The tour starts in Matsuyama. We drive east to Hōjō where we visit Yuki Suzume, a sake brewery whose young master brewer recently won a prestigious prize for his daiginjō sake. Then we head north towards the Seto Inland Sea and the Shimanami Kaidō, where we take a fast boat into the rapid currents that flow between the islands, and gaze up at the massive bridges. We also drive up to the observation deck on Mt. Kirō to see the same scene from high above. Then we head further east to Saijō where we stay at an onsen ryokan.

Included: Dinner

Snowmelt from Mt. Ishizuchi percolates down through the rock over centuries, bubbling up in Saijō, which is one of Shikoku’s major brewing areas. First, we visit Ishizuchi Shrine, before exploring the many picturesque sites where the pure water springs from the ground. Our first brewery visit is to Seiryō, in a village in the rice fields. From here, we drive through a mountain pass to the pottery town of Tobe, to visit our second brewery, Kyōwa. Our next stop is Matsuyama Castle offering a fine view over the town, including Dōgo, today’s final destination. Here we visit Minakuchi Brewery and see some of the treasures in the room where the brewery owners used to entertain favoured guests. We stay in a ryokan in Dōgo.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today we travel south to Uwajima. Here, the indented coastline is ideal for raising fish. We get on a fishing boat in the picturesque port to visit a fish farm and learn about this important industry. Our next stop is the Ehime Museum of History and Culture in Seiyo with its engaging recreations of Shikoku throughout the ages. Then we visit the nearby Motomiya Sake Shop, which remains largely as it was in the Edo period. We visit a soy sauce brewery which has many similarities to sake breweries, and a factory producing fish fry. Our last stop is the dramatic stepped fields of Karihama where we pick mikan oranges. We stay at a remarkable onsen ryokan tucked away in a pretty valley.

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Our focus today is the pretty, historic towns of southern Ehime. We stroll around Ōzu, visiting the Garyū Sansō villa and garden, then drive the short distance to Uchiko. Here we explore the fascinating Uchiko-za Theatre with its wooden stage machinery, and the palatial former home of a candle merchant. We drop into Chiyo no Kame brewery before heading back to Matsuyama where the tour ends.

Included: Breakfast