Visiting the New Matsuyama Station: A Magnificent Elevated Station, Yet a Landscape Still 'In the Making'

About a year has passed since the elevation.
The landscape of Matsuyama Station
is currently undergoing significant change.

Reborn as a modern elevated station

The new elevated station, which opened last September, is a modern facility that
introduced automatic ticket gates for the first time
among JR stations in Ehime Prefecture.

Brand-new platforms, a spacious concourse,
and an orderly track layout.
It exudes the dignity
of a railway gateway.

Entering the new station building while looking at the old one

That said, the Matsuyama station building from the ground-level era
still remains.

Although it has already ceased operations, the station building itself is just waiting for demolition, and it is a sight I want to see while I still can.

The station building is characterized by its triangular roof and clock.
It has a nostalgic atmosphere.

As a building that has been cherished as the face of this city for many years,
it leaves me feeling a bit
nostalgic.

The former train depot has moved to the new station building

The construction site for the new elevated station is the place
where the Matsuyama Depot (train yard) used to be.

Because there was a large site for train storage and inspection,
it was perfect for elevation.
It was.

The train depot was relocated to the suburbs toward Uwajima,
and the former site has been reborn as the station.

Challenges for the new Matsuyama Station

On the other hand, vacant lots are noticeable around the station.
It is.

Redevelopment plans have not yet materialized,
giving the impression that only a magnificent station building is standing there in isolation.

On the opposite side of the station, a new arena is planned for construction,
but it seems it will still take some time until completion.

Under the elevated station, a small shopping zone called 'Dandan Dori' has been created,
with souvenir shops and cafes lined up.

Although signs of activity are beginning to sprout, it is still quiet for what one would call a city center.
Standing in front of the station,

I can't help but look around and wonder, 'How will this develop from here?'

Far from the center of Matsuyama

When it comes to Matsuyama's downtown area, it refers to Okaido, the area around Matsuyama Castle,
and the vicinity of the Iyo Railway Matsuyama City Station.

There is some distance from there to JR Matsuyama Station,
requiring travel by streetcar.

However, this streetcar stop was already far from the station to begin with,
and now it has become even further away.
It is necessary to walk through an underground passage,
giving the impression that access has become slightly more inconvenient.

Incidentally, it is said that construction will begin next fiscal year to reconnect the streetcar tracks
so that the stop will be slightly closer to the station.

Summary

The new Matsuyama Station,
for someone who knew the old, stagnant Matsuyama Station,
left a very sophisticated impression,
feeling like the future had arrived all at once,
which was a good impression.

However, the view from the elevated platform,
with no buildings around and
almost nothing but vacant lots
made me feel, 'Is Matsuyama Station really going to be okay?'
At the same time, I look forward to future redevelopment.

For Matsuyama, with a metropolitan population exceeding 600,000, JR Matsuyama Station is an important presence as 'another face' of the city. While the station building itself has been magnificently reborn, it is a pity that its surroundings are not yet fully developed. It is like having a grand entrance without a garden yet—that is the current state of things.

Personally, I hope it will develop like Nagasaki Station or Oita Station. In those cases, the station buildings have been built up into high-rises, with commercial facilities, hotels, and even parking lots integrated into the development. They are easy to visit by car and have become a place for the daily lives of local residents, not just for railway users.

Matsuyama Station will surely become like that as redevelopment progresses from here on. The current scene where the old and new station buildings stand side by side is truly a 'moment of transition.' Now is the time to see the old station building. I would like to take a little more time to watch and see what kind of form it will take in the future.