From Matsuyama Airport to the Uchiko townscape: Matsuyama Expressway to Uchiko-Ikazaki IC

The tourist association describes the trip from the airport to the townscape in three sections

The official website of the Uchiko Tourist Association has a guide called “Going to Uchiko by rental car”. It shows the trip from Matsuyama Airport to the Uchiko preservation district in a vertical diagram, like this.

松山空港 松山空港ＩＣから松山外環状道路 約15分 松山ＩＣ 松山自動車道 約25分 内子五十崎ＩＣ 国道56号線 約5分 内子町保存地区

Translation: “Matsuyama Airport / From Matsuyama Airport IC on the Matsuyama Outer Ring Road, about 15 minutes / Matsuyama IC / Matsuyama Expressway, about 25 minutes / Uchiko-Ikazaki IC / National Route 56, about 5 minutes / Uchiko preservation district”

Source: アクセス | 内子町観光グルメ情報

The three times are about 15 minutes, about 25 minutes and about 5 minutes. The page does not give a total from the airport to the townscape. Adding the three gives about 45 minutes, but this is our own addition, not an official total.

The name of the first entrance after the airport differs between official pages. The Uchiko Tourist Association writes “Matsuyama Airport IC (松山空港ＩＣ)”. Iyokan-net, Ehime’s tourism site, writes “Yogominami IC (余戸南IC)”. The prefecture’s page is a guide to Uwajima Station, but the section from the airport to the first interchange is the same.

松山空港 県道22号線・190号線約15分 余戸南IC

Translation: “Matsuyama Airport / Prefectural Roads 22 and 190, about 15 minutes / Yogominami IC”

Source: 松山空港から宇和島駅へ｜アクセス（愛媛県内の移動）｜愛媛県の公式観光サイト【いよ観ネット】

We checked the area from Matsuyama Airport to Matsuyama IC in OpenStreetMap (map data). The interchange records include Matsuyama IC, Yogominami IC, Ichitsubo IC, Furukawa IC, Ido IC and Higashihabu IC, but we did not find a name “Matsuyama Airport IC”. Map data has its limits, so we cannot say it does not exist. This article follows the prefecture’s guide and treats Yogominami IC as the point after the airport.

The official pages do not confirm how to turn on Prefectural Roads 22 and 190 between the airport and Yogominami IC.

From Matsuyama IC to Uchiko-Ikazaki IC, adding the section distances on Driveplaza gives about 33.9 km

You can work out the distance from entering the Matsuyama Expressway to leaving it from the numbers on the service area pages of NEXCO East Japan’s “Driveplaza”.

Section	Distance	Page with the number
Matsuyama IC to Iyonada SA (outbound)	3.7 km	Iyonada SA (outbound)
Iyonada SA (outbound) to Iyo IC	6.2 km	Iyonada SA (outbound)
Iyo IC to Uchiko PA (outbound)	20.9 km	Uchiko PA (outbound)
Uchiko PA (outbound) to Uchiko-Ikazaki IC	3.1 km	Uchiko PA (outbound)

Source: 伊予灘SA(下)・松山自動車道 | ドラぷら(NEXCO東日本)、内子PA(下)・松山自動車道 | ドラぷら(NEXCO東日本)

The four add up to about 33.9 km. This total is not written on Driveplaza. From Iyonada SA to Uchiko PA, both pages give about 27.1 km, which matches the total of 6.2 km and 20.9 km.

We could not confirm the toll amount on an official page. Before you leave, check the toll from Matsuyama IC to Uchiko-Ikazaki IC in NEXCO West Japan’s toll search.

Rest stops are at 2 places: Iyonada SA (outbound) and Uchiko PA (outbound)

Before Uchiko-Ikazaki IC, there are these 2 service and parking areas on the outbound lanes.

Item	Iyonada SA (outbound)	Uchiko PA (outbound)
Position	3.7 km from Matsuyama IC	20.9 km from Iyo IC, 3.1 km before Uchiko-Ikazaki IC
Parking	8 large, 38 small	5 large, 10 small
Toilets	Men: 2 stalls, 6 urinals only. Women: 9	Men: 2 stalls, 3 urinals. Women: 5
Other facilities	Snack corner and food court, shopping corner (both 7:00-22:00. On the dates in the notice (October 13-16, spare dates October 19-22): 7:00-19:00, last order for food and drink 18:30), EV quick charger (24 hours)	No shop or fuel listing found

The NEXCO West Japan SA/PA information site writes that the “outbound” side of Iyonada Service Area is “toward Uwajima”.

The Iyonada SA (outbound) page describes construction in the parking lot.

