BEFORE YOU DRIVE
Before you drive
From picking up your car to checking road information. Checked against official sources.
Driving a rental car in Ehime as a visitor from abroad: International Driving Permits, foreign licenses with a Japanese translation, and how long you can drive
Three kinds of license are valid for driving in Japan. We checked the official pages for the International Driving Permit format, the six countries and regions whose licenses work with a translation, how long you can drive, the seven rental companies at Matsuyama Airport, and the Ehime Prefectural Police license conversion rules.
Japanese Road Rules for First-Time Drivers from Abroad: Driving on the Left, Red Lights, Stop Signs, Railroad Crossings, Drinking, Mobile Phones, Speed
Driving on the left, red lights and arrows, the "Tomare" stop sign, railroad crossings, drunk driving, mobile phones while driving, seat belts and child seats, and speed limits on ordinary roads, checked against the original text of the Road Traffic Act, the National Police Agency's Rules of the Road, and the NPA's English materials.
What to do and who to contact if you have an accident, a breakdown, or a road problem in Ehime: 110, 119, #9910, JAF, and your rental car company
Who to contact if you have an accident or breakdown, or find a hole or fallen object on the road, while driving in Ehime. Checked against official sources: Article 72 of the Road Traffic Act, foreign-language service on 110 and 119, the order of steps on an expressway, the Road Emergency Dial #9910, JAF, and the rental terms of the seven companies at Matsuyama Airport.
English information for visitors to Ehime: official English pages, English brochures, and tourist information centers for each destination
For the 27 destinations in this site's route articles, we looked for English pages on official sites, English brochures, and English audio guides. The prefecture's English tourism site, the JNTO English pages, and the foreign-language support of tourist information centers are also listed.
What to know before renting a car at Matsuyama Airport
Where the rental counters are, how to pick up the car at 7 companies, when each counter closes, and the rules about adding things to the car. Checked on the official pages of the airport and the companies.
Parking at Matsuyama Airport and where to stop for drop-off: spaces, fees, height limits, busy periods, and the road change inside the airport
For people who drive family to the airport or drive their own car there. The spaces, fees, height limits, and hours of Parking Lots 1 to 3, where you may stop in front of the terminal, and the change of roads inside the airport. Checked on official pages of the airport and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
Before you return a rental car at Matsuyama Airport: fuel rules, return times, and the way back to the airport
For people who return a rental car before a flight home. The full-tank rules of the 7 companies on Matsuyama Airport's official page, how fuel is charged when the tank is not full, office hours, who to contact when you are late, and how to get back to the airport. Checked on official pages and rental terms.
What the Ehime Prefectural Police ask drivers to watch for on Ehime roads: Iyo no Hayamagari, crosswalks, dusk, and older people
From Ehime Prefectural Police flyers and Ehime Prefecture materials, we checked what they say about right turns (Iyo no Hayamagari), crosswalks, headlights at dusk, and the 3 rules for older people. We also add articles of the Road Traffic Act and the Prefectural Police's 2025 figures.
Before you drive Ehime's expressways in a rental car: borrowing an ETC card, toll gate lanes, and what to do if you enter an ETC-only entrance
A summary, checked on official pages, of the ETC cards and on-board units at the 7 companies at Matsuyama Airport, the types of toll gate lanes and how to pass them at NEXCO West Japan, the 5 ETC-only toll gates in Ehime Prefecture, and the fixed-price pass for visitors from abroad that works in Shikoku.
Self-service gas stations in Japan: fuel colors, the static electricity sheet, and putting diesel in the wrong car
For people filling up for the first time at a self-service gas station, such as before returning a rental car. Based on official sources: the fuel colors set by regulation, the steps at ENEOS, Idemitsu Kosan and Cosmo Oil Sales, what customers must not do, and JAF's warning about putting in diesel by mistake.
Driving an electric vehicle (EV) in Ehime: rental car company EV rules, charging types and how to pay, and where the rapid chargers are
The EV rules of the 7 rental car companies at Matsuyama Airport, battery level at return and charging cards, the difference between CHAdeMO and normal charging, how to pay without a card and the fees, and the rapid chargers on expressways, in central Matsuyama and at roadside stations, all checked on official pages.
Where to check road information in Ehime before you leave
Road closures, construction, and traffic restrictions are published by different organizations depending on the type of road. This page gathers the official places to check for national routes, prefectural roads, city and town roads, and expressways.
From Matsuyama Airport into the City, and Back Before Your Flight: Major Congestion Points and Times in Matsuyama City, as Written by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
For drivers going from Matsuyama Airport to central Matsuyama and Dogo, and back to the airport. The Ehime Congestion Countermeasures Council list of major congestion points (as of February 19, 2025), the congestion times the official sources write, and the Matsuyama Outer Ring Road airport line information.
Before Driving to Ehime's Autumn Leaves: Typical Peak Times at Omogo Gorge, Mt. Ishizuchi, Nametoko Gorge and Ozu, with Parking, Roads and Night Closures
For the autumn leaf spots in Ehime that you reach by car (Omogo Gorge, the Ishizuchi Skyline, Mt. Ishizuchi, Nametoko Gorge, Garyu Sanso and Shirataki Park), this page covers the usual peak times, parking, notices on official pages in 2026, and the autumn night closures on the expressway.
