Traveling to Matsuyama, Ehime by ferry for 3 days and 0 nights (Part 3)

I have written two articles so far
about my three-day, zero-night solo trip
to Matsuyama, Ehime on the Orange Ferry.

In a limited stay of only 12 hours
I went where I wanted to go,
I ate what I wanted to eat,
I bought what I wanted.
So far I am satisfied.

Finally, the trip is coming to an end.

In this article,
I will show you some information about local Matsuyama cuisine for dinner,
and the bus or boat ride back to Osaka.

Please read to the end.

As for this Ehime trip,
I have posted three articles, including this one.

If you have not yet read the last two articles,
please refer to the following articles
「 Traveling to Matsuyama, Ehime by ferry for 3 days and 0 nights (Part 1) 」
「 Traveling to Matsuyama, Ehime by ferry for 3 days and 0 nights (Part 2) 」

Back from Baishinji…

Back from Baishinji…

In the previous article,
I have reported on my visit to Baishinji Station on the Iyo Railway Suburban Line.

The view of the Seto Inland Sea and the beach stretches out in front of the station,
were truly wonderful.

After returning from Baishinji Station to Matsuyama Shi Station, the process is as follows.

・Enjoying Matsuyama’s local cuisine at “Yakiyaki Teppan & Yakitori & Mitsu Hamayaki Himawari Ichibancho Densha Dori Branch”
・Moving to JR Matsuyama Station to buy souvenirs
・Taking the shuttle bus from JR Matsuyama Station to Toyo Port
・Boarding the Orange Ferry
・Arriving at Nanko, Osaka

Let’s go ahead and take a look.

Enjoy Matsuyama’s local cuisine

I returned from Baishinji Station to Matsuyama Shi Station.
Then I went back to Okaido stop.

The time was just after 16:00.
The restaurant where I was going to have dinner is open from 5:00 p.m,
I passed the time by strolling around Okaido area.

3 minute walk toward Dogo Onsen from Okaido stop,
you can find ” Yakiyaki Teppan & Yakitori & Mitsu Hamayaki Himawari Ichibancho Densha Dori Branch. ”

Along with tai meshi,
the local cuisine of Ehime that I definitely wanted to try is,
Mitsuhamayaki.

This is from the restaurant’s menu.
This okonomiyaki savory pancake is popular in the Mitsuhama area of Matsuyama City.

In Kansai, the dough and ingredients are mixed before baking.
In Hiroshima, the ingredients are baked in layers on top of the dough,
Mitsuhamayaki seems to be a style of baking where the ingredients are covered with dough.

Before visiting Ehime,
I researched several restaurants that offer Mitsu Hamayaki.

After various comparisons,
considering the price, appearance, ingredients, and atmosphere of the restaurant,
I chose “Yakiyaki Teppan & Yakitori & Mitsu Hamayaki Himawari Ichibancho Densha Dori Branch”.

I ordered these following dishes.
Mitsuhamayaki Seafood Mix.
Specialty! Grilled Bone-in chicken (young).

Mitsuhamayaki seafood mix and draft beer.
Served on a small plate in the upper left corner,
is a fried daikon served as an appetizer.

I was surprised that it was bigger and thicker than I expected.

It is packed with rice noodles, vegetables, meat, seafood and many other ingredients.
It costs ￥1,490-. I think it is inexpensive for the quantity.
The quantity and taste are perfect.

Specialty! Grilled Bone-in chicken (young) (￥990-).
It helped me because they are cut into small, easy-to-eat pieces.

Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside.
It is the perfect amount of salt.
It is delicious enough to eat as is.
However, it tastes even better when served with green condiments.
I am sure it has Japanse pepper called sansho in it.
I do not know what else is used.
In any case, it is a perfect match for chicken.

I visited the restaurant just after it opened at 5:00 p.m,
I, hiikun, was the only customer in the restaurant.

There is also counter seating available.
So you can feel free to use it even if you are alone.
I also liked the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant.

Both body and soul are very satisfied thanks to these meals.
It was very tasty.
Thank you for the meal. Gochisousamadesita!

It may be a little early,
But let’s head for JR Matsuyama Station.

JR Matsuyama Station

After the meal, I went to Okaido stop.

and headed for JR Matsuyama Station.
On this trip,
I really appreciate all the help Iyo Railways has given me.
The number of trains in operation is very large.
Thanks to this train, I were able to move around the city comfortably.

I arrived at the JR Matsuyama Station stop.

JR Matsuyama Station can be seen in front of the building.
This is at the old station building,
The new station building is located behind this one.

It is a magnificent station building.
There is a convenience store and a souvenir store on the other side of the ticket gate.
There I bought souvenirs for my family and people I work for.

Behind the station was a large piece of land.
There were multiple benches.
I sat down and cooled off.

These are the souvenirs I bought for the people I work for.

These are the souvenirs I purchased for my family.
Utsuboya’s bochan dango dumplings I ate in a private room at the Dogo Onsen Honkan.

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Return to Toyo Port

The bus stop for Toyo Port is in front of the station,
is located in the bus terminal in front of the station.

I thought I should not be late,
So I arrived early and checked the location.

I found it more easily than I though.

I will take the same bus to the destination,
head for Toyo Port.

On the way, the bus passes through several stops including Iyo Railway Matsuyama Shi Station.
We arrived at the Orange Ferry Terminal at Toyo Port almost on time.

Inside, I saw many people waiting in line
to go through the boarding procedures.

I hiikun had a round trip boarding ticket,
So I was able to board the ship without any special procedures.

