Highlight of the year - if I have to pick only one: Uwajima Ushi-oni Matsuri!
We got noisy, we got energetic, we got spectacular, we got festive - and most importantly, we got cows! (link to the scene from Twister)
Taking place each year from the 22nd to the 24th of July, the Uwajima ushi-oni matsuri, or festival of the cow-ogre, the origins of which are disputed, is a big event in Western Shikoku. The three days include fireworks, dancing, bull sumô - in which two bulls are pitted against each other in a more gentle, tug-of-war style fight, apparently they're not supposed to get hurt -, and a big parade of cow-demons!
Around 20 huge wooden effigies start their journey in the city centre, at the foot of the castle hill, and will travel to Warei-jinja, their spiritual home. Well, I say "huge", but there is also a childrens' parade, with the cows and distance adapted to size, as they only go to the end of the covered high street. As shown in the video at the top, several cows will dance together, and all will charge at the priests' stand for blessing. All this, sometimes, with someone riding the cow!
The parade goes down the arcade, out to the station, and back around to finish at Warei park and shrine. Food stands and other amusements are available there, showing that this is a matsuri for the locals to enjoy above all. A few people did talk to me and were very friendly, offering to pose next to the effigies during a break - and possibly hoping I'd help carry them on the next leg, but in that weather, walking around was hard enough!
At the back of the parade is a more solemn procession of two cows. Priests and younger devotees in traditional kimono symbolise the return of the ushi-oni to Warei-jinja, and the closure of the festival takes place along the river at the shrine in the evening. As for the effigies, they are dismantled along the river, having done their job. I don't know if the wood joins the bonfires and new cows are built each year, or if they can be re-used. Either way, at that point I was David Attenborough-ing to myself, "and here we see the end of the ushi-oni's life cycle".
This festival was quite the experience. I had earmarked it as it was taking place while I was in Shikoku, and was not disappointed. I wouldn't go as far as saying "forget the big ones like Nebuta or Gion", as I have seen Gion matsuri and it's definitely worth seeing too, but to anyone really interested in Japanese culture, I'd recommend seeking out one of these smaller-town fetes. But be wary of the talk surrounding overtourism in some places: don't all choose the same one!
Continued from part 3, for which I should issue an erratum: the Yosan line doesn't split at Matsuyama, but at Iyo-shi (206 km), about 10 km further along. This is also where electrification ends.
The coastal and inland branches reunite at Iyo-Ôzu (250 km officially, using the original coastal route), and the bridge over the river Hiji offers a fine view of Ôzu castle and the hills beyond.
Ôzu castle is a remarkably recent rebuild, completed in 2004, and serves as a museum as well as a hotel. You can have the keep to yourself for a night! Unfortunately, I didn't have the time to visit Ôzu, and the next view is just as frustrating to have not stopped at.
This is Hôkezu bay, seen shortly after Shimo-Uwa (282 km). Seeing the area on the map now, it looks like a fantastic place to visit with great hiking opportunities. Just... you know, not in summer.
Uwajima (298 km) is the end of the Yosan line. There's a castle, apparently a shrine with a massive phallus... but I was there just for one day, and for a specific purpose, that has something to do with Warei-jinja, around than 500 m from the station.
Stats for the Matsuyama~Uwajima via Uchiko section: 100 km in 1 hr 20 min, average speed 75 km/h by Uwakai limited express.
