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Northern
Fukuroda
Waterfalls - Daigo Town
The Fukuroda Waterfalls
are located at the upper stream of Taki River, a tributary of Kuji
River. The sheer
immensity of the falls, 120m in height and 73m in width, will surely
flabbergast you.
Public
Transportation: 15min
by bus or taxi from Fukuroda Station on the Suigun Line.
Open May - October 8:00-18:00 / November - April 9:00 -
17:00. Admission:
Adult 100yen / Child 50 yen.
0295-72-0285 (Daigo Town Tourist Society)
Okukuji Cha-no-Sato
Park - Daigo Town
The facility introduces
you to everything you need to know about Okukuji tea, a local
specialty of the area. Tea-growing
fields are spread throughout the park.
Tea enthusiasts will also be entertained by the teahouse,
exhibitions on the world of tea, tea-related products, and so on.
Public
Transportation: 20min
by bus or taxi from Hitachi Daigo Station on the Suigun Line.
Open 9:00 - 17:00. Closed
Wednesdays, December 31, January 1.
Admission: Adult
300yen / Child 200yen. 0295-78-0511
Hitachi
Kamine Park - Hitachi City
The park is located on
the top of a hill commanding a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean.
The park zoo and fairgrounds guarantee a good time for people
of all ages.
Public
Transportation: 10min
by bus from Hitachi Station on the Joban Line.
Open March - October 9:00 - 17:00.
Weekends and holidays - 9:00 - 17:30.
November - February 9:30 - 16:30.
Closed Mondays, (When Monday is a holiday, open Monday,
closed Tuesday) December 29 - January 1.
Admission: Zoo -
Adult 500yen / Child 100yen. Amusement
Park - Adult 450yen / Child 200yen.
0294-22-4737.
http://www.hidecnet.ne.jp/~p-kamine/
Okuhitachi-Kirara no
Sato - Hitachi City
This is a place to visit
for fun and thrilling encounters with nature.
The 48 hectares of parklands are filled with a host of
facinating attractions, including the longest slide in Japan.
Public
Transportation: 30min
by bus from Hitachi Station on the Joban Line.
Open April - November 9:00 - 17:00.
December - March 9:00 - 16:00.
Closed Mondays, December 29 - January 3.
Admission: Adult
310yen / Child 100yen. 0294-24-2424
Hitachi
Seaside Park - Hitachinaka City
The facilities were
created to bring the experience of ice to life, with Ice World, the
ice rollercoaster, and much more.
Visitors also have the chance to enjoy the flowers in the
rose garden and narcissus field.
Public
Transportation: About
6km from Katsuta Station on the Joban Line.
Open March 1 - July 20, September 1 - October 31 9:30 -
17:00. July 21 - August
31 9:30 - 18:00. November
1 to last day of February 9:30 - 16:30.
Closed Mondays, December 31 - January 1.
Admission: Adult
400yen / Child 80yen. 0292-65-9001
Seizan-so
- Hitachi-Ota City
Mitsukuni Tokugawa,
better known as "Komon-sama," spent ten years here after
his retirement (from 1691 - 1701).
The garden is carefully designed to manifest every subtle
change of every season.
Public
Transportation: 5min by
car from Hitachi-Ota Station on the Suigun Line.
Open 9:00 - 16:30. Closed
December 31 - January 1. Admission:
Adult 500yen / Child 250yen.
0294-72-1538. http://www.tokugawa.gr.jp/Seizan-so.htm
Glass
Studio Silica - Kita-Ibaraki City
The studio is located on
Akane-Daira, commanding a panoramic view of the Kita-Ibaraki City.
Visitors can try to make their own creations such as drinking
glasses, swizzle sticks, and so on.
Even beginners are welcome to develop their glassblowing
skills with the help of in-house craftspeople.
Public
Transportation: 20min
by taxi from Isohara Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:00 - 16:30. Closed
the first and third Wednesday of every month.
Admission: Adult
300yen / Child 100eyen. 0293-42-3550.
Noguchi Ujo Memorial
Hall - Kita-Ibaraki City
The memorial hall is
located next to the Historic Folklore Library.
It exhibits numerous manuscripts and other articles left by
the late Ujo Noguchi. Noguchi,
a songwriter born in Kita-Ibaraki City, is famed for his composition
of a nursery song, Nanatsu-no-Ko (Seven Children).
