[Ehime Drive Model Course] A Delightful 2-day trip in Ehime’s nature and Industrial Heritage

These premises has “Kirinomori Cottage” with 7 wings if you would like to stay overnight. After splashing around in the river, you can cook your meal in the cottage’s kitchen or eat in the adjoining restaurant. It also has an outdoor hot spring for a quick visit. It may make you want to stay here the whole day in the next trip. Pick up the popular Kirinomori Daifuku for a souvenir and let’s head for the next spot!

Minetopia Besshi possesses nearly 60,000m² of ground. First, get on the mine’s tour train and head for the Tour Mine Tunnel. The route, 333m in all, is divided into the Edo and Modern Periods. Each period of the mining history is depicted with dolls and big dioramas. There is a zone where you can experience carrying the extracted ore or scooping up the seeping water to let you feel the hard labor of these miners with your bones and muscles.

Minetopia Besshi has a restaurant and cafe in the main building in case you get hungry. Make sure to try Niihama’s new local specialty “Zangirazu” - “Zanki (fried chicken)” stuffed into “Onigirazu (unsquished rice ball).” Around the “Shibafu Hiroba” (lawn square), many are getting hooked to panning for gold, looking for bits of the precious metal in the sand! The highlight here is the Tonaru Zone. A tour bus bound for Tonaru Zone leaves from Minetopia Besshi’s main building (Hadeba Zone) and it is easy to get there that way. The group of industrial heritage appearing in the majestic nature is called the “Machu Picchu in the Orient.” It is a sight to see!
*Scheduled to be closed for traffic until the end of March, 2023.

While you are walking for 5 minutes from the parking lot to Shimodani Station, stop by Gokuraku Temple, Tengu Hall. That is where a mask of the Grand Tengu, the guardian of mountains, is hung. you can make a wish for a safe trip here. The ropeway takes about 8 minutes. While it is climbing over the steep mountain side, it may feel surprisingly slow, but take time to marvel at the grand nature. When you arrive at the Sanchojoju Station, you will be suddenly stepping out to the world of 1,300m above sea level.

After arriving at the Sanchojoju Station halfway up Mt. Ishizuchi, it takes roughly 30 minutes to get to Ishizuchi Shrine, Joju Hall. There, you can view Mt. Tengu, the highest peak of Mt Ishizuchi. From here, real climbing begins. Feel the virgin nature for about 3 hours, and you are on Misen, at the top! On the way, there are three spots with a chain handrail, but there is a detour and you should be able to go through safely. This time, it was a real climbing route, but there is also a course more suitable for beginners from Kumankogen Town north of Saijo City, starting from a cabin at 1,492m above sea level.