2026 Ehime Children's Castle Splash Waterway: A Full-Day Course

This is a one-day course built around the Splash Waterway at Ehime Children's Castle in Nishinomachi, Matsuyama. The 2026 operating period has not been announced, and the official information only states that it is available during the summer season, so check the latest details before you set out. The Splash Waterway is designed so that water flows from a fountain at the top of a slope down into a channel; it is not a pool but a water-play facility where the fun comes from chasing the flow itself. Admission to Ehime Children's Castle is free, and the only cost is 300 yen per parking session, which makes it easy to visit again and again. In the morning, head first to Tobe Zoo along the same hillside. There is plenty to see, including elephants, polar bears and penguins, and the animals are more active during the cool hours right after opening. Have lunch at the restaurant in Ehime Children's Castle and take an indoor break at the Ai-Ai Children's Hall. In the afternoon, get moving on the Fuwafuwa Dome and the lawn field before finally heading to the Splash Waterway. Located in the Activity Zone -NEXT-, this channel is a summer-only treat where children can run around sending up sprays of water. It is a wonderfully ambitious Matsuyama-style course that links a zoo and water play in a single day.