Local Guide
5 Ibaraki recommended classic sightseeing spots to visit with overnight stay in Tsuchiura

Ibaraki Prefecture is full of natural attractions such as Kasumigaura and Mt. Tsuchiura City, located in the southern part of the prefecture, is easily accessible from the Tokyo metropolitan area in as little as 45 minutes by train or 60 minutes by car, while Ushiku City, two train stops (about 12 minutes) from Tsuchiura Station, and Tsukuba City, a research university city, are also dotted with unique attractions. Here we introduce five classic sightseeing spots where you can encounter the variety of attractions unique to Ibaraki Prefecture.

Japan's first winery where you can feel the breath of the Meiji Era

Relief of
Relief of "bee and grape" associated with "Hachijirushikozan Budoshu" made by Denbei Kamiya

Founded by entrepreneur Denbei Kamiya, this was the first authentic wine brewery in Japan. The three magnificent red-brick Western-style buildings built in the Meiji era (1868-1912) are designated as National Important Cultural Properties of Japan. At that time, the entire process from cultivation and harvesting of 6,000 grape seedlings to winemaking and bottling of wine was conducted here, and a trolley for transporting wine ran between the site and Ushiku Station. Currently, the building with its high historical value is open to the public and operates a Tour Facility, Restaurant, and a store selling original "wine cakes".

Thinking about the footsteps of the "King of Japanese Wine

Old white oak barrels line up in the fermentation room (Kamiya Denbei Memorial Hall)
Old white oak barrels line up in the fermentation room (Kamiya Denbei Memorial Hall)

Of the three buildings, the "Kamiya Denbei Memorial Hall," which was used as a fermentation room, is an exhibition Property that can be visited free of charge. On the second floor, valuable materials such as brewing equipment of the time are on display, making the museum well worth a visit. The history and passion of Denbei Kamiya are conveyed to the present day. In the dark and cool basement cellar, old bottles of wine are piled up, creating a unique aroma and atmosphere.

Local Guide Comment
Grapes are growing well in the vineyards of Ushiku Chateau. Wine brewing and microbrewing have begun again in this area. We look forward to the taste of wine brewed in Ushiku.
Ushiku Chateau
  • Address 3-20-1 Chuo, Ushiku, Ibaraki MAP
  • Direction 25 minutes drive from JR Tsuchiura Station or 8 minutes walk from East Exit (Chateau Exit) of JR Ushiku Station
  • Business hours Property: 10:00-16:00, Restaurant: 11:30-15:00 (L.O.14:00), 17:30-21:30 (L.O.20:00), Shop: 10:00-18:00
  • Closed Year-end and New Year holidays (Restaurants and stores open on Mondays)
  • Admission Fee Admission free
  • TEL 029-873-3151, Restaurant: 029-896-3612, Shop: 029-896-3615
  • Parking Pay parking (use Times Ushiku Chuo across from Property; 60 min/100 yen, max. 300 yen/day on weekdays only)

The world's largest bronze statue of the Great Buddha watches over the Kanto Plain

Ushiku Daibutsu is 120 meters tall, about three times the size of the Statue of Liberty.
Ushiku Daibutsu is 120 meters tall, about three times the size of the Statue of Liberty.

The Daibutsu (Great Buddha) statue standing in Ibaraki Prefecture, which was the Kanto missionary base of Shinran, founder of the Jodo Shin sect of Buddhism, was completed in 1992 on the grounds of the head temple, Higashi Honganji, and is so huge that it could hold the Daibutsu of Nara in the palm of its hand. At the foot of the statue is a traditional Pure Land style garden based on "Sansui-Hiden-sho," a garden treatise from the Kamakura period, and a 20,000 m2 flower garden where visitors can enjoy picking flowers such as hazelnuts and calendulas in spring and cosmos in autumn. The pond in the "Hongan Sogon no Niwa" (Garden of Solemnity) is used for feeding carp, and the energetic carp seeking food as if they are about to land in the shallows are the talk of the town.

Tour the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss in the womb of the Great Buddha Statue

The third floor
The third floor "Lotus Storehouse World" surrounded by approximately 3,400 embryonic Buddhas.

The womb of the statue of the Great Buddha is divided into five layers, allowing visitors to view the fantastic Pure Land world. On the top floor, 85 meters above the ground, visitors can see Mt. Fuji and the Tokyo Sky Tree on a clear day, and on the second floor, the "World of Chi-on Houtoku," there are about 70 sutra chanting stations, where visitors can experience sutra chanting, and the 10 years leading up to the construction of the Great Buddha are also on display. The third floor, lined with "Tainai-butsu" (Buddha in the womb) that emits a golden light, is a solemn space where sutra chanting is performed in the morning and evening, and visitors can go out from the second floor onto the pedestal and apply gold leaf to the lotus seat of the Great Buddha.

