What You’ll Learn in This Article
- Admission fee (adults ¥1,000 / approx. USD $7), opening hours (9:30–18:00), and holiday schedule
- What to see: art gallery, towel factory tour, and a European garden spanning over 10,000 tsubo (approx. 33,000 m²)
- How to get there from Imabari IC (Shimanami Kaido), Matsuyama, and by taxi
- How Towel Museum ICHIHIRO compares to the free Imabari Towel LAB — and which to choose
- Estimated visit time and practical tips to know before you go
What Is Towel Museum ICHIHIRO?
A cultural complex in Imabari, Ehime Prefecture — the home of Imabari towels — combining art exhibitions, a factory tour, and a European garden across more than 10,000 tsubo (approx. 33,000 m² / 355,000 ft²).
Towel Museum ICHIHIRO opened in 2000 as a five-story facility that blends Imabari towel manufacturing with art. Including the surrounding grounds, the site covers more than 10,000 tsubo — a scale that feels closer to a theme park than a conventional museum.
The museum draws more than 300,000 visitors a year. Shopping and dining are accessible without a gallery ticket, so many visitors stop by purely to pick up Imabari towel souvenirs.
Admission Fees, Hours & Holidays
Gallery admission is ¥1,000 for adults (approx. USD $7), but the shop and restaurant are free to enter — no ticket required.
| Category | Standard | Group (15+) | Group (30+) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adults | ¥1,000 (approx. USD $7) | ¥900 | ¥700 |
| Junior / Senior High Students | ¥800 (approx. USD $5.50) | ¥700 | ¥500 |
| Elementary School Students | ¥600 (approx. USD $4) | ¥500 | ¥300 |
| Seniors (65 and over) | ¥700 (approx. USD $5) | — | — |
| Visitors with Disabilities | ¥500 (caregiver: ¥500) | — | — |
| Children under elementary school age | Free | — | — |
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | 9:30–18:00 (gallery admission until 17:30) |
| Closed | Open year-round (closed only 1–2 days per year) |
| Parking | Free (250 regular spaces, 15 bus spaces) |
Info
Shopping and dining require no admission ticket. If you are only here for towel souvenirs, you can walk straight into the shop without paying.
Highlights Inside the Museum
The museum is organized into three main areas: the gallery, the factory tour, and the garden. Prioritize based on what matters most to you.
Gallery & Art Exhibitions
A permanent gallery featuring towel-based art installations runs alongside rotating special exhibitions.
The first thing you see on entering is the “Thread Spool Wall” — an installation covering an entire wall with colorful thread spools, making the raw materials of Imabari towels visible as art. The museum area also features a permanent Moomin-themed exhibition, which is popular with families.
Towel Factory Tour
Watch the dyeing, weaving, and sewing process through glass panels. Individual visitors do not need a reservation.
Step into the factory area and you are surrounded by rows of large looms running at full speed. The sequence — cotton yarn dyed, woven into pile fabric, cut, and sewn into a finished towel — plays out behind a single pane of glass. The low hum of the machines and the motion of the threads feel surprisingly close. After the tour, picking up the same towel in the shop carries a different weight.
- Processes visible: dyeing, pile weaving, sewing
- Viewing method: through glass panels (no entry into the factory floor)
- Reservation: not required for individual visitors
- Operating days: mainly weekdays (to be verified)
Warning
The factory runs mainly on weekdays. Machinery may be idle on weekends and public holidays. Check the official website before visiting if the factory tour is your primary reason for coming.
European Garden
The grounds outside the building feature seasonal flowers and winter illuminations across more than 10,000 tsubo.
Once outside, a European-style garden stretches across the property — manicured flowerbeds, a fountain, and stone-paved paths make up a space unlike anything else in Imabari. Crowds peak during spring blooms and the winter illumination season.
How Long to Spend
The gallery alone takes about one hour. Add the garden and a meal and the visit stretches to two hours or more.
| What You’re Doing | Time Estimate |
|---|---|
| Gallery + factory tour only | approx. 1 hour |
| Gallery + factory tour + shopping | 1–1.5 hours |
| Gallery + factory tour + garden + dining | 2 hours or more |
Point
The garden draws extra visitors during spring flower season and the winter illumination period. If you are visiting at these times, budget additional time for the garden.
Getting There
Arriving by car is the most practical option. The nearest expressway exits are within 20 minutes, and free parking is spacious. Reaching the museum by public transport alone is difficult — a taxi is the realistic choice.
