Miho: Shiroyama Park and Kihara Castle

Shiroyama Park: Views of the Lake and Mountains

Miho combines views of Lake Kasumigaura with the history of Kihara Castle and the seasonal scenery of Shiroyama Park. Kihara Castle Ruins Shiroyama Park is located in Kihara, Miho; the ruins of Kihara Castle are on the lake’s south shore. A reconstructed watchtower offers sweeping views of Lake Kasumigaura. From the observation tower, you can see across the lake to Mount Tsukuba. The observation tower is the main scenic highlight, while the walking path adds seasonal scenery. When choosing a destination, you can therefore distinguish between the views, seasonal scenery along the path, and the castle’s historical connections.

Blooms and Walking Paths Through the Seasons

The walking path in the park offers different scenery depending on the season. In spring, it passes cherry blossoms, tulips, and wisteria; in summer, it runs alongside green lawns. In spring, 50,000 colorful tulips bloom in Shiroyama Park. This seasonal change is useful for planning your trip: if you want to focus on the flowers, plan around the spring scenery; in summer, the greenery along the route shapes the experience. The two seasonal scenes are easy to distinguish: flowers define spring, and green lawns define summer.

Kihara Castle and the Name Shiroyama

The ruins of Kihara Castle are known by local residents as “Shiroyama.” It is not known for certain when or by whom the castle was built. According to one account, it was built toward the end of the Sengoku period by Kondo, a retainer of Toki, the lord of Edozaki Castle. This account suggests a possible origin for the castle, but does not provide a definitive history of its construction. The local name and the story of the castle’s origins therefore have different levels of certainty: “Shiroyama” is the name of the ruins, while the attribution to Kondo remains a local account.

Festivals and Their Programs

The Kihara Shiroyama Festival features performances on a special stage and stalls selling specialties from Miho Village. Kihara Kasumi-bayashi performs at Miho Village’s Shiroyama Festival and at the Kihara Gion Festival. If you want to plan your trip around one of these festivals, check the dates and program for the relevant year in advance. When choosing your travel dates, it helps to distinguish between the timing of the two: flowers depend on the season, while the festival program depends on the specific festival date. If you want to experience both, check the season and annual program separately.

Getting There by Car

By car, the route from the Sakura-Tsuchiura Interchange on the Jōban Expressway follows National Route 125’s bypass to the park; the drive takes about 30 minutes. Traffic can affect the actual journey time, so treat this as a guideline when planning. Check traffic conditions if your arrival time matters for your day’s itinerary.

Discover more destinations: Oarai, Itako, Yūki, Mito, Moriya, Chuo, Kamisu, Omitama

For the broader travel overview: Ibaraki Prefecture.