What does Matsuyama sound like? Here, you may find the answer.

First comes the soft sound of leaves brushing against one another—a gentle rustle, as if the forest itself were breathing.

Then, from farther away, a deeper rhythm begins to reach you. A low clatter, steady and familiar. It’s the sound of the streetcar that runs toward Dogo Onsen, a rhythm many people in Matsuyama know by heart.

For more than a century, this sound has carried people on their everyday journeys—to the hot springs, to the castle town, to temples and homes. The lives of the city have long moved in time with this rhythm.

There was once a common route: traveling from the countryside to Ishite-ji Temple, bathing at Dogo Onsen, and ending the day with a simple meal. That familiar course, from the Meiji Period through the Shōwa Period, was accompanied by the same streetcar sound you hear now.

You might close your eyes once more and listen.

The rustling of leaves, and the distant rhythm of the tram. Today, which sound feels closer to you?

On days when the forest sound stands out, you may feel gently held by nature. On days when the rails sound clearer, your senses may be leaning toward the rhythm of the city.

Listening to the landscape—this is forest bathing at Sugi-no-Dan.