A Day That Began with a Search for the Botchan Train and Ended with Thoughts of Working at Matsuyama Castle — June 1, 2026 (Mon) R8

Today, I set out to do some preliminary research for a future ride on the Botchan Train with my husband.

Since the train only operates on weekends and public holidays, I wanted to check the boarding area and get familiar with the surroundings of Matsuyama City Station in advance.

However, the area around the station is still under construction. It was surprisingly difficult to find a place to park my bicycle, and I could not find an information counter or even clearly identify where the Botchan Train boards.

After walking around with my bicycle for a while, I decided to give up on the search for the day and visit the Hello Work employment office instead.

Fortunately, I found a visitor parking space for bicycles and was able to sit down and talk with a staff member.

We discussed my 33 years as a high school English teacher, my qualifications in home-visit acupuncture and moxibustion, my current studies for the Registered Sales Clerk examination, and my hope of finding a small part-time job. My goal is not only a little extra income but also a chance to stay active, enjoy a change of pace, and become more familiar with life in Matsuyama.

The staff member showed me a few home-visit acupuncture positions, but they were located quite far away. Considering the travel time and my lack of familiarity with the area, they did not seem like the right fit.

Instead, another position caught my attention: ticket-related work at Matsuyama Castle.

Before I realized it, I found myself saying, “That sounds interesting.”

I have not decided to apply.

Still, the idea of working somewhere I could reach by bicycle, while learning more about Matsuyama and meeting visitors, felt appealing.

I even thought that my background as an English teacher might someday be useful there.

The ride home went more smoothly than I expected. I noticed that I was handling the hills better than before, which reminded me that I am gradually becoming more comfortable in this city.

Although I missed the 2:00 p.m. session of the Ikiki Classroom, I managed to return in time for the 2:30 session.

Later in the afternoon, I called Iyotetsu and finally received clear information about the Botchan Train.

I learned that passengers boarding at Matsuyama City Station do not need reservations and can use IC cards. I also learned that passengers boarding at Dogo Onsen Station on weekends and public holidays need a boarding ticket because the train is often crowded.

The representative also told me that the Botchan Train Museum, located inside the Gintengai shopping arcade, is free to visit.

In the end, much of this information could have been obtained with a simple phone call.

Yet I think I only knew what questions to ask because I had gone out and explored for myself first.

What began as a day of researching the Botchan Train unexpectedly became a day of thinking about how I might continue building my life in Matsuyama.

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