Regional Focus: Niihama

Higurashi Villa Memorial Museum is a Western-style house on a hill in Niihama. The villa was originally located on Shisaka Island in the Seto Inland Sea as a place for monitoring emissions from the Sumitomo smelter there. It was designed by a leading architect of the Meiji era, with influences from the 19th century English Arts and Crafts movement. The house has Western-style features such as sash and casement windows, fireplaces, and chimneys. The foundations use bricks made of slag from the smelter. On the second floor are exhibitions on Sumitomo’s history and philosophy, the history of overcoming smoke pollution, and the history of copper refining and memories of Shisaka island.

It took two and half years to move the villa to its current location. Ninety-five percent of the original material was used, with each part including the floorboards being restored to exactly the same position. On the hill above the villa is a viewing platform where a circle of slag bricks indicates the size of the huge chimney completed in 1924 on Shisaka Island.

Ikku Shrine is a large Shintō shrine in central Niihama. Although it’s located in the centre of the city adjacent to the government office district and along the main road, it has a quiet, verdant atmosphere. The shrine has a very long approach lined with camphor trees. This approach is today divided by a road, which passes in front of the entrance gate. This gate, called the Zuijinmon, is of rather unusual construction. It houses two guardian archers.

Within the gate is a large sandy compound with numerous separate shrines dotted around it. In the middle of the compound is a huge camphor tree, designated as a national natural monument. During the Niihama Taikodai Festival, the taikodai juggernauts gather here.

The current main shrine was built in 1705, the hall of worship in 1897, and the hall of offerings after World War II. The hall of worship was rebuilt in 2017.

Jigen-ji is a temple of the Sōtō Zen Buddhism sect in Niihama, known for its beautiful, mossy garden, which is particularly dramatic in the early spring and late autumn. Its large buildings are filled with wood carving, sculpture, and painted images. The temple was granted use of the imperial chrysanthemum crest.

The temple is closely associated with the local Kaneko clan, who controlled the area for several centuries. They built a residence at the site where Jigen-ji Temple currently stands, as well as a castle on the mountaintop, and a family temple, which was the predecessor of Jigen-ji Temple, at the northern foot of the mountain. The graves of the Kaneko clan can still be seen at the temple.

Kondō Shuzō is a small sake brewery located near the Kokuryō River in Niihama. Their sake is sold under the Hanahime Sakura brand. The brewery dates from 1878 in the Meiji Period. It uses groundwater pumped up from 110 m below. The quality of the water is thanks to the thousands of trees planted by Sumitomo to restore the local mountains after they closed their mines.

The brewery experienced a hiatus between Kondō Yoshirō of the current generation and his father. Yoshirō experienced many struggles in reviving sake production at the brewery, but today, Hanahime Sakura is a frequent prize winner. Mrs. Kondō is the master brewer who is responsible for managing all aspects of production. Hanahime Sakura is characterised by its flamboyant bouquet, combined with a certain richness imparted by the choice of rice used. The colourful labels reflect the gorgeousness of the brand.

Marine Park is a multipurpose facility by the Inland Sea in Niihama. It has one of the largest marinas in Shikoku and a spacious lawn camp site. Stoves and tables are available for rent. The main attraction is the semi-circular sandy beach, which provides a safe area for swimming and paddling. The beach house is open from July through August. There’s also a children’s playground. The Marine Park is located next to the Niihama Eastern Port, and you can see the big ferries of the Orange line that ply the Inland Sea. The park is dotted with impressive palm trees, and the views of the Higashi Akaishi Mountains make a fine backdrop.

The marina club house has a French restaurant, Blanc & Bleu with fine views over the sea and islands. The restaurant’s wine sommelier will be glad to find you something pleasing.

Minetopia Besshi is a theme park based around the site of the Besshi Copper Mine in Niihama, comprising the Hadeba Zone in the valley, and the Tōnaru Zone on the mountainside.

In the Hadeba Zone is Minetopia Main Building with shops and a restaurant. Here you can try panning for gold and gemstones, and there’s also a hot spring bath. You can take a short ride to the Edutainment Park in a replica of the trains used on the mine railway. Inside a tunnel is a museum showing what the mine was like from the Edo period to modern times. There’s also a mine-themed play area, where children and adults can get a feel for what working in the mine was like. Vivid dioramas show the technical and human aspects of the mine through the ages.

Accessed by a winding mountain road, the Tōnaru Zone is popularly known as the Machu Picchu of the Orient, for its massive stone walls and brick structures standing on the mountainside 750 m above sea level. It was the site of one of the entrances to the mine and a community of mine workers. Exploring the ruins involves a lot of steps. Large ruins include the station of the aerial tramway which carried mined ore, passengers, and the goods which sustained the settlement of up to 5,000 people. A history museum depicts the daily life on the mountainside with evocative photos, and you can make a copper relief to take home.