Visit

Hirasawa Kanga Ruins

The Hirasawa Kanga Ruins were established as a government office over 1,000 years ago, during the Nara (710-794) and Heian (794-1185) periods. They are designated as a national historic site.
Hirasawa is the name of the area where the ruins are located, while Kanga refers to a government office. It is believed that taxation rice was stored here.

Roughly 60 building ruins, along with traces of moats, fences, and more, have been identified as dating back to the Nara and Heian periods through archaeological excavation. Three of its buildings, each with different architectural structures, have been restored to give visitors a look into what ancient architecture was like.

Due to being near Ring Ring Road, it's a recommended place to stop by while cycling.

Mount Tsukuba Cablecar and Ropeway

The distinct twin peaks of Mount Tsukuba can be seen towering above the Kanto Plain. The peaks are known as Mount Nantai and Mount Nyotai, the male and female peaks, respectively. The summit of Mount Tsukuba is accessible by foot, cable car, or ropeway.
Mount Tsukuba Cable Car
The Mount Tsukuba Cable Car climbs 1,600 meters in elevation between Miyawaki Station and Mount Tsukuba Station at the mountain's peak. There are two colors of cable car: red and green, representing the fresh green and autumnal leaves visible from the cable car. Various events, including extended opening hours, are held during the foliage season.
Mount Tsukuba Ropeway
This Swiss-made ropeway connects Tsutsujigaoka Station and Nyotai Peak Station.

Oda Castle Ruins

Oda Castle was the residence of the Oda clan, an incredibly influential family in the area from the 12th to 17th centuries. Currently, only the ruins of the castle remain.

At the time, the Imperial Court was divided into the Northern Court in present-day Kyoto and the Southern Court in present-day Nara Prefecture. The castle was the regional headquarters for the Southern Court during the Nanbokucho period (1336-1392), a time of conflict between the two courts, and is a designated national historic site.

During the 20th century, the center of the castle was bisected by the tracks of the Tsukuba Railway.

After Tsukuba Railway became defunct in 1987, almost the entire line was redeveloped into Tsukuba Ring Ring Road. The section of the tracks that bisected Oda Castle was modified to go around outside the ruins. However, the railway tracks remain a passage cut and feature a cross-section view of the castle earthwork.

The earthwo…