Matsuyama inspires images of the past thanks to its location on the trail of Shikoku's 88-temple pilgrimage, a rich tradition of haiku and a centuries-old onsen hot spring that inspired the bath house in the film "Spirited Away." There's nothing wrong with taking in some history, but all this looking back can give the impression that Ehime Prefecture's capital city is just a diorama of yesteryear.
That image quickly falls away when navigating the crowded Gintengai Shopping Arcade on a rainy Saturday afternoon. Packs of older women peek into clothing stores while junior high school students line up to buy crepes from a stall down an alley. A singer-songwriter strums on an acoustic guitar in front of a CD store. It's even possible to encounter a costumed version of the prefecture's mascot, the mikan-dog hybrid Mikyan, hanging about just outside the entrance to the enclosed street.
Matsuyama is under the radar when compared to other getaways across the archipelago, yet it is well enough connected to make a weekend trip from Tokyo doable.