Public
Transportation: 10min
on foot from Isohara Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:00 - 16:30. Closed
Mondays (when Monday is a holiday, open Monday and closed Tuesday).
Admission: Adult
300yen / Student 100yen. 0293-43-4160.
Rokkakudo -
Kita-Ibaraki City
Tenshin Okakura and
Taikan Yokoyama, masters of Japanese paintings, are said to have
spent time here listening to the sound of the Pacific Ocean waves.
It was a place for them to explore their inner selves when
they needed inspiration for a new creation.
Public
Transportation: 15min
by bus, 5min by taxi from Otsuko Station on the Joban Line.
Open April - October 9:30 - 17:00.
November - march 9:30 - 16:30.
Closed Mondays and days following holidays, December 29 -
January 3. Admission:
200yen. 0293-46-0766
Tenshin Memorial
Museum of Art, Ibaraki - Kita-Ibaraki City
The museum is built to
commemorate the great achievements of Tenshin Okakura, a pioneer of
Japanese modern art. Inside,
visitors can spend time with his works as well as works by other
artists in Izura.
Public
Transportation: 20min
by bus from Otsuko Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:30 - 17:00. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, open Monday and closed Tuesday),
December 29 - January 1. Admission:
180yen. 0293-46-5311.
http://www.edu.pref.ibaraki.jp/
The Valley of
Hanazono and the Hanazono Shrine- Kita-Ibaraki City
The Valley of Hanazono
is a rare gem of nature, flourishing with rhododendron in the spring
and yellowed maple leaves in the fall.
Getting
there: 30min by car
from the Kita-Ibaraki Interchange on the Joban Expressway.
0293-43-9212 (Hanazono Shrine)
Ibaraki Prefectural Botanical Garden - Naka Town
The vast garden is
divided into four sections: the
flowering plants garden, the wild grass garden, the rose garden, and
the tropical plants palace. You
will surely appreciate the great variety of the plants grown.
Public
Transportation: 10min
by taxi from Urizura Station on the Suigun Line.
Open 9:00 - 16:30. Closed
Mondays, (When Monday
is a holiday, open Monday, closed Tuesday) December 29 to January 3.
Admission: Botanical
Garden - 120yen / Tropical Plants Palace 400yen.
0292-95-2150
Satomi
Stock Farm - Satomi Village
The Satomi Stock Farm
spreads across highlands 800m above sea level.
The farm, one of the largest in the Kanto plains, is
outfitted with barbecues, slides, athletic fields, an observatory, a
windmill, and other attractions.
Getting
there: 60min by car
from the Naka Interchange of the Joban Expressway.
0294-82-4221. http://www.satomi-mura.net/
Ryujin
Great Suspension Bridge - Suifu Village
The bridge spans a
distance of 375m over a valley of 100m.
The primeval forests of the valley, opened up in full view
below, manifest remarkably beautiful changes as the seasons change.
Public
Transportation: 40min
by bus from Hitachi-Ota Station on the Suigun Line.
Open 8:30 - 17:00. Admission:
Adult 310yen / Child - Student 200yen.
0294-85-1116. http://www.net-ibaraki.ne.jp/suifu/
Kotoku
Pond - Urizura Town
Kotoku Pond is
well-known nationwide as a destination for migrating swans.
Every winter, people come from all across the country on
swan-watching expeditions. On
every given day, the number of swans will vary from 50 to 150.
Public
Transportation: 20min
on foot from Urizura Station on the Suigun Line.
0292-96-1111 (Urizura Town Office)
Paper-Making
(Kami-no-Sato), Japanese Paper Museum - Yamagata Town
People are facinated by
the simplicity, durability, and beautiful texture of Nishi-no-uchi
Japanese paper. Come to
the paper making museum to experience the traditional craft of paper
making and learn about paper making techniques passed down from
generation to generation.
Public
Transportation: 5min on
foot from Naka-Funyu Station on the Suigun Line.
Open 9:00 - 17:00. Closed
Wednesdays (Open on Wednesday and closed on Thursday when Wednesday
is a holiday), December 30 - January 1.