以下の期間、舗装補修工事に伴い、駐車マスが最大約半分まで減少、トレーラーマスが利用不可となります。 令和8年8月24日（月曜）～令和8年10月30日（金曜）

Translation: “During the period below, because of paving repair work, the parking spaces will be reduced by up to about half, and the trailer spaces cannot be used. From Monday, August 24, Reiwa 8 to Friday, October 30, Reiwa 8.”

Source: 伊予灘サービスエリア（下り）（サービス・営業時間・配置MAP）｜NEXCO西日本のSA・PA情報サイトt

On the dates in the notice, the shops at Iyonada SA have shorter hours. The notice on the NEXCO West Japan SA/PA information site, “Change of business hours at some SAs due to night closures of the E56 Matsuyama Expressway and E32 Tokushima Expressway”, gives the period as October 13-16, with spare dates October 19-22.

October 13, 2026, the day this article was written, is within the construction period. For a rest after Uchiko PA, you can also leave at Uchiko-Ikazaki IC and stop at Roadside Station Uchiko Fresh Park Karari (道の駅 内子フレッシュパークからり) (see a later section).

Between Matsuyama IC and Uchiko-Ikazaki IC, night closures continue until the morning of October 17

NEXCO West Japan’s notice (as of October 13, 2026) lists a night closure on a section that includes Uchiko-Ikazaki IC. The corporate information page gives the hours as follows.

夜間通行止めは、毎夜19時から翌朝6時まで実施します。

Translation: “The night closure is carried out every night from 19:00 to 6:00 the next morning.”

Source: 四国内の高速道路の対面通行区間において秋季夜間通行止めを実施します | NEXCO 西日本 企業情報

Section	Dates	Detour
Matsuyama IC to Ozu-kita IC, both directions (42.6 km)	14 nights, excluding Saturdays, Sundays and holidays, from the night of Monday, September 28, Reiwa 8 (2026) to the morning of Saturday, October 17. Spare dates: from the night of Monday, October 19 to the morning of Friday, October 23	National Routes 33 and 56

There is no night closure on Saturdays, Sundays or holidays. The Friday night closure is lifted early on Saturday morning. If the weather or other causes delay the work, it may move to the spare dates.

The notice lists the work as “paving repair work”, “planting work (tree cutting)”, “four-lane work” and “bridge inspection”.

The notice does not give dates after the night closure of Matsuyama IC to Ozu-kita IC. Another section in the same notice (Ozu-minami IC to Seiyo-Uwa IC, from the night of October 26) is southwest of Uchiko-Ikazaki IC and is not part of the Matsuyama Airport to Uchiko route. Depending on the day you read this article, the dates may have changed or passed. Check NEXCO West Japan’s traffic information before you leave.

After Uchiko-Ikazaki IC, take National Route 56: the tourist association says about 5 minutes

The tourist association’s diagram shows “National Route 56, about 5 minutes” from Uchiko-Ikazaki IC to the Uchiko preservation district. The official pages do not confirm how to turn after the exit or at which intersection to head for the townscape. We will add this after driving it ourselves.

In map data, the straight-line distance from Uchiko-Ikazaki IC to the Machinami Parking Lot (町並駐車場) is about 1.5 to 2.0 km. This is a straight-line distance, so it differs from the distance by road.

The town asks that cars other than those of residents and businesses stay out

The “Yokaichi-Gokoku townscape” page on the Uchiko Town website says the following about cars entering. The page was last updated on March 1, 2022.

住民の方や業者以外の車の町並みへの乗り入れはご遠慮ください。 高昌寺下の町営駐車場（普通車／1回300円、バス／1回1,040円）または近隣のコインパーキングをご利用ください。

Translation: “Please refrain from driving into the townscape unless you are a resident or a business. Please use the town-run parking lot below Shoko-ji Temple (regular cars: 300 yen per use; buses: 1,040 yen per use) or a nearby coin parking lot.”

Source: 八日市・護国の町並み（内子町八日市護国伝統的建造物群保存地区） - 内子町ホームページ

We did not find an official page that gives the width of the townscape streets, whether cars can pass each other, or whether there are one-way streets. The official guide is to park the car in a lot before the townscape and enter the townscape on foot.

The townscape is a district along a street of about 600 m, with 93 specified traditional buildings and 3 nationally designated Important Cultural Properties. The numbers are written on the town’s website.

