BOTCHAN TRAIN — Attraction in Matsuyama

松山市内に宿泊、折角ならば道後温泉に入らなくては、と6時半過ぎの市電で大街道から道後温泉まで。 市電を降りて、すぐ目の前に発見、坊ちゃん列車です。

良いですね♪

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

以下、プレートの説明より。

伊予大道は野治20年3月14日に創立、翌年10月28日に日本初の軽便鉄道として松山ー三津間の運行を開始しました。当時の伊子鉄道1号機関車は「西輪連結水植付機関車」でドイツのクラウス社から輸入され、その後明治、大正、昭和と実に67年間にわたって松山平野を走り続け、わが国初の軽便鉄道機関車として昭和43年3月8日、愛媛県指定有形文化財に指定されました。 夏目漱石が松山へ教師として赴任したのは明治28年、道後温泉をこよなく愛し、汽車に乗っては頻繁に足を運んだ模様で、明治39年発表の小説「坊っちゃん」には、当時の道後温泉や軽便鉄道がユニークに描与されており、その後伊予鉄道の汽車は「坊っちゃん列車」の愛称で地元松山市民をはじめ多くの人々に親しまれてきました。

BOTCHAN TRAIN'S The lyo Railway Company was established on September 140, 1887. This war the ayeniti the Meiji Bra. On. October 28" of the following ycar, 1888, they began transporation between Matsuyama and Mitsu for the first time in Japanese bistory. This was the first small-sized locomotve in Japan and it wasimponed from Kraus & Co Germany. This locomotive with four jointed driving wheels and a water tank man on thic iM Plains for 67 years through the Mcit, the Taisho and the Showa Eras. The first locomoth became a Tangible Cultural Property of Ehime Prefecture on Mateh 85, 1968 oT Showa 43. The world-renowned Japanese novelist, Soseli Natsume, was transfened to Matsuyama & high school teacher in the 28" ycar of the Meiji Era (1895) Hc loved talinga bathmi Dogo Hot Spring, and often used the railway to commute to hiere. His famous novel "Botchan" published in the 39" ycarof the Meiji Era (1906) uniquely de the Dogo Hot Spring and the railway services of those days. Por this reason...

Operates only on weekends and holidays, has infrequent schedule.

For 1,300Y per ticket, I feel that this attraction is massively overpriced. Actually riding the train isn't very novel unless you speak Japanese so you can understand the conductor talking.

If you want to experience the Botchan train, I would recommend waiting at the Dogo Onsen station for it to arrive. You can see it moving around for yourself which is more fun than riding,...

You can take this nostalgic train right in the down town to the famous onsen town. The train assistant will make sure you are being entertain while on the train. Do stay put at the end station and witness how they manually turn the train to the oncoming direction so that they are in time for...