Discover another Ainan town at the prefectural border. Connecting through food at the "Prefectural Border Marche"
The Prefectural Border Marche, held in Ainan Town, located at the southernmost tip of Ehime Prefecture, is a local event that brings together people and food at the "border" between Ehime and Kochi. While tasting fresh seafood and processed foods, you can also experience the culture unique to a border town. This time, we will introduce the charm of Ainan Town through the Marche.
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Located in the southernmost part of Shikoku's Ehime Prefecture, Ainan Town is an area blessed with a rich natural environment, including the abundant sea and mountains represented by the Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park. The climate is warm throughout the year, and you can see coral and tropical fish.
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Table of Contents
- What kind of event is the Prefectural Border Marche?
- The reason why Ainan Town's unique food is so popular
- How to get to the Marche
- Why is the Marche held at the prefectural border?
- Food is the catalyst for expanding the ways to enjoy Ainan Town
- Be sure to check out Instagram for more details about the Prefectural Border Marche!
What kind of event is the Prefectural Border Marche?
The "Prefectural Border Marche" is a local market held in the border area between Ainan Town, Ehime Prefecture and Kochi Prefecture. Vendors from Ainan Town and the surrounding areas gather at the venue, and dishes and processed goods made with local ingredients are lined up.
What's unique about the event is that, despite being a tourist event, it has an atmosphere that feels similar to the everyday lives of local people. Time flows slowly throughout the venue, with people enjoying conversations with the vendors while shopping, and familiar faces chatting with each other. Ehime and Kochi are in different prefectures, but they are close in distance, and people and goods have been coming and going between these two regions since ancient times.
The Prefectural Border Marche is an event that reflects the local background. It has an atmosphere that makes it easy for even first-time visitors to drop in, making it the perfect place to drop in during your travels.
The reason why Ainan Town's unique food is so popular
The Prefectural Border Marche brings together foods unique to Ainan Town and the surrounding area. Surrounded by the sea and mountains, Ainan Town has recently been promoting a diverse range of food, including game and citrus fruits. The venue will feature Ainan game made from locally raised wild boar and deer, Sukumo Dog, a specialty of Sukumo City in Kochi Prefecture, as well as citrus fruits and processed foods, including "Ainan Gold."
Taking advantage of its location on the prefectural border, the restaurant is unique in that it allows you to enjoy the flavors of both Ehime and Kochi at once. Another attraction is the opportunity to sample dishes that are deeply rooted in daily life, such as sea bream rice, a beloved local dish. Rather than cuisine made for tourists, you can experience the everyday life of the region.
How to get to the Marche
Heading south from Matsuyama towards Ainan Town on National Route 56 will take you to Ipponmatsu. From there, head south on National Route 56 towards Sukumo (Kochi Prefecture). Continue along the road until you reach the Masaki district near the prefectural border. Once in the Masaki district, check the surrounding signs and navigation and set your destination to "73-2 Masaki, Ainan Town." Your destination will be along the national route or a short distance from the national route.
Travel time: Approximately 15 to 20 minutes depending on traffic conditions.
For information on how to get from Matsuyama Airport to Ainan Town, please refer to the article "How to Access Ainan Town."
![[A must-see for those visiting Ainan Town!] How to get to Ainan Town](https://resources.matcha-jp.com/resize/200x2000/2025/11/13-249769.webp)
Why is the Marche held at the prefectural border?
Some people may wonder, "Why hold a market at the prefectural border?"
In the prefectural border area of Ainan Town, although there is an administrative boundary, cross-prefectural travel has been commonplace in daily life. It is a place where shopping, work, and connections with people naturally overlap.
The Prefectural Border Marche is an event that embodies the essence of this region. Rather than emphasizing the differences between prefectures, it is held as a place to enjoy the "connections" that are born precisely because of the border.
Food is the catalyst for expanding the ways to enjoy Ainan Town
The Prefectural Border Marche is one of the gateways to learning about Ainan Town. Many people become interested in the town's scenery and lifestyle after tasting the food and meeting the people at the Marche.
If you go a little further, you will find scenery unique to Ainan Town, such as the magnificent view of Takamo Cape and the Todomari village with its remaining stone walls. Another attraction of this place is that you can take the local atmosphere you feel at the Marche and continue walking or driving around town. You can come into contact with the local area through food, and your journey will expand to include nature and lifestyle. The Prefectural Border Marche quietly teaches you how to enjoy Ainan Town.
Be sure to check out Instagram for more details about the Prefectural Border Marche!
The dates of the Prefectural Border Marche are posted on Instagram, so please take a look if you're interested.
Located in the southernmost part of Shikoku's Ehime Prefecture, Ainan Town is an area blessed with a rich natural environment, including the abundant sea and mountains represented by the Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park. The climate is warm throughout the year, and you can see coral and tropical fish.
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