The Besshi Dosan Festival is held each April in Niihama to honour the workers of the historic Besshi Copper Mine, which operated for over 280 years and shaped the region's prosperity. The main parade of portable shrines, traditional costumes, and local performers winds through streets lined with cherry blossoms, creating a vivid blend of cultural pride and spring colour. The festival coincides with peak sakura bloom in the city parks, and hanami events are held alongside the main celebrations. It offers a lesser-known but deeply authentic festival experience in Shikoku.
- Type
- Festival
- Category
- Cherry Blossom
- Season
- Spring
- Month
- Early April
- Region
- Shikoku
- Prefecture
- Ehime
- City
- Niihama
Highlights
- ◆Historic copper mine heritage festival since Edo era
- ◆Parade of mikoshi and traditional costumes under cherry trees
- ◆Coincides with peak cherry blossom in city parks
- ◆Authentic local festival off the main tourist trail
- ◆Combine with Niihama City Museum exhibits