0295-57-2252. http://www6.gateway.ne.jp/~kamiya
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Western
Toyoda
Castle - Ishige Town
Toyoda Castle, the
identifiable landmark of Ishige Town, is open to the public all year
round. Visitors to the
castle can learn much about the culture and history of Ishige,
Takashi Nagatsuka's (The poet, novelist of Ishige Town connection)
achievement. From the
observatory you will enjoy an excellent view of Kinu River and Mt.
Tsukuba.
Public
Transportation: 10min
on foot from Ishige Station on the Joso Line.
Open 9:00 - 16:30. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and closed
Tuesday), end of
December to beginning of January.
Admission: Adult
400yen / Child 200yen. 0297-42-0169.
http://www.town.ishige.ibaraki.jp
Koga
City Museum of Literature - Koga City
Ibaraki Prefecture's
first museum on literature. The
collection includes valuable literary memorabilia of authors related
to Koga City. One
exhibit covers Michiko Nagai, the celebrated author of historical
novels. The museum also
functions as a center of the arts in general.
Public
Transportation: 10min
on foot from Koga Station on the Utsonomiya Line.
Open 9:00 - 17:00. Closed
Mondays, days following national holidays, the fourth Friday of
every month, New Year's holiday from the end of December to the
beginning of January. Admission:
Adult 200yen / Child 50yen.
0280-21-1129. http://www.city.koga.ibaraki.jp/
The Tenkoku Art
Museum - Koga City
The art of Tenkoku
printing begins by inscribing a stone with characters from a Chinese
poem in a calligraphy style known as Tensho.
The letters are stamped on paper with vermilion ink, then
admired by Tenkoku enthusiasts.
This museum is the only one in the world specializing in
Tenkoku. Beginners are
welcome to join Tenkoku workshops.
Public
Transportation: 7min on
foot from Koga Station on the Utsonomiya Line.
Open 9:00 - 17:00. Closed
Mondays, all days following national holidays, the fourth Friday of
every month, December 25 - January 4.
Admission: Adult
200yen / Child 50yen. 0280-22-5611.
http://www.city.koga.ibaraki.jp/tenkoku/index.htm
Herb
Harmony Garden - Mitsukaido City
The Herb Harmony Garden
is a cluster of gardens, restaurants, shops, greenhouses, a bakery,
and other facilities, all related to herbs.
Visitors can visit the 264,000m2 garden for "flower
picking" walks from early spring to November.
Public
Transportation: 10min
by taxi from Mitsukaido Station on the Joso Line.
Open 10:00 - 18:00. Admission:
Adult 520yen / High School or University Student 320yen /
Primary or Junior High School Student 100yen.
0297-38-2000. http://www.nat.pref.ibaraki.jp/
Hazan
Itaya Memorial Hall - Shimodate City
The hall was built to
commemorate Hazan Itaya, Japan's first potter to win the Order of
Cultural Merit. The
hall is located at his birthplace, where his first house once stood.
Works and other articles related to Itaya are also on exhibit
at the hall.
Public
Transportation: 10min
on foot from Shimodate Station on the Mito Line.
Open 9:30 - 16:30. Closed
Mondays, December 28 - January 4.
Admission: Adult
500yen / High School Student 300yen / Primary or Junior High School
Student 100yen. 0296-25-3830.
Navel
Park - Sowa Town
The park has fishing
ponds, athletic fields, an underground maze, a pony ranch and more.
You can go there for barbeques, visit the Learning Center, or
stay in one of the overnight cabins.
Public Transportation: 15min
by bus or taxi from Koga Station on the Utsonomiya Line.
Open 6:00 - 21:00. 0280-92-7300.
Amabiki
Kannon - Yamato Village
The Kannon is located
halfway up Mt. Amabiki. It
is said to give divine help to young mothers, easing their chores of
child delivery and child raising.
Many people trek up to the Kannon to seek help with their
faith.
Public
Transportation: 15min
by taxi from Iwase Station on the Mito Line.
Open 8:30 - 17:00. 0296-58-5009.
http://www.amabiki.or.jp/
Weaving
Experience - Yuki City
Visitors to
Tsumugi-no-sato are invited to weave their own drip pads and take
them home. You can also
experience aizome (dying cloth in deep blue).
Public Transportation: 30min
on foot from Yuki Station on the Mito Line.
