Matsuyama has strong links with a traditional form of verse called haiku. If you have never heard of haiku poetry, you'll be surprised to learn that each poem has only 17 syllables. The art of composing these short poems reached its height in the late 1600s, under the influence of the great poet Matsuo Basho. At the end of the 19th century the master poet Masaoka Shiki, a native of Matsuyama, modernized the genre and gave it new life. Today, people in different parts of the world try their hand at haiku in English, French, Chinese and other languages.

Matsuyama residents are very proud of Masaoka, and have built a museum in his honor. You'll see samples of his haiku displayed in different parts of the city. (For an English translation of some of his poems, see here.)

One of Masaoka's friends was Natsume Soseki, the most popular Japanese author of the early modern period. Natsume's face appears on the 1,000-yen note. He came to Matsuyama after graduating from university, to teach English at a junior high school there. He later wrote Botchan (Little Master), a funny, somewhat tongue-in-cheek novel based on his experiences in Matsuyama. The novel is still read by many Japanese, and has remained a big hit among the people of Matsuyama, partly because of the passionate hero, nicknamed "Botchan." They look on it as a work of art that recalls the city's good old days, and you'll find references to the novel all over the city, from cake designs to tramcars.

Matsuyama is also known as the home of some of the Buddhist temples visited by pilgrims. They follow a 1,400-km route that meanders clockwise around Shikoku, starting at the northeastern tip of the island. With 88 temples (fudasho) to visit on the long route, the circuit is unique in the world. It was developed by the priest Kukai in the 9th century, and was attracting many pilgrims by the 1600s. Today, about 200,000 people from all over Japan make the pilgrimage by car or bus each year, and more than 2,000 complete the entire journey on foot.

Seven of the 88 temples are within the city limits of Matsuyama. One of them, Ishite-ji, is near Dogo Hot Spring. Here you are almost sure to see pilgrims in white robes, each one wearing a large-brimmed hat and carrying a staff.

A castle, hot spring, literature and pilgrims—all are here in Matsuyama. The city lets us step back in time and relax.