Matsuyama is the largest city on Shikoku, the capital of Ehime Prefecture and the home of Ehime University. It has an international airport which is connected to Osaka and Tokyo by about 30 flights a day. The city can also be easily reached by train, bus, ferry or hydrofoil. With a population of half a million, it is a calm, regional center with a famous hot spa. In the center of the city sits Matsuyama Castle 132 meters above sea level. Dogo Hotspring Spa, located in the northeast corner of the city, has a history of over 3,000 years; it is said to be the oldest hot spring spa in Japan. Matsuyama is also one of the few cities left in Japan to have streetcars. Matsuyama is noted for its rich cultural background; haiku poetry is probably the most famous cultural element and Masaoka Shiki, who was born here in 1867, started the modern haiku movement at the turn of the 20th century. In 1994, Kenzaburo Oe, who was born and raised near Matsuyama, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. Tobe, a village famous for porcelain production, lies just south of the city. Bamboo products and cotton ikat cloth are two other traditional crafts of this area. There are many local festivals throughout the year. Two large, covered shopping arcades (Okaido and Gintengai) run through the city center just south of the castle. While the city is certainly not as cosmopolitan as Tokyo or Osaka, the variety and quality of international food and restaurants are increasing.