Ibaraki
The wide suburb in the north-east of Tokyo
Ibaraki is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kanto area, on the eastern side of the main island Honshu. Connecting Tokyo and the Tohoku region, it is characterized by a more than 200 kilometers long coastal line on the Pacific Ocean.
Ibaraki is an industrialized area harboring the city of Hitachi, from which originates the famous eponymous company. It is also an agricultural land, which produces, among other things, bell peppers and Chinese cabbages that all Japan enjoy. But what makes the reputation of Ibaraki is wara nattô, a dish of fermented soybeans wrapped in straw.
Top destinations in Ibaraki Prefecture
Mito, the capital and largest city of Ibaraki Prefecture offer various attractions:
- Kairaku-en, one of the most beautiful gardens of Japan,
- Kodokan, a school established by Tokugawa’s clan branch in Mito, very influential during Meiji restoration,
- Hitachi Seaside Park, an immense flowery park on the shore of the Pacific Ocean.
Other interesting places are worth mentioning:
- Ushiku with the tallest Buddha statue in the world (120 meters high),
- Tsukuba Space Center, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)’s space education center,
- Lake Kasumigaura, the second largest lake of Japan after Lake Biwa, with stunning natural landscapes and fishing activities.
The prefecture is conveniently served by trains 🚅 from the greater Tokyo area, and it is even possible to land at the small Ibaraki Airport.
However, for a more convenient exploration of the area, we recommend the use of a rental car 🚙.