Dogo Onsen Funaya

Founded around 1627 during the Edo period, Dogo Onsen Funaya is a long-established onsen ryokan that has hosted many literary figures and celebrities, including writers Natsume Soseki and haiku poet Masaoka Shiki, who were connected to Matsuyama. The ryokan offers 58 rooms, including special traditional Japanese-style rooms (sukiya-zukuri), Japanese rooms, Japanese-Western rooms, and Western rooms, ensuring a comfortable stay for all guests.

The ryokan boasts a vast 1,500-tsubo (approximately 4,950 square meters) garden featuring around 200 types of plants, creating a beautiful landscape. From spring to autumn, guests can enjoy meals by the river that flows through the garden. In early summer, fireflies gracefully dance in the garden, providing a mesmerizing and heartwarming experience for visitors.

The baths at Funaya draw from the Dogo Onsen's hot springs, believed to be the oldest in Japan. Guests can enjoy the baths in two large communal baths, with alternating access for men and women. "Hinoki-yu" features a soothing cypress bath, while "Mikage-yu" boasts a beautiful granite bath made from Iyo Oshima stone.
The cuisine at Funaya is highly acclaimed, offering a variety of dining options including kaiseki (traditional multi-course meal), French, and Japanese-Western fusion, showcasing the bounty of Setouchi’s sea and mountains and the culinary delights of Matsuyama.