Open 10:00 - 16:00. 0296-32-8002.
>>back to top
Eastern
Itako-Furusatokan
- Itako City
"Itako Ujo," a
virtual 3-D thriller, will give you a virtual experience of the
nature and waterfront district of Itako.
Public
Transportation: 15min
on foot from Itako Station on the Kashima Line.
Open January to April 10:00 - 16:00.
May and June 9:00 - 21:00.
July to December 10:00 - 16:00.
Closed Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and
closed Tuesday), December 28 - January 4.
Admission: Adult
400yen / Student 200yen. 0299-62-2336.
http://www.net-ibaraki.ne.jp/itako
Itako-Iris Festival -
Itako City
The festival is held at
three different party, each replete with irises in full bloom.
You will see as many as one million irises from approximately
500 varieties. The
flowers are white, purple, and yellow.
Public
Transportation: 3min on
foot from Kashima Station on the Kashima Line.
Festival Dates: June
1 - June 30. 0299-63-0249.
Blue
Sonic - Kamisu Town
Developed with the
latest shipbuilding technologies, Blue Sonic is the first high
speed, ocean going, pleasure boat ever built in Japan.
Savor your hours within the luxurious cabins of the vessel as
you cruise off the coast of Ibaraki.
Public
Transportation: Take
the Kashima Jingu Super-Express Bus to Kashima Central Station.
Open 10:00 - 15:30. Closed
Tuesdays. Admission:
Adult 1,500yen / Child 750yen.
0299-92-5551. http://www.sopia.or.jp/kfuto/
Minato Park - Kamisu
Town
This seaside park has a
52m high observation tower built to commemorate the opening of
Kashima Port. The salty
breeze carried in from the shore rustles the leaves of some 8,000
trees, filling the park with the smell of the sea.
Public Transportation: 15min
by taxi from Kashima-Jingu Station on the Oarai-Kashima Line.
Open 8:30 - 17:00. Closed
the first Wednesday of every month, December 29 - December 31.
Admission Adult 190yen / Child 100yen.
0299-92-5155.
Ibaraki
Ceramic Art Museum - Kasama City
This is the first
prefectural museum specializing in pottery in eastern Japan.
It was founded under the dual themes of traditional crafts
and contemporary plastic arts.
Set within an unspoiled natural setting, it also holds the
distinction of being the main building in the Kasama
Geijutsu-no-mori Park.
Public
Transportation: 5min by
taxi from Kasama Station on the Mito Line.
Open 9:30 - 17:00. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and closed on
Tuesday), December 29 - January 1.
Admission: 300yen.
0296-70-0011. http://www.edu.pref.ibaraki.jp/
Kasama Inari Jinja -
Kasama City
Devoted to
Ukanomitama-no-kami, the Kasama Inari Shrine is one of the three
largest Inari shrines in Japan, having been awarded the ancient
court rank of Senior First Grade.
At present, the shrine is visited by more than 3.5million
pilgrims each year.
Public
Transportation: 5min by
taxi or bus from Kasama Station on the Mito Line.
0296-73-0001. http://www.kasama.or.jp/
Kasama Nichido Museum
of Art, Shunpu Banriso - Kasama City
The museum is famous for
its collections of rare palette pictures and self portraits by
painters. The annex was formerly the house of Rosanjin Kitaoki, a
gentleman accomplished at pottery, cuisine, and numerous other arts.
Public
Transportation: 20min
on foot from Kasama Station on the Mito Line.
Open9:30 - 17:00. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and closed on
Tuesday), New Year's Holiday from the end of December to the
beginning of January. Admission:
Adult 1,000yen / University or High School Student 700yen /
Primary Student 500yen. 0296-72-2160.
http://www.nichido-garo.co.jp/museum
Craft Hills Kasama -
Kasama City
Try your own hand at
ceramics on your visit to Craft Hills Kasama.
Even beginners can experience how to turn a potter's wheel or
shape clay by special hand-twisting techniques under the guidance of
expert potters. After you finish you can have your own works fired,
glazed, and delivered to your home (postage paid separately).
Public
Transportation: 10min
by bus from Kasama Station on the Mito Line.
