Kotohira

Iyo Hojo

Kotohira (琴平町, Kotohira-chō) is a town located in Nakatado District, Kagawa Prefecture, Japan. The town is best known as the site of Shikoku's largest shrine complex, the Kotohira Shrine (popularly known as Konpira-san). As of May 1, 2011 the town has an estimated population of 9,888, with a household number of 3,842 and a density of 1,168.79 persons per km². The total area is 8.46 km2 (3.27 sq mi). Kotohira also features Japan's oldest surviving Kabuki playhouse, the Kanamaru-za.Its average temperature is 16.7 degrees Celsius with an average annual rainfall of 817.5 mm. The town tree is the Rhodoleia, and the town flower is the blossom of the cherry tree. The mayor is Masaomi Yamashita, and the town was named after an ancient marine god named Kotohira-gu. A grand festival is held every year on October 10.

Matsuyama (松山市, Matsuyama-shi, Japanese: [matsɯꜜjama]) is the capital city of Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku in Japan and also Shikoku's largest city, with a population of 509,835 as of June 1, 2019. It is located on the northeastern portion of the Dōgo Plain. Its name means "pine mountain". The city was founded on December 15, 1889. The city is known for its hot springs (onsen), among the oldest in Japan, and is home to the Dōgo Onsen Honkan, a Meiji Period wooden public bathhouse dating from 1894. A second favorite tourist spot is Matsuyama Castle. Eight of the eighty-eight temples in the Shikoku Pilgrimage are in Matsuyama.