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After visiting Matsuyama Castle, one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles and a designated Important Cultural Property, our next stops are the nearby Bansuiso Villa and the Saka no Ue no Kumo Museum. The area is bustling with shops to explore. Taking a turn onto the main street, we even passed by the Matsuyama Mitsukoshi Department … Read more
During our 3-day, 2-night stay in Matsuyama City, Ehime, Shikoku, we visited Matsuyama Castle, one of Japan’s Top 100 Castles and one of the 12 original castle keeps. Around noon, we left the Tsubakikan Hotel and drove to Toyoko INN Matsuyama Ichibancho. After parking and unloading our luggage at Toyoko INN, we temporarily stored our … Read more
In Matsuyama City, Shikoku, we planned a three-day, two-night stay. On the morning of the fifth day, after having breakfast at Hotel Tsubakikan, we checked out and left our luggage in the car. Since the paid parking lot allowed parking until 1 PM, we decided to take the Botchan Train to Matsuyama City for some … Read more
Day 4 In the afternoon of the fourth day, we arrived at Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama. Of course, we had to stay for a night! After parking our car at Hotel Tsubakikan (paid parking), we didn’t unload our luggage right away. Instead, we explored the surrounding shopping streets and the area around the iconic Dogo … Read more
In the afternoon, we took a stroll through the hot spring streets of the Dogo Onsen area. After dining at the Tsubaki-kan Hotel and enjoying the Matsuyama Suigun Taiko drum performance in the evening, we decided to explore the nighttime scenery here. The daytime crowd was too overwhelming, and since we wouldn’t have time to … Read more
With the spirit of a tourist, we strolled through the Dogo Onsen Shopping Street, enjoyed the punctual show of the Botchan Karakuri Clock, and prepared for our next destination: the Dogo Onsen Sky Walk. It’s about a leisurely 10-minute walk from here. From the elevated vantage point, you can enjoy a full view of the … Read more
In the morning, we departed from the New Iya Onsen Kazurabashi Hotel in Tokushima, visited Besshi Copper Mine and the Towel Museum in Imabari, and planned to stay the night at the Tsubakikan Hotel near Dogo Onsen Station in Matsuyama, Shikoku. In the afternoon, we quickly drove to Dogo Onsen and parked at Tsubakikan Hotel … Read more
On the morning of the fourth day of our 10-day, 9-night self-driving trip in Shikoku, we started the day at the Mine Topia Besshi, where we rode a small train and tried a rock crusher experience. Afterward, we continued toward Matsuyama in Shikoku. On the way, we passed through Imabari City, which is famous for … Read more
At Mine Topia Besshi (Besshi Mining Park), you can take a small train to reach the tourist tunnel. This is a popular spot where both adults and children come to observe, learn, and experience the hard work of copper mining in the past.Through guided educational tours, every corner presents different scenes. Notably, near the exit, … Read more
Mine Topia Besshi: A Hidden Gem in Shikoku Mine Topia Besshi, located in Niihama, Ehime Prefecture, is one of the top three copper mines in Japan and has been transformed into a unique theme park. As a lesser-known destination among foreign tourists, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of Besshi Copper Mine. After … Read more