example, on a trip from Tokyo to Matsuyama you could leave Tokyo in the evening on the Shinkansen and make your way to Osaka or Himeji to spend the night. The next morning you can continue to Okayama to connect to the Shiokaze train.
By bus
Highway buses connect Matsuyama with the rest of Shikoku, as well as with other major cities in Japan. The following buses are operated by JR Shikoku Bus (Japanese website) and affiliated JR bus companies.
Within Shikoku, the Botchan Express bus runs multiple times per day from Takamatsu (2 3/4 hours, �3900), while the Nangoku Express offers six daily round-trips from Kochi (2 3/4 hours, �3500) and the Yoshinogawa Express offers service to/from Tokushima (3 1/4 hours, �4300).
The interestingly-named Madonna Express bus service runs six daily round-trips between Matsuyama and Okayama (3 hours, �4300).
From Osaka and Kobe, service is offered on the Matsuyama Express Osaka bus. Eight daily round-trip buses during the day from Osaka and Sannomiya Bus Terminal (5 3/4 hours from Osaka, �6700). One round-trip bus runs overnight, starting from Kyoto station (8 1/4 hours, �7000) and stopping at Osaka and Sannomiya along the way.
The Olive Matsuyama bus service operates overnight between Nagoya and Matsuyama, via Tokushima and Takamatsu (10 1/4 hours, �10,000).
Overnight buses are offered from Tokyo on the Dream Takamatsu-Matsuyama service (10 1/4 hours, �12,000; �14,300 for Premium Seats).
Iyo Tetsu Bus operates similar services in competition with those listed above, at similar prices. It should be noted, though, that Iyo Tetsu's overnight services make pickup and dropoff stops directly at Dogo Onsen (see below). Both Iyo and JR buses make stops at the Okaido arcade, from which Dogo Onsen is a short, convenient journey by tram.
Iyo Tetsu Bus also offers an overnight bus to Matsuyama from Fukuoka and Kitakyushu (10 hours from Fukuoka, �8000).
Willer