近隣地域で採掘された土を使用した黄色みを帯びた漆喰壁や、建物と建物の間の路地（「せだわ」）の風景が大きな特徴で、約600ｍの街道沿いには93棟の特定伝統的建造物、3件の国の重要文化財があります。

Translation: “Its main features are the yellowish plaster walls made with soil dug in nearby areas and the scenery of the alleys between buildings (called “sedawa”). Along the street of about 600 m there are 93 specified traditional buildings and 3 nationally designated Important Cultural Properties.”

Source: 八日市・護国の町並み（内子町八日市護国伝統的建造物群保存地区） - 内子町ホームページ

During the 2026 “Yokaichi Townscape Moon-viewing Festival” (September 25 and 26), the preservation district was closed to vehicles from 18:30 to 21:00 on both days. It has already ended. We have not checked the dates for other years.

The townscape parking lot costs 300 yen per use, and can be used from 8:30

The tourist association’s “Frequently asked questions” page has a guide to the townscape parking lot.

八日市護国の町並みの北側入口付近に町営の「町並み駐車場」がございます。料金は一回300円（大型バスは1040円）です。駐車場から町並みまでは徒歩１分です。 ■利用可能時間　8：30～18：00（10月～3月は17：00） ※年末年始期間は休業

Translation: “Near the north entrance of the Yokaichi-Gokoku townscape there is a town-run “Machinami Parking Lot”. The fee is 300 yen per use (1,040 yen for large buses). It is a 1-minute walk from the parking lot to the townscape. Hours of use: 8:30-18:00 (until 17:00 from October to March). Closed during the year-end and New Year period.”

Source: よくあるご質問 | 内子町観光グルメ情報

In the parking lot column of the tourist association’s “Yokaichi-Gokoku townscape” page, the entry is “Machinami Parking Lot (Uchiko-cho Shiromawari 178) (paid)”.

There are 3 points we could not confirm.

• The number of spaces. None of the town or tourist association pages gives it.
• Whether the “town-run parking lot below Shoko-ji Temple” on the town’s website and this “Machinami Parking Lot” are the same lot. The fee, 300 yen, is the same.
• On the tourist association’s “Access” page, under the name “Machinami Parking Lot”, there is a line “Hours: 9:00-17:00 (open every day) (until 16:00 from October to March)”. This line is inside the bicycle rental price table, and reads as the rental hours. For the parking lot’s hours, we use the 8:30-18:00 guide above.

From JR Uchiko Station to the south entrance of the townscape, the tourist association says about 15 minutes on foot (about 1 km). By car, you park at the Machinami Parking Lot near the north entrance and walk in.

The Uchiko-za theater has been closed since September 2024 for about 4 years, and the road on its east side is closed to vehicles

The Uchiko-za (内子座) theater is within walking distance of the south end of the townscape. The goal of this article is the townscape. We do not drive to the Uchiko-za. We park at the Machinami Parking Lot and walk.

The Uchiko Town website explains the closure of the Uchiko-za as follows.

内子座では耐震補強を含む保存修理工事の為、2024年9月2日月曜日から約4年間休館することとなりました。

Translation: “Because of preservation and repair work including earthquake-proofing, the Uchiko-za will be closed for about 4 years from Monday, September 2, 2024.”

Source: 内子座の長期休館について - 内子町ホームページ

The tourist association’s “Frequently asked questions” page gives the reopening time as follows.

重要文化財内子座は、耐震補強を含む大規模改修工事のため2024年９月より休館させていただいております。約４年の工期を経て、2029年春には再オープンする予定です。

Translation: “The Uchiko-za, an Important Cultural Property, has been closed since September 2024 for large-scale renovation work including earthquake-proofing. After a construction period of about 4 years, it is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2029.”

Source: よくあるご質問 | 内子町観光グルメ情報

The town’s page does not give a reopening date. The tourist association’s “spring of 2029” is the reopening time we can confirm now.

In the basic information column of the tourist association’s Uchiko-za page, the pre-closure “9:00-16:30” and “8 spaces (free)” in the parking column remain. A notice of the closure is higher up on the same page. The phone column of the Uchiko-za page on the Uchiko Town website also still says “Business hours 9:00-16:30”, but these are not hours during the closure.

During the closure, the Uchiko-za backstage rooms (内子座楽屋), behind the Uchiko-za, are open to the public. On the Uchiko Town website page “Public opening of the Uchiko-za backstage rooms” (updated July 9, 2025), visiting hours are 9:00 to 16:30, closed during the year-end and New Year holidays (December 29 to January 2), and admission is 200 yen for an adult and 100 yen for a child (junior high school age and under), a special price for the preservation and repair period.

The traffic restriction around it is written on the town’s page as follows.

