A practical English guide to Niihama in Ehime: the taiko festival, the Besshi copper mine heritage, the coast and access from Matsuyama and Takamatsu.
Operational details such as opening hours, admission fees, and train times can change. Prefer official pages and reconfirm before you travel (sources checked on 07 November 2026).
Why visit
- Niihama is a city on the coast of eastern Ehime, and it has two very different identities. The first is industrial: the Besshi copper mine, inland in the mountains, was for centuries one of the most important sources of copper in Japan, and the city grew as its port and refining centre.
- The second is the taiko festival, held every October, when teams of men carry huge drums through the streets and clash them together in a display of strength and coordination. It is one of the loudest and most physical festivals in Shikoku, and it fills the city.
- Outside festival time, Niihama is a working city with a harbour, a museum on the mine, and a coast that looks across the Seto Inland Sea to the islands. It is not a tourist town, but it is honest and interesting.
Top places and highlights
Taiko festival
The October drum festival, with carried drums and street battles.
Besshi copper mine heritage
Museums and sites inland that record the mine and its industrial history.
Harbour and coast
A working port with views across the Inland Sea.
City centre
A compact centre with shops, restaurants and the festival route.
Food and drink
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Getting there and around
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Where to stay
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Best time to visit
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Practical tips
- Festival dates and routes change; confirm with official sources.
- The mine heritage sites are inland and need a car or bus.
- Accommodation is scarce during the festival.
Suggested day-trip outline
- Morning: limited express to Niihama.
- Late morning: the city centre and the harbour.
- Lunch: a local set meal.
- Afternoon: the mine heritage museum.
- Late afternoon: the coast and a viewpoint.
- Evening: dinner in town, or the festival in October.
Before you go
Timetables, fares, admission fees, and seasonal access rules can change. Check the official tourism and transport sites linked below for the latest information before you travel.
Explore More of Japan
Published guides that pair with this one:
- Uwajima Travel Guide: Castle, Bull Sumo and Sea Bream Rice
- Yawatahama Travel Guide: The Fish Market Port of Western Shikoku
- Muroto Travel Guide: Cape, Temple and the Edge of Shikoku
- Nakatosa Travel Guide: The Shimanto Estuary and the Kure Port
- Sanuki Travel Guide: Udon Country in Kagawa
Browse every Shikoku guide on this site for the rest of the region.
Sources
- city.niihama.lg.jp (checked 2026-11-07)
- iyokannet.jp (checked 2026-11-07)
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