Hachiman-bori Canal | Review by Linda Liao

If you're visiting Matsuyama, Ehime, and want to enjoy refined Japanese cuisine, you can plan a meal at Washoku Miyoshi. It's a small Japanese restaurant with a warm atmosphere, serving carefully prepared dishes made with seasonal ingredients. From sashimi and grilled dishes to tempura, everything reflects the Japanese emphasis on ingredients and presentation. The setting is quiet and comfortable, making it a great place to savor the food at a leisurely pace. However, seating is limited, so if you're planning to have dinner or try a set course, it's best to make a reservation in advance to avoid missing out.

CLUB HARIE's sweets are really delicious! When I traveled to Shiga before, I made a point of buying several of the shop's popular sweets to take home and enjoy. I was especially impressed by the leaf-shaped cookies. They had a rich buttery aroma and a crisp texture, with delicate layers that reminded me of a miniature mille-feuille. They became more flavorful with every bite. Besides the signature baumkuchen, the butter cookies and other sweets are also popular souvenirs, each with its own distinct flavor. If you like Japanese sweets, I highly recommend stopping by to pick some out.

When visiting Omihachiman, besides seeing the cherry blossoms and taking a boat ride through the waterways, I also recommend strolling through the old Omi merchant district. Many traditional machiya townhouses from the Edo to Meiji periods have been preserved along the way. With their white exterior walls, lattice windows, and quaint streets, walking around feels like traveling back in time to an old merchant town. This was once an area where Omi merchants were active, and many of them set out from Omi to do business throughout Japan, leaving behind numerous historic buildings. There aren't many tourists in the district, which makes it even easier to leisurely enjoy the atmosphere of the old streets.