥3,000, tax included). You apply on a dedicated form and pay by bank transfer from one month to ten days before the ride.
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3. Iyotetsu 700 series: the farewell run on November 7, applications close October 16 at 15:00
Iyotetsu
Iyotetsu is holding a farewell event on Saturday, November 7, 2026 for the last three sets of its 700 series suburban trains, and applications close on Friday, October 16 at 15:00. You meet at Matsuyama City Station. The morning part (9:00 to 12:00) rides sets 768 and 769, and the afternoon part (13:40 to 16:30) rides set 765, for about 90 minutes. The line is announced on the day, and the group disperses at Furumachi Station. 700 series farewell event (Iyotetsu, Japanese, announced October 1, 2026)
The fee is ¥10,000 per person, or ¥15,000 for a pair of an elementary school child and a parent. You pay at the reception on the day, only with Mican Money in the Mican app. Each part takes 50 people, and a lottery is held if there are more applications. Results arrive by e-mail by Friday, October 23. The event is for elementary school children and older, and children must come with a parent. Companions who are not taking part and small children cannot join. There is no car park at the station. The event page is in Japanese, and it does not mention English support.
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4. Combining the trains, and a hotel near Dogo Onsen
Booking sites (in Japanese)
The Ozu trip of the Iyonada Monogatari leaves Matsuyama Station at 8:28, so if you come from far away, staying the night before is easier. Dogo Onsen Station is the tram stop where the Botchan train starts. Dogo Onsen Funaya is about a 3-minute walk from the station, so it is also close to the counter where the numbered tickets are given out from 8:30. On Rakuten Travel, check-in is 15:00 to 23:00 and check-out is 10:00. The car park is paid and needs no reservation (¥880 per car per day). Dogo Onsen Funaya on Rakuten Travel (Ad, Japanese)
The Dogo trip of the Iyonada Monogatari ends at Matsuyama Station at 18:30, so you can also go on to Dogo Onsen that evening. To plan the airport leg, see Getting to Matsuyama Airport.
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5. What is different about each train
The two trains work in opposite ways: the Botchan train takes no reservation, and the Iyonada Monogatari is booked from one month before.
- The Botchan train runs only on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, so a weekday visit to Matsuyama cannot include it. Because you line up on the day, secure a popular run with a numbered ticket at Dogo Onsen Station (from 8:30).
- The Iyonada Monogatari runs about 6 to 15 days a month, and on some days only two of the four trips run. Check which trip runs on your day first.
- The Green Car charge rose from ¥1,700 to ¥2,500 for rides from October 2, 2026. Older price lists (Matsuyama to Iyo-Ozu ¥3,980, up to September 30) do not apply.
- Matsuyama can be covered by Iyotetsu’s city trams. Some stations, such as the one for the 700 series event, have no car park, so look for a coin parking nearby if you drive.
Common questions
Can I reserve the Botchan train?
No. You line up at the tram stop on the day and buy the ticket from the crew. For some runs from Dogo Onsen Station, numbered tickets are given out from 8:30 at the Dogo ticket counter.
Does the Botchan train run on weekdays?
No. It runs only on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays, even in Golden Week and Obon. It does not run from December 30 to January 3.
When can I book the Iyonada Monogatari?
From 10:00 a.m., one month before the ride. The meal ticket can be bought at JR ticket offices and in the tabiwa by WESTER app up to four days before.
Next steps
- Paying for the tram and getting around Matsuyama: Matsuyama Tram and Bus Fares (2026).
- Flying in: Getting to Matsuyama Airport.
Sources (checked October 2026)
5 pages we checked
Dates, fares and times can change. For the Botchan train and the 700 series event, ask Iyotetsu Railway (089-948-3323). For the Iyonada Monogatari, ask the JR Shikoku telephone information center (0570-00-4592). The official pages are in Japanese.
