Last Updated: Apr 7, 2024

Ibaraki Prefecture

A Complete Primer to this Part of Japan

This story was originally published on donnykimball.com and has been syndicated here on Medium.

Ibaraki gets a bit of a bad rap both overseas and in Japan. You see, though the prefecture is indeed home to a wide selection of great allures, there’s nothing that is so iconic that it entirely justifies a visit in and of itself. Perhaps a baseball metaphor says it best; Ibaraki’s attractions are a set of solid base hits. When taken in aggregate, they constitute a win but they lack the sex appeal of a one-off grand slam. In contrast to a prefecture such as Nara, with its widely recognizable deer park, Ibaraki hasn’t had the opportunity to develop much brand awareness overseas.

Before I give you the opportunity to retort, “But Donny, what about Hitachi Seaside Park?” understand that this gorgeous nature sanctuary is likely the only exception to the above. Furthermore, Hitachi Seaside Park is also typically considered a seasonal destination when the much celebrated azure nemophila are in bloom ( pictured above). Outside of this relatively brief period, few foreign tourists ever make it a priority to visit Hitachi Seaside Park. As we will see though, this is a real shame as the estate is truly quite beautiful all year-round.

So, without any further ado, let’s get on with the show. Know that this composition, like all of my other…