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teamLab: Hidden Traces of Rice Terraces

Opened in 2024, the "Hidden Traces of Rice Terraces" is an interactive art exhibition set in the forest and on the former terraced rice fields of Kitaibaraki City, near the Izura Coast.

The exhibition is one of teamLab's Digitized Nature projects, which aims to transform nature into art.
Visitors will enjoy an immersive journey while exploring a mystical forest woven with light and music, along with various exhibits.

The highlight is the "Hidden Traces of Rice Terraces " Numerous lights appear on the water's surface of the terraced fields, and on the 'Water Mirror Path through the Hidden Rice Terraces", visitors can experience walking as if floating on water.
Glamping facilities and cottages, where guests can enjoy hot springs surrounded by art and nature, are also located nearby.

Takadokohama Beach

This scenic spot, located on the northern side of Ibaraki, features two inlets nestled between steep sea cliffs.

The beach is one of the "100 Best Seaside Spots in Japan" and is also known as an excellent location for viewing the sunrise. On clear nights, it is ideal for stargazing, as it is far from urban areas.
While swimming is not allowed, the beach is home to small crabs and sea anemones, making it perfect for exploring the tide pools in the summer.

As Takadokohama Beach is popular with tourists and photographers, visiting on weekdays is recommended.

Hanazono Shrine

Hanazono Shrine, founded in 795, is surrounded by the lush greenery of the mountains and the sound of babbling streams.
The buildings feature motifs of the monkey deity worshipped at the shrine. As you climb the stairs to the main hall, you'll find a wooden carving of the ""Three Wise Monkeys"" — ""See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Speak No Evil."" Uniquely, one eye, one ear, and the mouth are covered with only the right hand, a rare depiction.
Around the shrine, tall stone pines and cedars, over 500 years old, stand proudly. A large cedar with a hump, known as ""kobu-sugi,"" is said to bring good luck to those hoping for a child.
There is also an 800-year-old sacred cedar tree with a trunk that splits into three, along with other mysterious sights around the shrine.
Every year, the grounds are illuminated during the autumn foliage season, making the buildings and the small waterfall in the precincts appear even more magical.

Daikumachi

Located in Mito City, historically associated with the Mito Tokugawa family (one of the three main Tokugawa clans), Daikumachi is one of the vibrant downtown districts in the northern Kanto area. The name "Daikumachi" comes from the fact that many carpenters ("daiku" in Japanese) lived in the town ("machi" in Japanese) during the period when the area was a castle town of Mito Castle.

Here, more than 300 establishments, including Japanese, Western, and Chinese eateries, snack bars, and bars, are clustered together, creating a lively atmosphere at night. It is home to many restaurants serving Mito's local cuisine, such as eel and anko-nabe (monkfish hot pot), as well as long-established historic ryotei (Japanese-style restaurants). Visitors can also experience the culture of "ozashiki" (a form of traditional banquet arrangement) with performances by geisha-like entertainers from the Mito Performing Artists Association, dressed in traditional Japanese attire.

Suzuki Mohei Shoten Shop

Suzuki Mohei Shoten, established in 1865, is one of the Suifu chochin (paper lantern) manufacturers.
Suifu chochin (with the name Suifu coming from the old name of Mito City) is a traditional craft of the city which originated about 400 years ago when low-ranking samurai, to support their livelihood, began making folding paper lanterns from high-grade, durable Nishinouchi paper produced in the northern part of the prefecture.
Suzuki Mohei Shoten makes lanterns not only for traditional events, but also modern-style lanterns for interior use, including lanterns with unique shapes like birds and stars, as well as those with a sound-sensor lighting function.
In addition to selling products the shop also offers a hands-on experience of making a Suifu chochin, a workshop rarely available at other manufacturers.
Please ensure to make a reservation in advance if you wish to participate.

Kasumigaura Dobutsu to Minna no Ie

Kasumigaura Doubutsu to Minna no Ie is a facility located on the shore of Lake Kasumigaura in Namegata City. It opened in July 2024 after large-scale renovations and redevelopment of a former public facility.
Here, visitors can not only see the animals but also interact with them. The modern architectural complex is divided into indoor and outdoor areas, where visitors can encounter a variety of animals, including giraffes, alpacas, capybaras, penguins, tortoises, sheep, goats, and sloths.
The surrounding area of the facility also offers various activities throughout the year, including barbecues, shopping for local products, cycling, and camping.
*Some activities require a reservation.

