Car rental vs public transport

Hi Shikoku gurus:

We are 2 adults with 1 suitcase, and trying to find the best way to go from Iya valley to Matsuyama near the end of December.

Knowing that Iya valley will be difficult to navigate in a car (first time driving in Japan), we want to avoid having to drive. Since we will be heading to Iya valley from Tokushima city, the journey *to* Iya is easy by public transport (JR Yoshinogawa Line to Awa-Ikeda, change to local bus).

However, to *depart* from Iya to our Matsuyama hotel the next day, it seems to me we will have to change many times:
Bus to Awa-Ikeda, Dosan Line to Tadotsu, Yosan Line to Matsuyama, tram from JR Matsuyama to hotel (daiwa roynet).

If possible, we prefer to drive from Awa-Ikeda to Matsuyama, so that we can also enjoy Asahi brewery in Saijo and Towel Museum in Imabari (cannot go by public transports with a suitcase).

However, there seems to be no Car rental companies at Awa-Ikeda (or anywhere along the bus route/Dosan train route stations) that can allow returning of the car in Matsuyama.

The only option seem to be renting in Tokushima the day before. But this option seems very expensive, easily 20000yen+ for just rental, plus fuel and all toll fees for this route (Tokushima-Iya; then Iya-Saijo-Imabari-Matsuyama). And as mentioned before, Tokushima to Iya has public transport, and we want to avoid driving through Iya valley.

So my questions:
- Is there any option for renting cars near Awa-Ikea/along stations of Dosan line, to return car at Matsuyama?
- From Iya, is there a way to match a bus stop of the YOSHINOGAWA EXPRESS (highway bus) to Matsuyama?
- Any other options from Iya valley westbound to Saijo/directly to Matsuyama, without making the big loop with several changes through Tadotsu to the north?

Thank you so much for any replies!!

From Iya, is there a way to match a bus stop of the YOSHINOGAWA EXPRESS (highway bus) to Matsuyama?

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+153848

Hi Firas,

Thanks a lot for reply!
I have consulted that thread too, but I was not able to find any information on how to get from Awa-Ikeda bus stop to the 吉野川ＳＡ stop.

It is 15min drive or close to 2hrs walking, neither are there nearby train stations that connects to Awa-Ikeda/Oboke..

Right, the link to the bus timetable has changed; the new one is https://www.town.higashimiyoshi.lg.jp/fs/6/1/7/6/4/_/zikoku.pdf

Wow I would totally not have been able to find this East Miyoshi local bus myself!! Thank you.
This is very useful info, it does offer up an option i did not know was possible!

From that little map down there, i deduced the closest stop to 吉野川ＳＡ is the stop of "行常"
Googlemap does not recognize such a stop, and I have tried streetviewing that stretch of road along route 12 (muya highway) but could not recognize a bus stop...with my limited Japnese reading comprehension, I don't think I can find a more precise location of the local bus stop?

Also, from that 行常 area, is an estimate of 10mins walk from this local bus stop to the 吉野川ＳＡ ? (would be dragging a suitcase hoping to have no snow...)

The best to me is still to be able to find a car rental company at Awa-Ikeda (which i know does not exist) but at least at some point along the Dosan Line..is this really impossible? :(

It seems you have not read the thread linked above...

Hi, indeed not thoroughly enough! I take note now with regards to "Oasis". My sincere apologies.

My mind was too focused on the other way round (exploring options for West bound from Awa-Ikeda). Going East-bound to Oasis/MiyoshiBS is quite some counter-direction before going towards Matsuyama..

Since there is Higashimiyoshi bus for Oasis..is there possibly a *Nishi*miyoshi bus line too? (laugh..my poor attempt at japanese language) i.e. anything from to shikokuchuo (三島・川之江インターバス停留所), the first westbound stop of the highway buses from Awa-Ikeda?

On the map it is just under 40mins on the national roads (how ideal would it be if car rentals are possible..sigh).

The west-est I can see from http://yonkoh.co.jp/ is only to 茂地...
I've also tried using https://buste.in/search/bus/ , but my super limited Japanese fail me....
just seem difficult to find anything that crosses over the Ehime border for local buses

May be this can help you, not to sure if it's updated, but there are car rentals nearby.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Ikeda_(Tokushima)