Usual hours and prices, checked 2026-10-05 against the sources under “What this place is”. They can change for holidays and events — confirm before you go. Official site
Our guide
The Botchan Train is a diesel-powered replica of the narrow-gauge steam locomotive that ran in Matsuyama from 1888, when the Iyo Railway — the first railway company in Shikoku and the third in Japan — opened its line. The reconstructed trains now run as a tourist attraction on two of the Iyo Railway's city lines, alternating with the ordinary electric trams.
The point this page is mapped to is about 50 m from Dogo Onsen Station. Dogo Onsen Honkan is about 200 m away in a straight line, and Matsuyama Castle about 1.9 km. We have not checked the timetable or fares.
Written by japan-spots.com (2026-09-22) from the sources credited on this page. Distances are straight lines between map positions.
Photos
Photos from Wikimedia Commons, each under its own licence — see credits
- BotchanTrainNo.1 — Kone · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- 坊っちゃん列車 お~いお茶 — 主細胞 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source · resized
- IYOTATCHIBANAST1930 — 伊豫鐵道電氣 · Public domain · source · resized
- Botchantrain-1 — Rsa · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- BotchanTrainNo.1Original — Kone · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- BotchanTrainNo.14 — Kone · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Botchan-ressha — Daichan · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Bocchan-ressha(Matsuyama-Ekimae-Turning) — 光朝 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- Bocchan-ressha(Matsuyama-Ekimae-Connecting) — 光朝 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source · resized
- BOCCAN1930 — 伊豫鐵道電氣 · Public domain · source · resized
What this place is
The Botchan Ressha (坊っちゃん列車), or simply Botchan, is a diesel-powered replica of a narrow-gauge steam locomotive installed in the city of Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan in 1888 as the original Iyo Railway, which was the first railway company in Shikoku and third in the nation. The reconstructed locomotives are now a tourist attraction, alternating with electric trams on two of the Iyo Railway's city lines.
Visitor information checked: 2026-10-05 · 坊っちゃん列車 | 伊予鉄
Background text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
What to expect at this type of place: Cityscape
Nearby station
Nearby station: Dogo Onsen, about 50 m from the spot in a straight line.
Worked out on 2026-09-14 from this place’s map position, using HeartRails Express station data and station names from Wikidata. The distance is a straight line, not a walking route, and says nothing about buses, transfers or timetables — plan the trip on Google Maps.
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