Local Guide Comment
The "face billboard" along the approach to the statue of the Great Buddha is a valuable photo spot where you can take a two-shot with the statue of the Great Buddha by getting creative with the angle. Be sure to try your hand at photographing it.
Ushiku Great Buddha
  • Address 2083 Kuno-cho, Ushiku, Ibaraki MAP
  • Direction Approx. 26 min. by car from JR Tsuchiura Sta.
  • Direction Approx. 34 min. from JR Ushiku Stn. by Kanto Railway Bus bound for Ushiku Jyoen, and alight at Ushiku Daibutsu (Great Buddha).
  • Hours of Operation 9:30-17:00 (Sat., Sun., holidays - 17:30, Oct.-Feb. - 16:30) *Reception closes 30 minutes before each visit.
  • Closed No holidays
  • Admission Fee Admission to the Daibutsu Tainai (Tomb of the Great Buddha): 800 yen for adults, 400 yen for children (500 yen for adults, 300 yen for children for the garden only)
  • TEL 029-889-2931
  • Parking Free of charge

Lake of Rest and Relaxation with a Pleasant Breeze

The best place to view the sunset, when the surface of the lake turns madder red, is from the east bank.
The best place to view the sunset, when the surface of the lake turns madder red, is from the east bank.

After Lake Biwa, this is the second largest freshwater lake in Japan. In addition to water activities and fishing, migratory birds such as swans come to the lake in winter, delighting birdwatchers. A popular attraction from summer to autumn is the "sightseeing sailboat," which operates on the lake with its large sails puffed up. The boats are a reenactment of the traditional fishing industry of the area, and can be viewed from the "Zuihan Sen," or "companion boat," from which visitors can watch the boats at leisure. The sunset reflected on the calm surface of the water is also breathtakingly beautiful, and the view from "Tennozaki Park," which also overlooks Mount Tsukuba, is a recommended sunset spot by locals.

Cycling along the lakeside to circumnavigate Kasumigaura

Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Rinrin Road, a 180-km road that runs along the foot of Mt.
Tsukuba-Kasumigaura Rinrin Road, a 180-km road that runs along the foot of Mt.

Along the lakeside is a safe and refreshing bike path, where cyclists can be seen riding along in the breeze. The course is dotted with attractions and supportive Properties such as Locally Produced and Consumed Restaurants, Parks, and Agricultural Products Direct Selling Stands. Bicycles can be rented (reservation required) at Rin-Rin Square Tsuchiura in Tsuchiura Station and other locations, so you can enjoy the spectacular scenery even without a bicycle. There is also a "Kasumigaura wide-area cycling cruise" (limited operation) that allows visitors to bring their bicycles on board a sightseeing boat, as well as houseboats and sightseeing boats that offer a variety of fun ways to tour the lake.

Local Guide Comment
Kasumigaura is famous for wakasagi (smelt) and shiraoi (whitefish), but carp and catfish are also farmed here. Restaurants and product centers along the lakeside use them as ingredients for hamburgers and other dishes, making them a local delicacy.
Kasumigaura
  • Address Asou, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan (Tennozaki Park) MAP
  • Direction Approx. 50 min. by car from JR Tsuchiura Station (Tennozaki Park)
  • Business hours Free to visit

Learn about the forefront of space development in Kenkyu Gakuen Toshi

The 50-meter-long full-scale
The 50-meter-long full-scale "H-II rocket" was actually used for ground tests.

At JAXA, which is responsible for Japan's cutting-edge space research and development, visitors can experience space technology up close and personal, and tours are also available with guides. The real "H-II rocket" that greets visitors at Rocket Square, just outside the main gate, is a very popular photo spot. Even adults will be excited to see the 1/20th size rockets lined up in the "Space Dome," which is open to the public. Don't miss the JAXA-certified "space food" and other space goods available at the museum store.

Imagine the future of the earth as if you were an astronaut

A life-size model of the Japanese Experiment Module
A life-size model of the Japanese Experiment Module "Kibo" of the International Space Station, realistically reproduced down to the smallest detail.