I returned after 12 hours.
I felt relieved as if I had returned home.
Let’s head to my room tonight.

This is the “Deluxe Single” room for this evening.

Rooms are larger than singles.
A closet is also provided.
A larger table and a washbasin are installed.
I am very happy with them.

It also has a window,
You can also enjoy the view from your room.

Yukata, towels, and toothbrushes are also provided.

I, hiikun, made a serious mistake.
I was planning to purchase a breakfast ticket at the ship’s information desk.
But I could not purchase it because I did not have the cash.

You can also order directly from the cafeteria, although it is limited to Western food the next morning.
However, you cannot pay by any method other than cash or PayPay.

When I looked in my wallet,
I had only ¥350.
I had to give up breakfast.

At the latest, before boarding the bus,
I should have withdrawn the money.

Dear my readers,
Be careful not to end up like me.

It is almost 10pm.
It is time to departure.

Return to Osaka

My stay in Ehime, which lasted about 12 hours, was over in a flash.
I really enjoyed it.

I will say goodbye to Ehime for a while until the day I visit again.
Thank you, Ehime.
I will be back again.

I gave up on dinner
and took a bath early.

Changing into a yukata,
Brushing my teeth.
Preparing for bed.

The restroom is located very close to my room.
I will go there before going to bed.

Preparing the bed,
All that is left is to sleep.

The Delux Single rooms are equipped with a TV.
I turned on the TV to watch.
But I immediately turned it off because it was broadcasting all uninteresting programs.

Instead,
what really attracted me is this image.

We can check where we are currently running from the TV screen.

Unlike the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan,
despite the fact that the Seto Inland Sea is very narrow,
there are many islands.
Moreover, many boats come and go.

Therefore, extreme care will need to be taken when maneuvering the boat.
Even while we passengers sleep,
the crew members are committed to safe navigation with a strong sense of responsibility.
I thank all the crew and go to bed.

Good night.

Arrival in Osaka

Good morning.
The time is around 4:30.

Our ship just went past the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge.

This is the third time I have taken a bath aboard the Orange Ferry.
I am really happy
that the baths are available throughout the entire voyage.

It’s time to get ready to disembark.

The ship entered Osaka Bay.
I looked out the window of my room,
Many boats were sailing.

I was unable to purchase a breakfast ticket.
So I spent some time admiring the view from the observation space.

Something came into view on the left.
Let’s go outside and find out.

The Expo site, Yumeshima.
The large roof ring, which symbolizes the Expo, was clearly visible.

Soon we will arrive at the Nanko Ferry Terminal.
The “Orenji-Ehime” was smoking and roaring.
They showed a strong performance.
Last spurt.

The ship makes a big turn and
lands on the shore while backing up.

On the right hand side is the shp from Shin Moji, Kitakyushu.
The Meimon Taiyo Ferry “Ferry Kita Kyusyu” is docked.
This is one of the ships I would like to sail on in the future.

We arrived at the Nanko Ferry Terminal
on time, at 6:00 a.m.
Rest is allowed on board until 8:00 a.m.
So I spent some time reading the English newspaper I had planned to read before the ship left.

I prepare my room and disembark.
Thank you for your help in this short time.

“I want to be on it all the time!”
It was a wonderful ship that made me feel like that.
May 27 is my hiikun’s birthday.
I had the best birthday ever.

Thank you, “Orenji-Ehime”.
I will come back for a ride.

A long line of people lined up at the bus stop at the Nanko Ferry Terminal.
Many people heading to the Osaka Expo and Universal Studios Japan were also on board.
Just like I, hiikun, visited Ehime for 3 days and 0 nights,
some of them may have come to Osaka for 3 days and 0 nights.
I hope they will enjoy Osaka to the fullest.

Come on, let’s go home.

Finally…

I, hiikun, gave up breakfast on the ship on the way home,
So I had breakfast at Yoshinoya near Suminoe Koen Station, where I stopped on the way.

I then took the bus and returned home safely.

I’m sorry, but…,
Dear Readers,
Be prepared to have some cash on hand when boarding the ship.

Summary

I have shown you what I did during my 3-day/0-night trip to Ehime on the Orange Ferry.
How was it?

I conclude that
I made a good decision to ride this ship.

Cashless payment is almost impossible on board.
We need some cash.
Also, the actual travel time by boat is 8 hours,
Compared to other long-distance ferries, I felt a little underwhelmed.

Although some dissatisfaction remains,
I can say that it was such a wonderful boat trip that it made me forget all those things.
Although Wi-Fi was available on board,
I did not use the Internet and concentrated on enjoying the boat trip.
It was a short trip of 3 days and 0 nights,
But I realized that with a little ingenuity, we can make an enjoyable trip alone.
I would recommend this program to those who have difficulty taking long vacations from work.

Fares, rooms, observation spaces, meals, baths, customer service, boarding procedures
All are highly satisfactory.

The boat was very large and stable.
The weather was fine and the Seto Inland Sea was very calm.
Therefore, there was almost no shaking and we were able to spend a comfortable time.
I would also recommend it to those who want to enjoy a boat trip but are worried about seasickness.

I was able to fully enjoy my first boat trip and my first time in Shikoku.
I will definitely use Orange Ferry again when I visit Shikoku.

Thanks to this trip on the Orange Ferry,
I became more interested in the boat trip.
I felt the unique charm of the ship, which is different from trains, airplanes, and buses.

I would like to travel on various long-distance ferries in Japan in the future.
If I get such an opportunity,
I look forward to sharing my trip with you.

Best trip,
Best birthday ever.

Thank you
for reading to the end.
See you in the next article.