Open 10:00 - 17:00. Closed
Mondays, New Year's Holiday from the end of December to the
beginning of January. 0296-70-1313.
http://www.kasama-crafthills.co.jp/
Kashima
Football Stadium - Kashima City
The stadium is the home
of the Kashima Antlers, one of the dominant soccer teams in
J-League, the Japanese professional soccer league.
Visitors are welcome to enter the stadium and look around,
provided no game is scheduled in the following days.
Public
Transportation: 15min
by taxu from Kashima-Jingu Station on the Oarai-Kashima Line.
Open 10:00 - 16:00. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and closed
Tuesday). 0299-84-6622.
Kashima Shrine -
Kashima City
This ancient shrine is
said to date all the way back to 660 BC.
The grounds outlying the shrine are remarkable for their
immense Japanese cedars. The
longest and oldest straight sword in Japan, a designated national
treasure, is on display in the Treasure House.
Public
Transportation: 7min on
foot from Kashima Jingu Station on the Oarai-Kashima Line.
Open 9:00 - 16:00. Closed
December 25. Admission
300yen. 0299-82-1209.
http://www.bokuden.or.jp/~kashimaj/
Shiosai-Hamanasu Park
- Kashima City
In this magnificent
park, you will find a huge slide (154m long) and a 6m high climbing
wall with a rope. At
the park observation deck you can enjoy the panoramic view in every
direction.
Public
Transportation: 10min
on foot from Chojagahama-Shiosai-Hamanasu-Koen-Mae Station on the
Oarai-Kashima Line. Open
9:00 - 16:30. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and closed
Tuesday), end of December to beginning of January.
Admission: Adult
300yen / Child 200yen / Infant 100yen.
0299-69-4411.
Kairakuen
- Mito City
Kairakuen is on of the
"Three Celebrated Gardens of Japan."
From late February at the start of the Plum Blossom Festival,
some 3,000 plum strees of more than 100 varieties transform the
garden with their millions of blossoming flowers.
On your walks through the gardens, we also recommend that you
visit Kobuntei, Togyokusen, and other sites of interest within.
Public
Transportation: 20min
by bus from Mito Station on the Joban Line.
Open April 1 - September 15 6:00 - 19:00.
Closed Kobuntei December 29 - December 31. Admission:
Kobuntei Adult 190yen / Child 100yen. 0292-44-5454
Kodokan - Mito City
Kodokan was a school of
the feudal domain of Mito established by Nariaki Tokugawa, the ninth
feidal lord of the domain. Tokugawa
founded the clan school to nurture competent and efficient men for
the domain. The school
motto was to achieve a "Harmonious balance between literary and
military arts."
Public
Transportation: 8min on
foot from Mito Station on the Joban Line
The Museum of Modern
Art, Ibaraki - Mito City
A small museum situated
at a picturesque spot along the three-kilometer perimeter of Lake
Senba. World-class
artworks are shown in the many exhibits held each year, such as the
sculptures of Auguste Rodin and the paintings of Renoir and Taikan
Yokoyama.
Public Transportation: 15min
on foot from Mito Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:30 - 17:00. Closed
Mondays (Open on Monday when it is a holiday, closed the following
day) Admission:
Adult 300yen / Students 230yen / Primary Students 170yen.
0292-26-8600. http://www.edu/pref.ibaraki.jp/kinbi
The Tokugawa Museum -
Mito City
The museum exhibits
precious treasures left by the Mito-Tokugawa family.
Visitors can observe the artifacts cherished by successive
feudal lords and their wives, as well as the texts and materials
used to compile the Dai-Nihon-shi collection owned by the Shoko-kan
Library, located on side.
Public
Transportation: 15min
by bus from Mito Station on the Joban Line.
Open Tuesdays - Fridays 10:00 - 16:30.
Weekends and holidays 10:00 - 17:00.
Closed Mondays (open when Monday is a holiday)
Admission: Adult
600yen / Student 300yen. Special
exhibition: Adult
1,000yen / Student 500yen. 0292-41-2721.
http://www.tokugawa.gr.jp/
Oarai
Aquarium - Oarai Town
The aquarium keeps
approximately 15,00 fish and more than 350 ocean and freshwater
species. Aqua-performances
with dolphins, penguins, and sea lions are also staged.
Public Transportation: 15min
by bus or taxi from Oarai Station on the Oarai-Kashima Line.
