Myojo Topia Besshi (Mining Railway & Tourist Mine)

Mine Topia Besshi is an experiential museum where you can learn about the history and culture of copper mines. The "Tourist Mines," which were created using the former gunpowder warehouse, are an experiential facility that simulates the path dug by the coal miners, with a length of about 333 meters! You can actually go inside and experience the working conditions in the coal mine and the labor environment of the coal miners. It's more like a leisure experience facility than a museum, where you can see and experience the history and culture of the mines in a realistic way!

Inside the tourist mine, there is an experience zone where you can learn while having fun, with plenty of exciting contraptions that both adults and children will want to try out. At the experience corner where you can operate a rock-cutting machine or draw up spring water, you can feel the difficulty of the work at that time while having fun! With the underground 1,000m experience elevator, you can experience the sensation of shaking and hearing the sound as if you were actually going down to the deep underground 1,000m.

On the 4th floor of the main building of Myoito Besshi, there is a hot spring facility where you can enjoy Besshi Onsen. There are jet baths, サウナs, and open-air baths. The open-air baths also have different types of hot springs such as carbonated springs and oxygen springs. The technology of adding carbon dioxide and oxygen to these hot spring waters was developed by a factory facility in the same city of Niihama! The admission fee is only 500 yen for adults, making it an affordable and enjoyable experience.

At the outdoor area of the main building "Handebaru Zone" in Mine Topia Besshi, you can enjoy gold panning experience. Within the 30-minute time limit, you can search for gold hidden in the tank. If you find the "Tanukin" (lucky gold), you can receive a prize, and the gold you collect can be put in a container as a souvenir. Although it's outdoors, there is a roof, so you can enjoy it safely even on rainy days or hot summer days!

You can take the "Mining Tour Train" from the second floor of the main building to get to the "Tourist Mine". The ride takes about 5 minutes, during which the announcements are made by Nana Mizuki, the "Niihama Hometown Tourism Ambassador", who will teach you about the points to be aware of during the tour and about the Besshi Copper Mine. With the knowledge you gain, you can enjoy the tour even more by changing the way you look at things!

Within Mountopia Besshi, there are several restaurants where you can enjoy local cuisine! You can have a hearty lunch or enjoy a light snack. One highly recommended option is the snacks available at "Nakamochi Chaya". You can enjoy their famous "jako ten" (deep-fried small fish) and "Wenzhou mikan soft serve ice cream". It's a great place to stop by if you get hungry after sightseeing.