By Car
Via the Shimanami Kaido, the drive from Imabari IC takes about 20 minutes. From Matsuyama, allow around one hour via National Route 317.
| Departing From | Route | Travel Time |
|---|---|---|
| Imabari IC (Shimanami Kaido) | Local roads | approx. 20 min |
| Toyo-Tanbara IC (Imabari-Komatsu Expressway) | Local roads | approx. 10 min |
| Matsuyama (Dogo Onsen area) | National Route 317 | approx. 1 hour |
| Takamatsu | Takamatsu Expressway → Matsuyama Expressway → local roads | approx. 2 hours (to be verified) |
By Public Transport
The nearest station is Iyo Station on the Iyo Railway Gunchu Line. From JR Imabari Station, the taxi ride takes about 30 minutes.
- From Iyo Station (Iyo Railway Gunchu Line): approx. 25 min by taxi
- From JR Imabari Station: approx. 30 min by taxi (to be verified)
- Direct bus service from Imabari Station: not currently available (to be verified)
Warning
Getting here by public transport alone is not easy. If you are based in Matsuyama or Imabari, renting a car or taking a taxi is the most practical approach.
Info
The museum pairs well with a Shimanami Kaido cycling trip — it sits close to Imabari IC, making it a convenient stop at the end of a ride. See the <a href=”https://japanskybridge.com/shimanami-kaido-cycling-guide/”>Shimanami Kaido Cycling Guide for Beginners</a> for itineraries starting and finishing around Imabari.
Towel Museum vs. Imabari Towel LAB: Which Should You Visit?
If you want to understand the craftsmanship and quality behind Imabari towels, Imabari Towel LAB is the better fit. If you want a full day of art, shopping, and dining, Towel Museum ICHIHIRO is the place.
| Towel Museum ICHIHIRO | Imabari Towel LAB | |
|---|---|---|
| Admission | Adults ¥1,000 (approx. USD $7) | Free |
| Location | Asakura-kami-ko, Imabari (approx. 30 min by car from city center) | Higashimon-cho, Imabari (near Imabari Station) |
| Main content | Art exhibitions, factory tour, garden, restaurant | Quality demonstrations, loom experience, video exhibits |
| Scale | 5-story building + 10,000-tsubo garden | Compact indoor facility |
| Time needed | 1–2 hours (to be verified) | 30–60 min (to be verified) |
| Access | Car recommended (free parking, 250 spaces) | Approx. 10 min by taxi from JR Imabari Station |
| Shop | Large towel shop + wide range of Shikoku souvenirs | Adjacent Imabari Towel flagship store |
Imabari Towel LAB (Imabari Towel LAB) is free to enter and focuses entirely on towel craft and quality. Hands-on demonstrations — including absorbency tests and a loom-weaving experience — help visitors understand exactly why Imabari towels are considered among Japan’s finest.
Towel Museum ICHIHIRO, by contrast, is built around a full-day experience. The combination of art, dining, and shopping makes it a natural centerpiece for an Imabari itinerary, and it integrates well into trips that combine Shimanami Kaido cycling with Matsuyama sightseeing.
Point
Visiting both on the same day may not be realistic given the distance between them. Since each serves a different purpose, choosing one based on your travel priorities is the practical approach.
Info
For a side-by-side comparison of Imabari Towel LAB, Towel Museum ICHIHIRO, and IKEUCHI ORGANIC, see the <a href=”https://japanskybridge.com/imabari-towel-guide/”>Imabari Towel Factory Tour & Shop Guide</a>.
Summary
Towel Museum ICHIHIRO is a complex where you can see, experience, and buy Imabari towels all in one place. Its location makes it easy to combine with a Shimanami Kaido cycling trip or Matsuyama sightseeing.
- Hours: 9:30–18:00, open year-round (closed only 1–2 days per year)
- Admission: adults ¥1,000 (approx. USD $7) / seniors 65+ ¥700 / children under elementary age free
- Shopping and dining are free — no gallery ticket needed
- Car recommended: approx. 20 min from Imabari IC (Shimanami Kaido), free parking for 250 cars
- Estimated visit time: 1–2 hours including the garden (to be verified)
- Public transport access is difficult — taxi or rental car from Matsuyama or Imabari is the realistic option
- Imabari Towel LAB is free and focused on craft; choose based on your travel priorities
