Horinouchi Park parkrun takes place in Horinouchi Park, Matsuyama every Saturday at 8 am. The park lies inside the moat around the base of Matsuyama Castle, which looms over the town from atop Mount Katsuyama.

Getting There

Matsuyama is in the north west of Shikoku, Japan’s third largest island, around 50 miles south of Hiroshima. From the main island, Shikoku can be reached by ferry or by car/bus/train via one of three sets of bridges which cross to the island.

The park is within walking distance of most city centre hotels and around a mile from the station. Trams circle the moat surrounding the park at very regular intervals. The nearest tram stop is Shiyakusho-Mae.

Parking

The park is right in the city centre, so I wouldn’t recommend driving. There is a car park near the start.

Toilets

There are very nice toilets right next to the start. Don’t press the privacy button – the noise is deafening!

Course

The course consists of four laps of the park. There are quite a few turns to negotiate, but they are mostly marshalled. We ran a slightly different route from normal due to another event in the park, so here is the usual course route.

Terrain

The route is completely flat. Apart from a short stretch of asphalt near the start, it is all on compacted gravel paths, some smooth, with a rougher patch in the corner farthest from the start. The biggest issue is avoiding the many cyclists using the same paths.

Shoes

Either trainers or trail would be equally fine.

Difficulty

The complete lack of gradient makes is fast, while the many turns make it slower.

Fun Factor

The locals were very welcoming, although as no one spoke English, we didn’t really understand what was going on. A volunteer showed us a map of the route. Running four times round the same park is rather repetitive, but you do get a pretty cool view of the castle on the hill as you run.

Where we Stayed

We stayed at the Comfort Hotel Matsuyama, just a 10 minute walk from the start, which was very convenient. In addition, the complimentary breakfast is available until 9.30, so we were back at the hotel in time for breakfast.

Nearby Attractions

Matsuyama Castle is one of Japan’s 12 ‘Original Castles’. It can be reached via cable car or chairlift. Read more about our visit to Matsuyama here.