Ikisu Shrine

Ikisu Shrine, along with Kashima Jingu Grand Shrine (Ibaraki Prefecture) and Katori Jingu Grand Shrine (Chiba Prefecture), has long been revered as one of the most powerful spiritual sites in the Kanto region—the "Three Shrines of the East."
With a history spanning over 1,200 years, Ikisu Shrine enshrines Kunado-no-Kami (the God of good fortune, protection from evil spirits, travel safety, and wells) as its main deity, alongside Ama-no-Torifune-no-Kami (the God of travel safety) and Sumiyoshi-Sanjin (the Gods of maritime protection).
Additionally, the Oshioi spring, located on the shrine grounds, is one of Japan's three sacred springs and is believed to be beneficial. It is said that if a woman drinks the spring water from a man's bottle and a man drinks from a woman's bottle, the two will be united.
*Currently, the water from the Oshioi spring cannot be consumed directly from the well. However, visitors can draw water from chozuya (a traditional water basin for …

Suigo-Itako Iris Garden

The Suigo-Itako Iris Garden, covering an area of approximately 1.3 hectares, is located along the river in Itako City. Every year, from late May to late June, around 1 million irises of 500 varieties bloom in full glory. At the Suigo-Itako Iris Festival, held during the blooming season, visitors can experience the traditional culture of Itako City.
In the past, robune (Japanese rowboat) were commonly used in Itako City, much like private vehicles for traveling along the waterways. These boats were also used for a wedding tradition— to bring a bride to her husband's home. Today, the Yomeiribune (bride boat), which recreates this tradition, is a popular event held during the festival. Visitors can also enjoy robune tours and the Ayame Dance.

In addition to irises, the park also features seasonal flowers such as cherry blossoms, azaleas, wisteria, and hydrangeas.

Mito Daishi Rokujizoji Temple

Founded in 807, Mito Daishi Rokujizoji Temple has long been known as a sacred place for safe childbirth and child-rearing. It is especially popular during the Japanese tradition of omiyamairi, a ceremony held around 30 days after a child’s birth to pray for lifelong health and good fortune, drawing parents and children from across the Kanto region.
It is the family temple of the Shogunate and the Mito Tokugawa family and is one of the best spots in Ibaraki Prefecture to see the cherry blossoms that bloom from mid-March to early April. Approximately 50 weeping cherry trees are in full bloom, including a 200-year-old weeping cherry tree that is said to be a descendant of a tree admired by Tokugawa Mitsukuni, the second Daimyo (feudal lord) of the Mito Domain. There are also other ancient trees on the temple grounds, such as a giant cedar and ginkgo estimated to be around 1,000 years old. Seasonal flowers and foliage adorn the temple throughout the year, creating a stunningly bea…

Aoki Sake Brewery

Founded in 1831, Aoki Sake Brewery is currently the only sake brewer in Koga City that performs all of the operations from brewing the sake to selling and also continues to preserve the local flavor. The building, a merchant-style structure with a doma (earthen-floor entrance), is over 100 years old, and the red brick walls, common in Koga—a region historically known for brick production—create a nostalgic atmosphere, as if stepping back in time. Sake made from local rice such as Nipponbare and Hitachi-Nishiki, grown in the rich soil of Ibaraki Prefecture, all have a crisp taste and have won them numerous awards in Japan.
There is also a store, and you can visit the brewery and taste the sake, so please inquire in advance.

Shunpu Banriso

Shunpu Banriso is a 300-square-meter thatched-roof private house that was the residence of Kitaoji Rosanjin, a famous Japanese artist active from the late 19th to mid-20th century in many fields including pottery, calligraphy, and cooking, and was moved from Kita-Kamakura.

Some rooms inside the house were personally designed by Rosanjin. The facility also displays furniture handmade by Rosanjin and his favorite items. The vast garden around is lush with cherry blossoms, azaleas, maples, irises, and many other plants and trees, offering scenery that changes with the seasons.

In addition, a private lunch is served in the Nagayamon (one of the traditional Japanese gates) by reservation only. It is available for one group per day, with a maximum of 7 people. Please call to make a reservation at least two days in advance.

Coworking & Café Yuinowa

Coworking & Café Yuinowa is a coworking space and café renovated from a 90-year-old former kimono store, and it also offers activities such as walking around town in a Yuki-tsumugi Haori (traditional Japanese jacket).

Yuki-tsumugi is the oldest silk fabric in Japan with a history of over 2,000 years, produced mainly in Yuki City, and is registered as an UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

You can experience Japanese culture on a deeper level by renting a Haori made from precious materials and strolling through the nostalgic streets lined with shops selling local products, stylish cafés, and sake breweries. Please inquire about rentals in advance via the facility's website.