Open 9:00 - 17:00. Closed
December 28 - January 1. Admission:
Adults 1,380yen / Students 660yen / Preschoolers 250yen.
0292-67-5151. http://www.net-ibaraki.ne.jp/oaraiaqm/
Oarai Marine Tower -
Oarai Town
The tower stands a full
60m high. The
observatory room at the top affords a good view of the Pacific Ocean
and Mt. Tsukuba. On
very clear days, Mt. Fuji may come into view.
Public Transportation: 15min
on foot from Oarai Station on the Oarai-Kashima Line.
Open March - August 9:00 - 21:00.
September - February 9:00 - 18:00.
Closed December 28 - December 30.
Admission: Adult
330yen / Child 160yen. 0292-66-3366.
Lake
Kasumigaura Fureai Land - Tamatsukuri Town
The park is modeled
around the theme of "water."
One can see water, touch and learn scientific facts about it.
The many attractions include a 60m high Rainbow Tower and
museum.
Public Transportation: 4min
by taxi from Tamatsukuri Station on the Kashima Railway (Transfer at
Ishioka Station on the Joban Line).
Open 9:30 - 16:30. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and closed
Tuesday), several days at the end of December.
Admission: Adult
600yen / Child 300yen. 0299-55-3927.
http://www.sopia.or.jp/fureai/index.html
White
Sailed Boats - Tamatsukuri Town, Kasumigaura Town, Tsuchiura City
White Sailed Boats
called "hobikisen" are one of Kasumigaura's foremost
cultural properties. Fishermen
used these vessels from the Meiji period until 1965, when trawlers
took over. Some of the
vessels are still used to take tourists out on the water in the
summer and fall. Tamatsukuri
Town Tourist Society - 0299-55-3061.
Kasumigaura Town Tourist Society - 0298-97-1111.
Tsuchiura City Tourist Society - 0298-24-2810.
>>back to top
Southern / Central
Potiron
no Mori - Edosaki Town
The vast site (some
270,000 square meters) is divided into eight areas, each with
facilities that let visitors experience common activities of rural
life in old Japan. In a
single day you can harvest vegetables, make break and butter, go
horseback riding, cook rice with a mess gear, ride a go-cart, and
befriend animals.
Public Transportation: 20min
by toll-free shuttle bus from Ushiku Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:00 - 18:00. Admission:
Adult 1,000yen / Child 500yen.
0289-92-3911.
Warp
Station Edo - Ina Town
Visit Warp Station Edo
to experience a masterfully simulated time trip to the Edo period.
The homes are faithfully recreated to the very last detail,
as are the samurai residences and the Edo-jo Otemon (the main gate
of Edo Castle). Even
the sounds of Edo, enhanced by the experience with virtual images,
have been recreated.
Public
Transportation: 25min
on the direct bus from Toride Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:30 - 17:30. Closed
December 30 - January 1. Admission:
Adult 1,400yen / Child 700yen.
0297-47-6000. http://www.wsedo.co.jp
Hitachi
Fudoki no Oka - Ishioka Town
This waterfront park is
ideal for appreciating the flowers in season.
Visitors can trace back the past by visiting the ancient
house reconstructed in the square by surveying the exhibits of
archaeological finds excavated from the area, a former kokufu, or
provincial capital.
Public
Transportation: 15min
by bus or taxi from Ishioka Station on the Joban Line.
Open March to October 9:00 - 17:00/
November to February 9:00 - 16:00/
Closed Mondays (when Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and
closed Tuesday), December 31 - January 1.
Admission: Adult
310yen / Child 150yen. 0299-23-3888.
http://www.net-ibaraki.ne.jp/ishioka/
Tsukuba
Tree Peony Garden - Kukizaki Town
The 50,000 square meter
garden has approximately 8,000 peonies, 6,000 shakuyaku (a cousin of
the peony), and 80,000 lilies.
In terms of sheer scale, this park outclasses all others in
Japan. Great numbers of
colorful flowers stay in bloom during the park's open seasons.
Public
Transportation: 20min
by bus, 15min by taxi from Ushiku Station on the Joban Line.
Open April to June 9:00 - 17:00.
November to February 10:00 - 16:00.