Before Driving Ehime's Mountain Roads in Winter: Winter Closures, Chain Restrictions and Winter Tire Rules
The Ishizuchi Skyline, the UFO Line, the Shikoku Karst and other roads close in winter. This page covers the closure periods, the tire rules of the prefecture's regulations, chain restrictions, how rental car companies handle studless tires, and the official pages to check before you leave.
Is Sleeping in Your Car Allowed at Michi-no-Eki and SA/PA in Ehime? MLIT and NEXCO West Japan Rules, and 9 RV Parks in the Prefecture
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) says napping in a car at a michi-no-eki parking lot is fine, and basically asks people not to stay overnight. NEXCO West Japan lists sleeping outdoors and living in a car at SA/PA as prohibited acts. This article puts together, from official sources, the 9 RV Parks in Ehime where you can stay overnight, and the rules on trash, idling and fire.
Roads in Ehime That Close in Heavy Rain and Typhoons: Advance Closure Sections and Rain and Wind Rules on Expressways
An article to read during a trip when a heavy rain or typhoon forecast is out. It covers the 56 advance-closure sections in Ehime Prefecture, the rainfall standards for National Routes 33 and 11, rain and wind on the Matsuyama Expressway and NEXCO West Japan, wind rules on the Shimanami Kaido, and the pages to check.
Days and Places in Ehime Where Autumn Festivals Block Roads (2026): Traffic Restrictions and Temporary Parking for the Saijo Festival and Niihama Taiko Festival
For drivers in Ehime in October and November. A table of the dates, times and places of traffic restrictions, and the temporary parking, for the Saijo Festival (October 14-17) and the Niihama Taiko Festival (October 15-18), whose notices were on official city pages.
Rules for Driving on the Same Road as Trams in Matsuyama
Roads toward Dogo Onsen and Matsuyama Castle have sections where you drive alongside the tracks of the Iyotetsu city tram. This page checks, against the original text of the Road Traffic Act and the National Police Agency's rules of the road, driving on the tracks, when a tram is stopped at a stop, right turns and traffic lights.
Parking in central Matsuyama: spaces, fees, hours, and height limits of city, prefecture, and railway company lots
Parking lots run by Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, and railway companies around Okaido, Ginten-gai, Matsuyama-shieki, JR Matsuyama Station, and Dogo, listed by area. Spaces, fees, hours, and height limits were checked on the official pages of Matsuyama City, Iyotetsu, JR Shikoku, and Ehime Prefecture.
29 Roadside Stations (Michi-no-Eki) in Ehime: Locations, Parking Spaces and Opening Hours
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) list shows 29 roadside stations in Ehime. This page groups them by area, with city or town, road, number of regular-car parking spaces, opening hours and 24-hour toilets, checked on the Bureau's station pages and each station's official page.
Expressway Service Areas and Parking Areas in Ehime: Parking Spaces by Direction, Shops, Gas Stations and EV Charging
A list of the service areas (SA) and parking areas (PA) on the Matsuyama Expressway and Kochi Expressway in Ehime, and Kurushimakaikyo SA and Kamiura PA on the Shimanami Kaido, with parking spaces for each direction, shop hours, fuel and EV quick charging. It also gives the shop hours during the Iyonada SA night closures and the pavement repair, with their dates.
Rules for Passing Bicycles by Car, and Bicycles on the Shimanami Kaido
The rule for cars passing on the right side of a bicycle, which entered the Road Traffic Act on April 1, 2026, checked against the text of the statute. It also covers Ehime Prefecture's ordinance and where bicycles ride on the Shimanami Kaido.
Tolls on the Shimanami Kaido (Nishiseto Expressway): Regular-Car Tolls Between ICs and ETC Discounts
Regular-car tolls between the Ehime-side ICs (Imabari, Imabari-kita, Oshima-minami, Oshima-kita, Hakata-jima and Omishima) and to the Onomichi side, read from the JB Honshi Expressway toll tables. It covers the difference between cash, ETC on weekdays and ETC on holidays, the days when the holiday discount does not apply, and the direction limits at the ICs.
Car ferry routes to Ehime: ports, travel times, number of sailings, and fares for a regular car
Routes that carry cars to ports in Ehime from Osaka, Kobe, Oita, Hiroshima, and Yamaguchi, and island routes such as Nakajima and Gogoshima. Travel time, sailings per day, and the fare for a regular car, checked on the official page of each company.
Leaving your car and taking a boat: parking spaces, fees, and hours at Ehime ports, and whether you can leave a car for long
Parking lots for leaving a car at the port and taking a boat, at Matsuyama Kanko Port, Mitsuhama Port, Takahama Port, Imabari Port, Yawatahama Port, Misaki Port, Toyo Port, and Niihama-Higashi Port. Checked on the official pages of port managers, terminals, and ferry companies, and listed by port.