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2025.09.011-Day Hitachinaka Tour: Minato Industrial Festival, Kochia at Hitachi Seaside Park, Hoshiimo Shrine & Scenic Local Train Ride A new bus tour will take place on October 19, welcoming both local and international visitors. Departing from within the prefecture, the tour features a ride on the Hitachinaka Seaside Railway, which is planned for extension, a visit to the Minato Industrial Festival at Nakaminato Fish Market, and stops at other attractions in Hitachinaka City, including Hitachi Seaside Park and the Hoshiimo (Dried Sweet Potato) Shrine. Kochia (Summer Cypress): The autumn symbol of Hitachi Seaside Park, the annual plant Kochia, usually starts changing from green to red gradually in early October. By mid-October, the entire Mihama no Oka Hill is vividly covered in red. This one-day tour includes a two-hour stay in the park, giving participants plenty of time to fully enjoy its stunning autumn scenery. Minato Industrial Festival: Held once a year at Nakaminato Fish Market, one of the Kanto region’s most famous markets attracting around one million visitors annually, the Minato Industrial Festival is a popular event featuring local products, agricultural goods, commercial items, and food and drinks. Participants will be also served mackerel fish ball soup prepared by female members of the Nakaminato Fisheries Cooperative while exploring the fish market. Hoshiimo (Dried Sweet Potatoes) Shrine: Ibaraki Prefecture is Japan’s top producer of hoshiimo (dried sweet potatoes), with Hitachinaka City as its most prominent production area. Built in 2019, the row of golden torii gates at Hoshiimo Shrine has become a popular spot on social media. Because the word “hoshiimo” sounds similar to “hoshii mono” (“something you desire”) in Japanese, the shrine is said to grant visitors the ability to “obtain everything they wish for,” attracting many guests from both Japan and abroad. Hitachinaka Seaside Railway: Traveling through Ibaraki’s expansive landscape by local train is a unique experience. The Hitachinaka Seaside Railway operates a 14.3 km line between JR Katsuta Station and Ajigaura Station in Hitachinaka City. After overcoming the threat of temporary closure, the railway is now a beloved mode of transportation by local residents. In the future, the line is scheduled to be extended to Hitachi Seaside Park. “Minato Takomeshi” Bento Lunch: Hitachinaka City is also known as Japan’s top producer of boiled octopus (“tako” in Japanese). On this tour, participants will enjoy “Minato Takomeshi” bento for lunch. The tender boiled octopus atop seasoned rice is not to be missed. Sunday, October 19, 2025 9:00 at the South Exit of Mito Station, near Hotel Terrace the Garden Mito (drop-off location is the same) 18:00, October 19, 2025Tour Highlights:
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