Closed March, July to October, Wednesdays (except in January,
February, and May). Admission:
April to June Adult 800yen / Students 300yen.
November to February Adult 500yen / Students 200yen.
0298-76-3660.
JRA
Miho Training Center - Miho Village
Approximately 2,200
racehorses in the Kanto area are trained in this vast, 2.2million
km2 training ground. Events
are held to furnish the opportunity to see these fascinating
thoroughbreds' training for major annual races (please call and ask
about events).
Public
Transportation: 40min
by bus from Tsuchiura Station on the Joban Line.
0298-85-2111. http://jra.go.jp
Fruit
Picking - Yasato Town, Chiyoda Town, Nihari Village
Ibaraki Prefecture's
mild climate has made fruit cultivation one of its major industries.
The prefecture has numerous orchards for sightseeing where
you can pick fruit from the trees and enjoy the taste year round.
Inquiries:
Yasato Town Tourist Fruit Tree Association:
0299-43-1111. Chiyoda
Town Fruit Tree Tourist Society:
0299-59-2116. Nihari
Village Tourist Society: 0298-62-1002.
Kijo
Park - Tsuchiura City
The park is on the site
of the ancient Tsuchiura Castle in the heart of Tsuchiura City.
The castle's honmaru (donjon) and ninomaru (second donjon)
were renovated and converted into a park.
The main turret, a structure of great historical importance,
has been preserved in its original form.
Currently, the east and west turrets are also being restored
to their original state.
Public
Transportation: 10min
on foot from Tsuchiura Station on the Joban Line.
0298-26-1111 (Tsuchiura Municipal Office).
http://tutiura.727.net
Tsuchiura National
Fireworks Festival and Competition - Tsuchiura City
The history of the
firework festival in Tsuchiura dates back to 1925.
Pyrotechnists from all over Japan come to Tsuchiura each fall
to compete for prestigious awards.
A dazzling myriad of lights, colors, and sounds emblazons the
nighttime sky of Tsuchiura.
Public
Transportation: 20min
on foot or 7min by special buses from Tsuchiura Station on the Joban
Line. Open 18:00 -
20:30. First Saturday
of October. 0298-26-1111.
http://tutiura.727.net
Geological
Museum - Tsukuba City
The museum exhibits
rarities such as a skeleton (replica) of Desmostylus, a mammal that
inhabited the earth some 16million years ago during the Miocene
Epoch in the Third Period. A
visit to this historic museum will bring a new perspective on the
"present" earth in which you live.
Public
Transportation: 20min
by bus, 15min by taxi from Arawaoki Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:30 - 16:30. Closed
Sundays, holidays, and the first, third, and fifth Saturday of every
month, December 28 - January 3.
0298-61-3750. http://www.aist.go.jp/GSJ/cGM/museHP.html
Mount Tsukuba -
Tsukuba City
Mt. Tsukuba, or
"Mt. Tsukuba of the East," is a prodigious mountain of
Kanto, second only to the world-famous "Mt. Fuji of the
West." You can
enjoy a full panoramic view of the Kanto plains from the top of Mt.
Tsukuba, some 876m above sea level.
Getting There: Car
30min from the Joban Expressway Tsuchiura-Kita Interchange / Local
Bus 50min from Tsuchiura Station on the Kanto railroad bus bound for
Tsukuba Station. Get
off at the last stop and transfer to the bus for Tsutsujigaoka (runs
from April to November only). 25min
to the last stop. / Bus from Tokyo Station 1hour 40min on the New
Tsukubane Super-Express. 0298-36-1111
(Tsukuba Municipal Office.
http://qwww.net-ibaraki.jp/tsukuba/
The Science Museum of
Maps and Survey - Tsukuba City
The museum exhibits
items concerning the principles and history of maps and land
surveying. It also
presents advanced technologies and future prospects in the world of
cartography and land surveying.
By placing yourself on the terrestrial globe (1:200,000) and
the Earth Square, you will get the true-to-life feeling that the
earth is indisputably round.
Public
Transportation: 40min
by bus or taxi from Arakawaoki Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:30 - 16:30. Closed
Sundays, national holidays (open on national holidays that fall on
the second and fourth Saturday of the month), the first, third, and
fifth Saturday of every month, December 29 - January 3.
