(+) Cute, old-fashioned type of station
(+) Access to Mitsu old-town "shopping street." Most stores are closed or operate irregularly
(+) You can get to Mitsuhama Port from the station. About a 15 to 20 minute walk. Lots of signs along the way.
Chichitoko and his family went to Mitsu Station! It was one of the first stations to open in Shikoku, and is a historic place associated with the "Botchan Train" depicted in Natsume Soseki's novel "Botchan." The entrance to the retro station building features beautiful stained glass with a motif of the Mitsuhama Fireworks Festival, which was very impressive. As soon as we left the station, the Mitsuhama shopping district spread out before us, and the townscape retains the charm of the Meiji and Taisho eras. There are plenty of things to see, including famous Mitsuhama-yaki restaurants, the former Hamada Clinic, and the free Mitsu Ferry. Bicycle rentals are also available, making it the perfect place for a stroll with the whole family. We were able to fully experience the charm of this port town, where literature and history live on!
Everything you'd expect from this relatively small train station is there: an information desk with staff, restrooms, lockers, a vending machine, and a café. Everything is clean, tidy, and well-maintained. There's direct access to the harbor area and the shopping street. Intercity (IC) tickets are accepted for train travel.
Mitsu Port, where the Mitsu ferry crossing took place, is located in Mitsu, Matsuyama City, and this is the Iyo Railway station.
The station building has a retro atmosphere and even has a cafe inside, making it a wonderful station worth visiting just for sightseeing.
It's a pilgrimage site that appears as a meeting place for the fireworks festival in the anime film "Ganbatte Ikimasshoi," which is set in Matsuyama City.
From the depiction in the film, it seems that the main characters, Etsu-nee and Hime, probably use this station for commuting to school.
There's also a sign for "Ganbatte Ikimasshoi" on the station platform, so it's a must-see spot if you're doing a pilgrimage to anime locations in Matsuyama.
The small country village is quiet and peaceful. Even the sunset is beautiful!