Ibaraki: Places to Experience Japanese Traditions and New Cultures
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Yuki City in Ibaraki is notable for its traditional scenery. There is also a facility that offers an opportunity to travel back in time and another where visitors can enjoy beautiful flowers. From Ueno Station, these attractive locations are all located about an hour away via train!
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Tokyo, Japan
Easy Accessibility From Ueno
Yuki City, known for its tsumugi (pongee), is located in the northwestern area of Ibaraki Prefecture. It takes about an hour by train from Ueno Station, so the city is an ideal destination for a visit from Tokyo.
The tourist information center is located on the first floor of the Yuki Information + Communication Center, which is a short walk away from the station.
The center offers sightseeing information and a rental bicycle service (500 yen).
Picture courtesy of Yuinowa
From the station, it is an 8-minute walk to Yuinowa, a former kimono store with 90 years of history. It has been renovated into a co-working facility, hosting various events and attracting locals and visitors.
Visitors can also rent a haori (short Japanese coat) made from Yuki Tsumugi, a special local product. It might be fun to take a stroll in the area, wearing traditional garments.
There are two interesting spots within a 15-minute walking distance from the station: Tsumugi no Yakata and Mums.
The former consists of a gallery, displaying rolls of Yuki Tsumugi; a workshop, where participants can try weaving and dyeing; archives, exhibiting documents and weaving tools; and Yui no Mise, an information booth and gift shop.
Many buildings on the grounds are designated as tangible cultural properties by the Japanese government, making the facility worth a visit.
Mums is housed in a 100-year-old building.
It has gained fame as a bakery operating inside a tangible cultural property. Additionally, all of the products are highly rated.
Most regular customers make a reservation for their loaf of bread since it often sells out.
Picture courtesy of Mums
Other products, such as croissants and rolls filled with keema curry, are also popular.
Omi Cafe
Among the buildings owned by the Omi Family, the oldest one was built in the Edo Period. In 2016, the Japanese government designated it as a tangible cultural property. Then, it became the Omi Cafe, managed by the local sake brewery Raifuku in 2023.
Some confections and drinks are made with a dash of sake, and the interior is decorated with sake bottles.
Picture courtesy of Omi Cafe
The Sakagura Lunch Set is the most popular menu. The main dish changes seasonally or based on the restaurant's preparations for the day, so be sure to check in advance.
The retro architecture is designed simply and has a serene air. Omi Cafe has become a place of interest in Chikusei City, which neighbors Yuki City.
When the weather is fine, cats will be basking in the sun at the cafe entrance. The scene will make you want to stay for a while.
Tsukubasan Shrine
Tsukubasan Shrine, which enshrines Tsukubao no Ohkami and Tsukubame no Ohkami, is located in the middle of Mount Tsukuba. Many visitors pray for a beneficial relationship with their partners and the safety of their families.
While most people walk or drive their car to the shrine, those heading to the double peaks of Nantai-san or Nyotai-san can take the cable car or the ropeway.
It is a 10-minute ride to the peak, with great views along the way.
There is a stone that wards off evil at the right side of the worship hall. Those who purchased the yakuwari-dama should throw it hard at the stone. It is said that bad luck will disappear if the "dama" (ball) is broken into small pieces.
The yakuwari-dama can be purchased for 200 yen at the shrine office, where talismans are sold.
A Workshop in Cooperation With Wit Studio
Picture courtesy of Tsukuba Tourism and Convention Association
Since last December, the Tsukuba Tourism and Convention Association (TTCA) has been hosting events related to Spy × Family, a popular anime. The venue is the Tsukuba Geo Museum, located in Tsukubasan Gate Park at the foot of Mount Tsukuba.
The writer participated in an anime-making workshop with Wit Studio on December 23, 2023.
The studio is known for producing works such as Attack on Titan and Spy × Family. In 2017, they founded an Ibaraki office in Tsukuba City, which led to their participation in this event.
Alongside anime, these events aim to promote the facility and provide sightseeing information.
Participants will work with anime characters to learn about the history and culture of the Tsukuba area.
Picture courtesy of Tsukuba Tourism and Convention Association
The second workshop, where participants will draw characters, is scheduled on March 2, 2024.
Please note that participants will be chosen by lottery, and an entry fee is required.
The workshop is one of the events related to Spy x Family. TTCA will be working on various projects to promote the Tsukuba area, including anime collaborations.
Ibaraki Flower Park
Picture courtesy of Ibaraki Flower Park
The park first opened in 1985 and re-opened after renovations in 2021. The grounds are filled with various flowers.
There are 900 types of roses, the official flower of Ibaraki Prefecture, blooming gloriously in spring and autumn.
The facilities are designed with local motifs, and the information center employs materials such as thatch, Tsukuba stone, and Inada stone.
The park hosts various events related to plants year-round, showcasing the beauty of nature.
Rose Farm House is a restaurant that is spacious, with a panoramic view of the grounds.
The eatery serves both lunch and snacks. Most of the ingredients is produced in Yasato Town, so visitors can taste these local appeals.
Taba is a set menu consisting of five dishes. The appetizer, a salad displayed like a bouquet, is made from vegetables grown in Yasato. Pork and rice, used in the main dish, are also local ingredients, making this is an embodiment of "local production for local consumption."
The chef, who has a background in French cuisine, serves dishes that satisfy the gustatory, olfactory, and visual senses of visitors. Dining leisurely in a restaurant surrounded by nature is truly luxurious.
A street where nostalgic scenery welcomes visitors and a spacious flower park is located. There are places in Ibaraki where history and nature co-exist, something that is rare in urban areas.
It only takes about an hour from Tokyo to enter a refreshing, new world. While Ibaraki sightseeing spots may not be as famous as those in Tokyo, it might be fun to broaden one's horizons and visit Ibaraki. Since the prefecture neighbors Tokyo, it also offers easy accessibility from the metropolis.
Author: Kenko
Sponsored by Ibaraki Prefecture
Written by
Tokyo, Japan
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