Ehime Children's Castle

Park

Prefecture

Ehime

Type

Park

N/A

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Restaurant

About This Destination

A prefectural children's park on about 35 hectares of wooded hill south of Matsuyama. Entry is free; the ladybug monorail, bobsleigh, boats and buggies cost a few hundred yen each. Easy to pair with Tobe Zoo next door.

Ehime Children's Castle is a prefectural play park spread over about 35 hectares of forested hilltop south of central Matsuyama, beside Tobe Zoo and the prefectural sports complex. It is the largest children's park in Ehime, and entry is free. You pay only for what you ride.

The rides are gentle and cheap: a ladybug-shaped monorail, a bobsleigh run down the hillside, boats, a road train (¥300 for an adult, who can bring up to four small children free), and four-wheel buggies for junior high age and up. Koshiro Adventure is a big wooden climbing course, and the craft workshops run pottery and woodwork sessions. In winter the Festa Luce illumination lights up the hill in the evenings.

This is a local family park, not a thrill park; adults without children will not find much here. The site is hilly, so bring a stroller with good wheels. It is closed on Mondays (the next day if Monday is a holiday) except during school holidays. Combine it with Tobe Zoo for a full day.

Location

Prefecture: Ehime

Address: Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan

Nearest Station: Matsuyama-shi Station (Iyotetsu bus, about 40 min)

Closed: Mondays (the next day if Monday is a holiday); open daily during spring, summer and winter school holidays except New Year.

Hours note: Generally 9:00 to 17:00, with later hours in summer; rides run for shorter hours than the park. Check the official site.

Best time to visit: Spring and autumn; winter evenings bring the Festa Luce illumination

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Visitor Information

Credit Cards: Unknown

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Ehime Children's Castle really free?

Entry is free. The rides, such as the ladybug monorail, bobsleigh, boats, buggies and road train, are paid individually, as are the craft workshops. The road train, for example, is ¥300 for an adult, who can take up to four small children along for free. Parking is ¥300 per visit.

How do I get to Ehime Children's Castle from Matsuyama?

Iyotetsu buses bound for Ehime Kodomo no Shiro leave from Matsuyama-shi Station and take about 40 minutes to the terminus at the park. By car it is about 15 minutes from Matsuyama IC on the Matsuyama Expressway, with around 500 parking spaces.