Ibaraki Prefecture: Flowers, Mountains and Regional Experiences

Hitachi Seaside Park is located on the Pacific coast in Hitachinaka. Colorful flowers bloom there throughout the year, including nemophila, daffodils, tulips, poppies, roses, zinnias, sunflowers, kochia, cosmos and winter tulips. The Pleasure Garden adds a Ferris wheel, roller coaster, forest obstacle course and barbecue area to the garden experience.

Coastal park, flowers and landscapes

The Ibaraki Flower Park in Ishioka offers a different variety of flowers, with around 900 rose varieties. Various workshops and hands-on experiences are offered in an atelier. The prefecture therefore offers a choice between a park on the Pacific coast with flowers, rides and other attractions, and a rose collection with atelier activities.

Mount Tsukuba, with its two peaks, rises in the center of Ibaraki. Its peaks are called Nantai and Nyotai, and the mountain is 877 meters high. The Fukuroda Falls are on a completely different scale: they are 120 meters high and 73 meters wide, and consist of four tiers of cascades. In Ryujin Gorge, within Okukuji Prefectural Nature Park, visitors can enjoy landscapes that change with the seasons on hikes and canoe trips.

Cycling and special day trips

Those wishing to explore the prefecture by bicycle can choose from more than 100 sample routes on Cycling Ibaraki. Routes can be selected by starting point and destination, distance, scenery and culinary destinations. Another notable cycling route is the Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Ring Ring Road, designated a national cycling route in November 2019. Check the latest route information when planning your trip.

In Tsukuba, the Tsukuba Space Center displays a real H-II rocket, 50 meters long, at Rocket Square. Together with Mount Tsukuba, it offers a different perspective on the prefecture: here, natural attractions can be combined with a look at space exploration and technology.

Kasama: pottery and seasonal festivals

Kasama ware has been used in Japanese kitchens since the 18th century. Seasonal events also shape the city: the Kasama Chrysanthemum Festival runs from late October to late November. Its main venue is Kasama Inari Shrine, where chrysanthemums bloom in yellow, white and pink. The festival includes yabusame and other events; individual program items may vary from year to year. Check the dates and program for the year before your visit.

The Kasama New Chestnut Festival is also held in autumn. It features chestnut sweets for sale, tastings, chestnuts for sale and chestnut burr games. Here, too, it is advisable to check the annual dates and program details.

Regional cuisine and getting around by train

Seasonal dishes in Ibaraki include ankō nabe. Anglerfish is also served in other ways, such as with vinegar-miso sauce; these dishes can be enjoyed in various parts of the prefecture from around November to March. Mito natto became known nationwide after it was sold in the station forecourt when Mito Station opened in 1889.

Another culinary experience is the Musubi Tour, which includes a visit to Yoshida Tea Farm, founded in 1839, tastings of green and black tea, and sweets at the courtyard café Room’z Tea. For travel from Tokyo, the JR Jōban Line is a useful guide: it connects Ueno Station with Ibaraki, and the Hitachi Limited Express runs from Ueno to Mito. Check the timetable for your travel date. When looking for a hotel in the prefecture, you can first consider whether flowers and nature, cycling, regional cuisine or culture will be the focus of your trip.

Discover more destinations: Yūki, Kitaibaraki, Kashima, Hitachinaka, Miho, Tsuchiura, Yachiyo, Itako, Ryugasaki, Kasama, Oarai, Hokota, Koga, Omitama, Mito, Inashiki District, Kamisu, Kitasoma District, Moriya, Chikusei, Chuo, Shimotsuma, Toride, Tsukuba, Bandō, Joko, Jōsō, Naka.

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