We recommend the 70-minute tour (paid tour, reservation required). The tour departs on a bus and includes a guided tour of the Japanese Experiment Module Kibo's operation control room and the training area used for astronaut selection and training. At the Public Relations and Information Building, visitors can watch a video introducing JAXA and experience the acoustics of a rocket launch. Visitors can also experience the sound of a rocket being launched from 3 km away from the launch site, which is like an earth-shaking sensation that resonates through your body. By coming into contact with the real site of space development, you will feel closer to the world of the future.

Local Guide Comment
The NASA-produced official poster exhibit, which can be seen in the Public Information Building, is a hidden highlight. You can see a rare image of an astronaut dressed as a Jedi from "Star Wars.
JAXA Tsukuba Space Center (JAXA Tsukuba Space Center)
  • Address 2-1-1 Sengen, Tsukuba, Ibaraki MAP
  • Direction Approximately 18 minutes by car from JR Tsuchiura Station
  • Business Hours Space Dome is open 10:00-16:00, Museum Shop in Planet Cube is open 10:00-16:30
    Advance reservations via the website are required to visit the museum.
  • Closed Closed on regular holidays, year-end and New Year holidays (Dec. 29-Jan. 3), Property inspection days, etc.
  • Admission Fee Free admission (¥500 for tours; free for visitors under 18 years old)
  • Parking Free of charge
  • Memo Tours are suspended as of September 2021. Some exhibits may be restricted to visitors.

    Diaper changing stations available in the multipurpose restroom of the Space Dome.
    As of November 2021, tours are not available. Some exhibits may be restricted to visitors.

View the Kanto Plain from the top of a beautiful mountain

The cable car ride up to the observatory offers a spectacular view.
The cable car ride up to the observatory offers a spectacular view.

Composed of two peaks, Nantai-yama and Nyotai-yama, this mountain is a symbol of Ibaraki Prefecture. At 877 meters above sea level, it is the lowest of Japan's 100 most famous mountains, and the summit can be accessed by cable car or ropeway in a hiking mood. Take the cable car from Miyawaki Station on the side of Mt. Tsukuba Shrine to Tsukuba Summit Station, just before the summit of Mt. Miyukigahara, which stretches outside the station, is lined with souvenir stores and Dining Areas, and the free observation deck on the roof of the Koma Observatory offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the Kanto Plain.

Let's visit the mountain of faith that has been loved since ancient times!

The large bell at the Mt. Tsukuba Shrine worship hall is 108 cm in length and 138 kg in weight
The large bell at the Mt. Tsukuba Shrine worship hall is 108 cm in length and 138 kg in weight

Mt. Tsukuba has been called "Fuji in the west and Tsukuba in the east" since ancient times. The entire mountain is considered to be the deity, and is dedicated to husband and wife deities Izanagi and Izanami. The large bell and pillars in the hall of worship at Mt. Tsukuba Shrine, located halfway up the mountain, are decorated with a heart pattern called "inome. The imposing presence of the 800-year-old, 36.5-meter-high Osugi, a sacred tree, is also a highlight. The shrine grounds are also dedicated to the "Sazare-ishi" stone, which is sung in the kana-order of "Kimigayo" and "Kokin Waka Shu" (The Anthology of Ancient and Modern Japanese Poetry).

Local Guide Comment
To reach the summit of Mt. Nyotai, the highest point on Mt. Tsukuba, it is a 15-minute walk from the Tsukuba Summit Station on the cable car, or a 6-minute ride by ropeway from Tsutsujigaoka at the foot of the mountain.
Mt. Tsukuba
  • Address 1 Tsukuba, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture MAP
  • Direction Approximately 43 minutes by car from JR Tsuchiura Station (near Miyawaki Station on the Mt. Tsukuba Cable Car)
  • Business hours Mt. Tsukuba Cable Car 9:00-17:00
    Temporary service is available when there are many passengers.
  • Closed Mt. Tsukuba Cable Car: Open year-round (may be closed for maintenance during winter)
  • Admission Fee Mt. Tsukuba Cable Car Adults: 590 yen one-way, 1,070 yen round-trip
    Children: 300 yen one-way, 540 yen round-trip (free for children under 6 years old)
  • TEL 029-866-0611 (Tsukuba Kanko Railway Co.)
  • Parking Charged
  • Memo Mt. Tsukuba Shrine https://www.tsukubasanjinja.jp/
    Mt. Tsukuba Cable Car https://www.mt-tsukuba.com/

MAP

Hoshino Resorts facilities nearby
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The information in this article is current as of the date of the update. Please check before visiting as they are subject to change.