Niihama, Ehime / 東洋のマチュピチュ「東平（とうなる）」
Tonaru (Besshi Copper Mine Ruins)
Industrial heritage of the Besshi Copper Mine, remaining deep in the mountains of Niihama. Once a busy town where many people lived, only ruins were left after the mine closed; the stone and brick structures on the heights have come to be called "the Machu Picchu of the East". From about 750 m you can see Niihama and the Seto Inland Sea on clear days. The Tonaru History Museum has dioramas of the old town and school, and there are also a copper theme hall and a learning hall.
Last official check
26 Sept 2026
Traveler reports
0
Reports open in Phase 2
Next scheduled check
25 Dec 2026
Decide before you go
A short summary made from the official facts below. Check the rows for details.
- Closing days
- Has closing days (see below)
Before you go
Only facts we confirmed on official sources are shown. Anything else is marked “Not checked yet”.
- Opening hours
10:00-17:00 (March-November).
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Closed
Closed on Mondays (the next day if a holiday) and December-February.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Admission
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Getting there
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Parking
71 car spaces and 3 disabled spaces (free).
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Payment
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
- Accessibility
Not checked yet — we have not confirmed this on an official source yet. Check with the spot before you go.
Found wrong or outdated information? Let us know
Address: Niihama, Ehime (Japanese address: 愛媛県新居浜市立川町654-3)
Official site: https://www.iyokannet.jp/spot/2822
Location
Smaller pins are other spots nearby.
Nearby spots
- No photo yetMichi-no-Eki Minetopia BesshiEhime3 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetEhime Prefectural Science MuseumEhime7 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetUFO LineKochi13 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetmont-bell Outdoor Oasis IshizuchiEhime19 km away (straight line)
- No photo yetNikobuchi PoolKochi19 km away (straight line)
Distances are straight-line distances, not travel distances.
Crowds
- Crowd level
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Best time to visit
Guided Tonaru tours run from Minetopia Besshi (Hadeba zone) from March to November.
Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site- Peak time
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest days
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Busiest season
Not checked yet — no official source yet, and not enough traveler reports.
- Latest traveler report
- None yet
Traveler crowd data by time of day appears after 5 traveler reports (0 so far).
You can check typical busy hours in Google Maps ("Popular times" on the place's page). Open this spot in Google Maps
Visiting respectfully
- RulesClosed December-February.Checked 26 Sept 2026 on the official site
Verification log
- 26 Sept 2026First check · Local government · https://www.iyokannet.jp/spot/2822Hours, closing days, access, parking, description, address and coordinates read from the local government's site.