Home/Ehime/Ozu/Ohanahan Street

Ohanahan Street

Ohanahan-doriOzured brickcastle townMeiji architecture

Ehime · Ozu

33.5078°N, 132.5472°E

Ozu was a castle town on the Hiji river and kept its Edo street plan, and Ohanahan-dori is the best-preserved lane in it — earthen walls, white plaster, black boarding, no through traffic. The name comes from a 1966 NHK morning drama that was filmed here and which the town has cheerfully never stopped mentioning.

At the top of the street stands the Ozu Red Brick Hall, built in 1901 as the head office of the Ozu Commercial Bank: English-bond brickwork under a Japanese tiled roof with the character for commerce on the ridge tiles, which is a very Meiji compromise. It is free, open nine to five, and holds a shop and gallery. Beside it Pokopen Yokocho recreates an early Showa street on set weekends. The whole quarter is a short walk from Garyu Sanso.

Essential Information

Opening Hours

Streets open at all times | Ozu Red Brick Hall 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Closed: Red Brick Hall closed 29–31 December

Entrance Fee

Free | Red Brick Hall free

Best Season

Year-round | June–September for cormorant fishing on the Hiji river

Visit Duration

60–90 minutes

Getting There

Access Information

Ozu 60, Ozu, and the surrounding Ohanahan-dori quarter. About 10 minutes by car from Ozu IC on the Matsuyama Expressway. Streets free to walk. The Ozu Red Brick Hall is free to enter, open 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM, closed 29–31 December, with a shop, rest space and gallery. Pokopen Yokocho, a recreated early Showa street, operates beside it on set days. Phone 0893-24-1281.

Insider Guide

Premium

**The brick hall is free.** 1901, English bond, Japanese tiles, and the character for commerce on the ridge. Nine to five, closed only over the New Year. **Walk the whole quarter.** Ohanahan-dori is short; the surrounding lanes of earthen wall and plaster are what make it a townscape rather than a photo stop. **Pokopen Yokocho runs on set days.** A recreated early Showa street beside the brick hall, with stalls and games. Check the schedule — it is not open daily. **It connects to Garyu Sanso.** The villa on the river is a short walk and a combined ticket exists with other Ozu sites. **Cormorant fishing in summer.** Ozu runs ukai on the Hiji river from June to September, which is the other reason to be here.

View on Google Maps