Discover Bandō: Festivals, Tea, and Culture

For planning your trip, Bandō’s Masakado Festival and Sashima tea, grown in several municipalities, offer two specific points of interest. You may also be interested in historical sites, museums, crafts, nature, and history. If you would like to plan your visit around an event, the festival dates provide an initial guide to timing. Museums, crafts, and the landscape each offer a distinct focus for other interests.

Spring and Autumn Festivals

The Masakado Festival is held every year in November. Its program includes a procession of 100 warriors across the grounds of Kokuō Shrine, accompanied by Kanda Myōjin Masakado Taiko drummers. Local junior high school students and other participants also demonstrate Kyūdō. The festival began earlier, in April 1972, to mark the municipal establishment of Iwai City. Details of individual program items may change from year to year, so check the event dates before your trip.

Sakai Castle Festival and the Historic Castle Site

The Sakai Castle Festival takes place in early April. The historic Sakai Castle Ruins site is the venue for the festival and is designated as a prefectural monument. The program includes Sarushima-bayashi, recognized as an intangible folk cultural property of Ibaraki Prefecture. The spring theme thus brings together an event and designated cultural heritage. Parts of the outer moat and earthen ramparts remain at the former castle site. Visitors may not enter the reconstructed towers or the main hall of Sakai Castle Ruins Park; check the latest park access information in advance.

History, Crafts, and Stargazing

One place to explore is Shuroku: the historic main house of Shuroku, a commercial and residential building constructed before 1897, now serves as the information center for the Shuroku Tourism Exchange Center. The main storehouse associated with Shuroku is registered as a tangible cultural property. At the Shuroku Tourism Exchange Center’s workshops, visitors can try woodworking, pottery, and glassmaking. Ask the operator about booking before planning to visit the workshops.

For stargazing, visit the Sashima Hometown Museum Muse, which has a domed observatory and a 20-centimeter Coudé telescope. Sky observations require advance registration, and daytime observations are also offered. If the observatory is a key reason for your trip, check the latest dates and registration requirements. The Ibaraki Nature Museum has a different focus: this natural history museum is dedicated to preserving biodiversity and provides information about nature and the relationship between people and nature.

A museum presents regional history and culture from prehistoric times to the present through photographs, display panels, and original artifacts. A second exhibition room showcases artworks and hosts temporary exhibitions. This lets you combine historical topics with artistic perspectives instead of limiting your visit to a single era.

Sashima Tea and the Landscape

Sashima tea is a regional product grown across several municipalities. Its sturdy leaves develop a rich flavor, pronounced aroma, and full-bodied character during processing. The tea also has an export history: local landowner Nakayama Motonari was the first to export it from Japan to the United States. One traditional explanation for the beginnings of tea cultivation in the former Sarushima area is that tea bushes were first planted around fields as windbreaks. This story and the tea’s robust character offer two different ways to connect with the region’s tea culture.

Sugōnuma lies on the border between Bandō and Jōsō. The long, narrow lake is about five kilometers long and between 200 and 500 meters wide; a walking path runs through its upper section. These approximate measurements help you picture the shape of the lake without implying a walking time. Also note the path’s limited extent: it is described as running along the upper part of the lake.

Practical Planning Tips

During the Shuroku Tourism Exchange Center’s opening hours, visitors can borrow a pump for French valves and get information about nearby visitor destinations. A restroom is available regardless of opening hours and closing days. As the availability of these facilities may change, it is worth checking shortly before your visit.

For visiting several historical sites in Bando City, the tourism association recommends renting a car or taking a taxi after arriving in Bando City. Public transportation does not take visitors close to every site. This guidance applies to visiting historical sites; check local transport options when planning your routes.

Discover more destinations: Kashima, Hitachinaka, Oarai, Moriya, Kitaibaraki, Ryugasaki, Koga, Miho

View the broader travel guide: Ibaraki Prefecture.