Ibaraki Prefecture

Where is Ibaraki?

Ibaraki Prefecture is part of the Kanto region on Honshu, the main island of Japan.

It borders Fukushima Prefecture to the north, Tochigi Prefecture to the east and Saitama and Chiba Prefectures to the south.

The east coast of the prefecture faces the Pacific Ocean.

The city of Mito is the prefectural capital and Ibaraki forms part of the Kanto region of Japan and is part of the Greater Tokyo metropolitan area.

What is Ibaraki known for?

Ibaraki Prefecture is home to Lake Kasumigaura, the second largest lake in Japan. Originally a lagoon, the lake was disconnected from the Pacific Ocean in 1963 and is now a popular location for sport fishing and sailing.

The prefecture is also home to Mount Tsukuba. This mountain is known for its double peaks called Nyotai-san and Nantai-san which are said to be where Izanagi-no-Mikoto and Izanami-no-Mikoto, the Gods who created Japan, are enshrined.

Ibaraki is often listed in Japanese polls as one of the least popular tourist destinations in the country, however, the prefecture does draw a large number of domestic tourists from the Kanto region attracted to the area as a sporting destination.

The coast of Ibaraki offers year-round surfing and clean beaches while further inland the prefecture contains a large number of golf courses.

Ibaraki is also an important location with regards to Aikido, with the Iwama-style of the martial art originating there.

Aiki Jinja (Aikido Shrine)
Aiki Jinja (Aikido Shrine)

Where should I visit in Ibaraki?

The city of Mito is home to Kairakuen Garden, one of Japan’s “Top 3” traditional gardens. It is known for its 3,000 plum trees and a plethora of paths through areas of cedar trees and bamboo.

The garden also offers a great view of the nearby Semba Lake and Park which is especially popular in mid-spring during the cherry blossom season.

Ushiku Daibutsu, in the small city of Ushiki, is a 120m tall statue of the Buddha. This is the largest Buddha statue in Japan and was the tallest statue in the world between 1993 (when it was built) and 2008.

Aqua World Oarai is regarded as one of the best aquariums in Japan. Located on the Pacific coast, the aquarium is known for dolphin shows and is famous for its collection of sunfish.

Dolphins at Aqua World Oarai
Aqua World Oarai

Hitachi Seaside Park is a nature park known for its world famous flower installations with flower displays that change through out the year depending on the season. The park also attracts sports tourists as around one third of the park is dedicated to sports including BMX, disc golf and mini-golf.

Visitors interested in science and space are well catered for in Tsukuba.

Tsukuba Space Center is a JAXA (the Japanese space agency) research center with a number of free exhibits and guided tours through out the day.

The exhibits focus on Japan’s rockets, satellites, and involvement with the International Space Station.

The Tsukuba Expo Center is home to a planetarium as well as displays covering robots and undersea vehicles.

The expo center is most well known for the large model of a H2 rocket stood outside as well as a famous organ-playing robot.

When is the best time to visit Ibaraki?

Ibaraki Prefecture sees changing weather conditions throughout the year as the climate in coastal Japan creates four distinct seasons.

Spring (April to May) sees a progressive increase in the temperature as well as moderate rainfall. The cherry blossom season starts in early-mid Spring.

Summer (June to August) brings higher temperatures but frequent rain during the rainy season in which usually starts in June/July.

The typhoon season usually runs from mid-summer to early autumn and as a coastal prefecture, Ibaraki may be affected in the event of a typhoon.

Kairakuen Garden in Winter
Kairakuen Garden in Winter

Autumn (September to November) is generally dry with occasional rain showers and mild temperatures similar to spring.

Winter (December to February) is typically dry and cold with snowfall occurring in mountainous areas of the prefecture.

All Events in Ibaraki