Nippon Kuyu Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Toshiya Okashita), which operates the travel booking site "Good Trip Express," has begun a partnership with "Hiyori Hotel Matsuyama," and is now accepting flight-and-hotel set bookings as well as individual lodging reservations.

For those who thought "Shikoku is far away," with JAL, it takes only about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Tokyo (Haneda) to Matsuyama, and about 40 minutes from Osaka (Itami). By plane, Matsuyama in Ehime Prefecture is much closer than you think. Immersing yourself in Dogo Onsen, looking up at Matsuyama Castle, and toasting with a mandarin orange sour—"Hiyori Hotel Matsuyama," which opened in April 2026, joins Good Trip Express as a hub for such Matsuyama trips.

Background of the Partnership: Overturning the Assumption That Shikoku is Remote

Many travelers have an image of Shikoku being "inconvenient to access" because there are no Shinkansen lines. However, by plane, it is easily accessible from all over the country: about 1 hour 30 minutes from Haneda, 40 minutes from Itami, and 55 minutes from Fukuoka. Good Trip Express aims to bridge this "distance gap" and provide easier, more affordable trips to Matsuyama through dynamic packages with JAL.

1. Dogo Onsen: The Oldest Hot Spring in Japan Just 15 minutes by tram from the hotel. Highlights include the "Dogo Onsen Honkan," an Important Cultural Property that completed large-scale preservation work in 2024.

2. Matsuyama Castle: Summer Panoramic Experience Approximately 5 minutes on foot from the hotel to the ropeway station, and about 20 minutes to the castle tower. It is one of the 12 existing castle towers in Japan.

3. Okaido: Fully Enjoy Matsuyama Gourmet The Okaido shopping arcade stretches right in front of the hotel. The "Saturday Night Market" is held from late June to the first week of August, where you can enjoy local specialties like Uwajima Tai-meshi (sea bream rice).

Events in Matsuyama this Summer - Friday Road Show and Ghibli Exhibition: Ehime (Ehime Museum of Art, April 17 - July 5, 2026) - Dogo Onsen Honkan Projection Mapping (Dogo Onsen Honkan West Facade, April 21 - August 31, 2026) - Mitsuhama Fireworks Festival (Mitsuhama Wharf, Matsuyama City, August 1, 2026) - TGC Matsuyama 2026 (Ehime Prefectural Budokan, August 16, 2026)

FACT BOX

  • Source: PR TIMES
  • Category: Partnership