Ehime｜The "Orange Tram" in the city has a 138-year history. Find Natsume Soseki's Bochan train

Compared to Hiroshima, which dominates Japan and has the largest streetcar network, Matsuyama's Iyo Tramway can be said to be small but beautiful. Due to the inherent limitations of Matsuyama Station, it is not possible to use the same connecting trains as Hiroshima, so the city developed its own Moha 2100 and 5000 single-section low-floor trains to serve this city of 510,000 people with ultra-dense train frequencies. If you are lucky, you will see the super retro Botchan train running on the road. In fact, this is the D1 or D2 built in 2001. It is inspired by Natsume Soseki's Botchan novel and restores the steam locomotive from a hundred years ago. This train only runs on weekends and holidays, and the frequency is very rare, so you need to buy a separate ticket to ride it. In the novel Bo-chan, the great writer Natsume Soseki described how he often took the streetcar that looked like a matchbox. After 138 years of evolution, the Iyo Tramway now runs on five lines in Matsuyama City, connecting Dogo Onsen, commercial areas, tourist attractions and JR. No longer the dull black or green matchboxes of old, the trains in service are painted in the "bright orange" that represents the Ehime mandarin oranges. This time, we took either the latest Moha 5000 or 2100 models. The interior of the carriage is spacious and new, bright and clean. It has spanned a century and has become a futuristic carriage with a sense of technology. In fact, the Iyo Group is a huge group that connects streetcars, intercity buses, department stores, tourism and real estate. Its founder, Nobuchika Kobayashi, also founded Iyo Bank and Shikoku Electric Power. He can be said to be the driving force behind Matsuyama's economy. The subway sells a one-day ticket, which allows unlimited rides on the Shikoku JRPASS. 🚗Just a one-minute walk from JR Matsuyama Station exit, you can transfer to the Iyo Railway. #AprilGoodDestinations2025