Page 232 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide: Japan

230  JAP AN REGION B Y REGION

of today, breeders matched for over a millennium,
its local ancestors with and has a fine
mastiffs and other 19th-century
powerful Western dogs. bathhouse. Deeper
A photo exhibition into the mountains
documents major behind the historic
events in the history of bathhouse, Oku-Dogo
this sport, including Onsen is a much newer
visits by the emperor. hotel resort area.
The gambling that Natsume Soseki, an
helped make the author whose
fights popular is portrait appears
now illegal, and Statue of patriotic figure on the ¥1,000
increasing numbers Sakamoto Ryoma, Kochi bill, moved to
of people are Matsuyama in
repulsed by the dogfights. 1895 and later wrote about the
town in his autobiographical
+ Kochi Castle novel Botchan (1906).
Open 9am–5pm daily. Closed Dec The Shiki Masaoka Museum
26–Jan 1. & is devoted to Soseki’s friend
P Sakamoto Ryoma Museum Shiki (1867–1902), a Matsuyama
Flooded rice fields in the shadow of gentle Open 9am–5pm daily. & native held by many to be
forested hills, near Kochi Japan’s finest modern haiku
P Tosa Dog Museum poet. Shiki was also a fine
6 Kochi Open daily. & ∑ tosa.or.jp/ painter, and the museum’s
index.html
Kochi highly visual presentation
includes manuscripts, paintings,
Kochi prefecture. * 345,000. k Environs and photographs of Shiki and
£ n at JR stn (088) 882-7777. From Kochi, take a day trip to Soseki in the city.
_ Yosakoi Matsuri (Aug 9–12).
Cape Muroto at the south east Matsuyama Castle is an
Kochi city offers a rare blend of tip of Shikoku or Cape Ashizuri extensive complex on a bluff
sandy beaches, mountain views, to the southwest. Both have overlooking the city and Inland
and well-preserved historic sites. views of the Pacific Ocean and Sea. Plaques offer intelligent
The Kochi region, formerly some unusual rock formations. commentary on the castle’s
called Tosa, is known for its strategic features.
forging of cutlery, and shops
selling knives line the street in 7 Matsuyama  Dogo Onsen
front of Kochi Castle, built in Matsuyama v Dogo stn. Tel (089) 921-5141.
1603. A startlingly long sword, Open daily. &
over 1.5 m (5 ft) in length, is Ehime prefecture. * 515,000. k £ P Shiki Masaoka Museum
n at JR stn (089) 931-3914. ∑ city.
among the weapons on display matsuyama.ehime.jp/lang/en 3-min walk from Dogo Onsen.
in the castle. Breathtaking views Open daily. &
can be seen from the top floors. The capital of Ehime prefecture
At Katsurahama, a white-sand and a castle town since 1603, + Matsuyama Castle
beach area in the southern part Matsuyama has many powerful v Kencho-mae stop, then steep
of the city, the Sakamoto Ryoma associations for the Japanese. walk, or Shinonome-guchi stop, then
Museum is devoted to the Tosa The Dogo Onsen, a famous cable car or lift. Tel (089) 921-4873.
patriot admired for his part in hot-spring spa, has been in use Open daily. &
the overthrow of the shogunate
and restoration of the emperor in
the 1860s. He was assassinated
in 1867. Most Japanese visitors
make a point of paying homage
at a bronze statue of the man
looming over the beach. Also
at Katsurahama is the Tosa
Dog Museum, the venue
for the Tosa Fighting Dogs.
Dogfights are staged here in a
caged enclosure rather like a
miniature Sumo wrestling ring.
The animals are also paraded
in Sumo-like garments. To
create the Tosa fighting dog Exterior of the bathhouse of Dogo Onsen, Matsuyama
For hotels and restaurants see pp305–6 and pp333–4

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Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Catalogue template “UK” LAYER
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Date 12th July 2013
Size 125mm x 217mm