The Secrets of the Ropeway Shopping Street

We call the Street “Ropewea—[ róupwè—]Shopping Street” not “Ropeway [róupwèi] Shopping Street”.

We would get on the ropeway when we climb Matsuyama Castle-mountain. But we pronounce the name of the Street [róupwè— ]. Nobody knows the reason for this; just we think this is also one of our traditions. We hope you like this!。

The story of the song “Matsuyama-yuki Ferry” (Ferry to Matsuyama) by Murashita Kōzō and the Ropeway Shopping Street

This song composed by Murashita Kōzō reflects his love for his former girlfriend. A year after he composed this song, he arranged to meet her in front of the lion statue at the entrance of the Matsuyama Mitsukoshi Department Store because he still couldn’t give up his love for her. Then he learned that she had become engaged to someone else. With a broken heart, he walked along the Ropeway Street and went up to Matsuyama Castle to shake off his feelings. There used to be a live music house called Variety on the street, which he often visited.

The Birthplace of the Akiyama Brothers is so close to the Ropeway Shopping Street

The Akiyama Brothers, well known through the novel Saka no Ue no Kumo, were born in a place one minute away from the Ropeway Street. The house has been restored and memorialized as their birthplace, so we recommend tourists to visit it.

Amaterasu-ōmikami is enshrined at Shinonome Shrine

Matsuyama Daijingū, which is a branch of Ise Jingū and used to be in Nishi-horibata, was moved in 1971 to the site of Shinonome Shrine, which had been destroyed by fire. It is the shrine on the left side of the current honden (main sanctuary) of Shinonome Shrine as you face it. The goddesses Amaterasu-ōmikami and Toyouke-no-ōkami are enshrined there.

A river used to flow along the current Ropeway Shopping Street

The Daihōin River, which was 3 meters wide, used to flow from the current Ropeway Street to Ōkaidō. The river often flooded after heavy rains. Due to a sewer project started in 1919, this river was filled in.