0298-64-6255. http://www.gsi.go.jp/MUSEUM/
Tsukuba Botanical
Garden, Research Center, Science Museum - Tsukuba City
Learn about the ecology
of plants and witness their forms in their natural state.
A visit to the garden will teach you a great deal about
botany and many of the plants and herbs used in everyday life.
Public
Transportation: 30min
by bus from Tsuchiura Station on the Joban Line.
Open 9:00 - 16:30. Closed
Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and closed
Tuesday.) Admission:
Adult 210yen / Child 60yen.
0298-51-5159. http://www.tbg.kahaku.go.jp/
Tsukuba Expo Center -
Tsukuba City
The facility has one of
the largest planetariums in the world.
Visitors can explore the state of the art technologies used
in space development projects, deep sea searches, among other
things.
Public
Transportation: 25min
by bus, 15min by taxi from Tsuchiura Station on the Joban Line.
Open March to November 10:00 - 17:00.
December to February 10:00 - 16:00.
Closed Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and
closed Tuesday), the last Tuesday of every month, occasional
unscheduled holidays. Admission:
Planetarium Adult 1,000yen / Child 500yen.
Entrance only Adult 400yen / Child 200yen.
0298-58-1100. http://www.expocenter.or.jp
Tsukuba Space Center
NASDA - Tsukuba City
NASDA plays a crucial
role in research and development of satellites and rockets.
Experimental prototypes of satellites and rockets developed
in the past stand on display in the exhibition rooms, together with
a full-size model of the Kibo (Hope), the Japanese prototype module
for the International Space Station.
Public
Transportation: 20min
by bus or taxi from Arakawaoki Station on the Joban Line.
Open 10:00 - 16:00. Guided
tours available on weekdays (reservations are necessary).
0298-52-2284. http://www.nasda.go.jp
Chateau
Kamiya - Ushiku City
The building is the
first winery ever built in Japan (1903).
Facilities include: a
library, restaurant, barbecue, kiosk, chapel, bakery, and a wine
cellar.
Public Transportation: 8min
on foot from Ushiku Station on the Joban Line.
Open Library 10:00 - 16:00.
Restaurant 11:30 - 21:00.
Kiosk, Bakery 10:00 - 18:00.
Closed December 29 to January 2.
0298-73-3151. http://www.rakuten.co.jp/chateau-kamiya
Ushiku Daibutsu -
Ushiku City
Ushiku Daibutsu is
listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the highest Buddha
statue in the world, towering a full 120m into the sky.
The elevator will take you up a good part of this supremely
tall statue (85m above ground level).
Public
Transportation: 15min
by taxi, 30min by bus from Ushiku Station on the Joban Line.
Open March to September weekdays 9:30 - 17:00.
Weekends, national holidays 9:30 - 17:30.
October to February 9:30 - 16:30.
Admission: April
to November Adult 800yen / Child 400yen.
December to March Adult 700yen / Child 400yen.
0298-89-2931. http://www.iijnet.or.jp/am/
Ibaraki
Prefectural Flower Park - Yasato Town
The park is about 30ha
in size, and is a vast paradise of flowers and greenery.
Some 30,000 roses of 500 varieties from around the world are
planted in the park, with a dabbling of some 3,500 peonies mixed in
for color. Another
3,000 tropical flowering plants are cultivated in the Grand
Greenhouse.
Public
Transportation: 30min
by bus, 20min by taxi from Ishioka Station on the Joban Line.
Open March to November 9:00 - 17:00.
December to February 9:00 - 16:00.
Closed Mondays (When Monday is a holiday, opened Monday and
closed on Tuesday). Admission:
Adult 740yen / Child 370yen.
0299-42-4111. http://flowerpark.or.jp
Placio de la Guitarra
- Yasato Town
The hall exhibits 70
exquisite guitars, including the renowned Torres Guitars, most
notably the A. Torres, lovingly played by F. Tarrega.
It is a sanctuary of the instrument, and a good place to
learn the history of the Spanish guitar.
Public
Transportation: 10min
by bus or taxi from Hatori Station on the Joban Line.
Open 11:00 - 17:00. Closed
Monday to Friday. Admission:
Adult 500yen / Child 300yen.
0299-46-2457. http://www5.ocn.ne.jp/~guitarra/
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