道路の交通規制（2025年2月3日から2028年4月頃まで） 　　下図の通り、内子座東側の道路が車両通行止めとしております。 　　徒歩の通行は可能です。

Translation: “Road traffic restriction (from February 3, 2025 to around April 2028). As shown in the diagram below, the road on the east side of the Uchiko-za is closed to vehicles. Passing on foot is possible.”

Source: 内子座保存修理工事に伴う駐車場利用・交通規制のご案内について - 内子町ホームページ

The same page also says “The restriction period may change depending on the progress of the work, so please understand.” In the diagram on the page, the section closed to vehicles is the road on the east side of the Uchiko-za, with a “vehicles closed sign (車両通行止め看板)” at each end. The diagram does not give the name of the road.

The same page also has this guide about parking.

内子座保存修理工事に伴い、内子座駐車場が使用できない場合があります。 使用できない場合は、内子自治センターなど、近隣の駐車場をご利用ください。

Translation: “Because of the preservation and repair work, the Uchiko-za parking lot may be unusable. If it cannot be used, please use a nearby parking lot such as the Uchiko Community Center.”

The guide to the tour of the construction site, updated October 5, 2026, says “the Uchiko-za parking lot or the Uchiko Community Center parking lot (Uchiko 3427, Uchiko-cho, 0893-44-3073)”, and also says “the Uchiko-za parking lot may be unavailable because of repair work, a full lot or other circumstances”. The diagram on the traffic restriction page says it is about 1 to 2 minutes on foot from the Uchiko Community Center parking lot to the Uchiko-za backstage rooms, and that buses should use the Machinami Parking Lot.

The town will hold tours of the Uchiko-za construction site (3rd round) on November 21 and 23, 2026. Capacity is about 15 people per session, the fee is 500 yen, and an application is required. Applications are accepted until November 11.

Roadside Station Uchiko Fresh Park Karari has a parking lot that can be used 24 hours

Southeast of the Machinami Parking Lot is Roadside Station Uchiko Fresh Park Karari. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism’s roadside station page says the following about parking.

駐車場：普通車176台／大型車2台／身障者用2台（24時間利用可能）

Translation: “Parking: 176 regular cars / 2 large vehicles / 2 for people with disabilities (available 24 hours)”

Source: 道の駅情報｜内子フレッシュパークからり

The business hours are written as “they change by season, so please ask in advance”, and the parking lot and toilets are open 24 hours. The page of the national Roadside Station Liaison Council gives the parking as “Large: 4, regular cars: 166 (including 1 for people with disabilities)”, so the numbers differ. Karari’s official site says the whole building is closed from January 1 to 3.

In map data, the roadside station is about 0.6 km in a straight line southeast of the Machinami Parking Lot. The official pages do not say whether it is on the way from Uchiko-Ikazaki IC to the Machinami Parking Lot.

Time for walking the townscape, and days off

The tourist association’s “Frequently asked questions” page says 1 to 2 hours is enough for the townscape and the Uchiko-za only, and about 3 hours if you add a cafe or lunch.

Days off differ by facility. The same page says the following.

• The town-run “Uchiko-za (backstage)”, “Mokuro Museum Kamihaga House” and “Museum of Commerce and Living” are open except at the year-end and New Year holidays.
• The “Townscape Preservation Center” and “Cultural Exchange Villa Takahashi House” are closed on Tuesdays.
• Many restaurants around the preservation district are closed on Tuesdays or Wednesdays, and some close on irregular days.

What comes next for this article

The positions of the points are checked with OpenStreetMap. The point numbers will match the chapter numbers of the driving video. This article is written only from official pages and map data, and we have not driven it yet. After driving it, we will add the entrance at Yogominami IC, how to turn from the Uchiko-Ikazaki IC exit to the Machinami Parking Lot, the entrance and number of spaces of the Machinami Parking Lot, and the position of the vehicle-closed signs on the east side of the Uchiko-za.

These are the things we could not confirm on official pages.

• The total driving time from Matsuyama Airport to the Uchiko townscape
• How to turn on Prefectural Roads 22 and 190 from Matsuyama Airport to Yogominami IC (the tourist association says “Matsuyama Airport IC”)
• The toll from Matsuyama IC to Uchiko-Ikazaki IC
• How to turn on National Route 56 from the Uchiko-Ikazaki IC exit to the Machinami Parking Lot
• The number of spaces at the Machinami Parking Lot, the width of the roads inside the townscape, and whether there are one-way streets
• Whether the town’s “town-run parking lot below Shoko-ji Temple” and the tourist association’s “Machinami parking lot” are the same lot
• Whether the Uchiko-za parking lot can be used now
• The detailed detour route for the night closures (an attachment from NEXCO West Japan)