Discover the best travel guides, tips, and experiences for Ibaraki
Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki is holding its "Kochia Carnival" from September 18 to November 3, 2026, with around 40,000 kochia turning autumn shades of red across Miharashi Hill, seasonal flowers, family events, and kochia-themed treats. Free admission days fall on September 21, 26, and 27.
Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium is renovating its free-zone food court under the concept Head Out to the Pacific, reopening in March 2027 with sweeping ocean views as the aquarium celebrates its 25th anniversary. The food court and multipurpose space will be closed from November 1, 2026 through mid-March 2027 for the renewal.
A Bandai Namco character goods corner called Bandai Namco Cross Spot is set to open inside TSUTAYA Aeon Town Mito Minami in Ibaraki Prefecture on September 18, 2026 — marking the concept's first appearance inside a bookstore in the prefecture.
Bandai Namco Experience and Bandai Namco Amusement are opening the Gashapon Bandai Official Shop inside TSUTAYA AEON Town Mito Minami, part of the AEON Town Mito Minami shopping center in Ibaraki, Ibaraki Prefecture, on September 18, 2026 (Friday).
BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts is holding "Sweet Marron Time" from September 1 to November 30, 2026, letting guests enjoy Ibaraki's top-producing chestnuts through an arrival tea set, a nightcap Mont Blanc, a wake-up smoothie, and a chestnut-themed lottery.
One of the three great festivals of Kanto, the Hitachinokuni Sosha-gu Reitaisai, known locally as the Ishioka Festival, takes place over four days from September 15 to 21, 2026, in Ishioka City, Ibaraki, with grand mikoshi, dashi floats, and lion dance floats parading through the historic old town.
Cafe & Bar Plaza at Mito Plaza Hotel in Ibaraki is hosting Evening High Tea Autumn on Fridays and Saturdays from September 4 to November 28, 2026, pairing a three-tiered stand of seasonal dishes with a choice between a 90-minute standard plan and a 120-minute premium plan featuring craft beer and sake.
Fukuroda Onsen Omoide Romankan in Daigo, Ibaraki Prefecture, is holding an "Apple Event" from October 1, 2026 through March 31, 2027, featuring its popular apple bath scented with local Okukuji apples along with an apple-themed welcome treat at check-in.
This year's Welcome Garden atop Miharashi Hill at Hitachi Seaside Park has doubled in size, filling the hillside with 31 varieties of marigolds, celosia, and other colorful flowers that are expected to stay in bloom through late October.
Giant Titanbicus flowers, up to 25 cm across, are blooming near the Kaihin-guchi / Kaze no Gate and around the BMX course flower field at Hitachi Seaside Park, creating a tropical, resort-like scene through late August.
The Kasama Noryo Bon Odori Fireworks Festival expanded to two days for the first time in 2026, drawing a combined total of over 15,000 visitors to Kasama Oike Park for dancing, live music, food stalls, and fireworks.
From August 21 to October 15, 2026, Cafe & Bar Plaza inside Mito Plaza Hotel in Ibaraki is serving a limited-time Muscat Afternoon Tea Set for ¥4,800 per person, featuring Shine Muscat grapes delivered fresh from Honda Vineyard in Hitachiota alongside a tasting flight of the vineyard's recommended seasonal varieties and classic British scones.
CRAVIA Co., Ltd. has opened 玉光堂 AEON Mall Tsukuba, the first Japanese franchise store for the popular Korean lifestyle brand ARTBOX, inside AEON Mall Tsukuba in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Billed as Japan's lowest-budget bon odori festival, Tsukuba Kids Bon Odori 2026 comes to Kenkyu Gakuen Ekimae Park in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, on August 1, 2026, with a live stage, a kids' DJ booth, food trucks, workshops, and hand-held fireworks, all free to attend.
Aquaworld Oarai in Ibaraki is filling summer 2026 with seasonal programs, including its renewed Dolphins and Sea Lions Ocean Live show, a summer version of the sardine display IWASHI LIFE, the "Matsuri Aquaworld" festival with themed exhibits and food, a Sumikko Gurashi collaboration, and Saturday night openings, running from July 16 through September 23.
Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki is holding its "Tobikkiri! Summer Fair" from July 18 to August 31, 2026, featuring expanded kochia and flower gardens, a three-part water play area, hands-on summer events, and cool seasonal treats.
For two days only, July 7 and 8, 2026, the wellness resort Tenku no Niwa Amamu in Takahagi, Ibaraki will open its usually guests-only Hydrangea Plaza to the public for free, showcasing around 4,200 hydrangea plants across more than 40 varieties in full bloom on a 500-meter-high plateau.
From July 1 to August 20, 2026, Cafe & Bar Plaza inside Mito Plaza Hotel in Ibaraki is serving a limited-time Peach Afternoon Tea Set for ¥4,800 per person, featuring peach-forward sweets including a whole-peach dessert, Mirabelle tart, cold peach-yogurt soup, and classic British scones.
Komorebi Mori no Ibaraido in Inashiki, Ibaraki is hosting the Forest Gourmet Picnic 2026 on July 11 and 12, 2026, bringing together 22 food truck vendors and offering special discounted admission for the event period.
The spectacular mass jump of Silver Carp (Hakuren) has been observed again this year on the Tone River in Goka Town, Ibaraki Prefecture — a breathtaking annual natural phenomenon that draws observers from June to July.
The "Kaori no Tani" (Fragrance Valley) herb garden at Kokuei Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki is entering its lavender peak, with approximately 550 Grosso lavender plants expected to bloom from June 20 to July 4, 2026.
Aquaworld Ibaraki Prefectural Oarai Aquarium is hosting a photo session with the Little Shark's Day Out character on July 11, 2026, as part of the ongoing collaboration event running through July 13.
Kawasaki Motors Japan hosted the first-ever Ninja Team Green Cup race at Tsukuba Circuit on June 21, 2026, drawing 25 Ninja ZX-25R riders of all skill levels to the iconic Ibaraki track.
Hotel Nikko Tsukuba will hold a Makers' Dinner on August 8, 2026, combining a brewery tour at Tsukuba Brewery's Tsukuba Mountain foothills facility with a special five-course French pairing dinner at Restaurant Serena.
Around 40,000 kochia plants are being hand-planted one by one at Miharashi Hill, with planting expected to wrap up around July 4. A public participation event is also scheduled for June 27.
Hanahatazao, an endangered plant listed as Critically Endangered (Category I) by Japan's Ministry of the Environment, is currently in bloom at the Dune Area of National Hitachi Seaside Park in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Starting June 4, Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium — home to Japan's largest variety of shark species — is running a rainy season event packed with special exhibits, a sea lion weather forecast, and exclusive gifts for young visitors on rainy days.
Marking its 25th anniversary, Mito Plaza Hotel in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture is set to unveil a new garden stage called "PLAZA GARDEN," designed around the concept of a forest-blessed celebration space.
Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium — Japan's top aquarium for the number of shark species on display — is now exhibiting Australian swellshark eggs for the first time. The egg cases stand out for their beautiful wavy surface patterns, quite unlike the smooth shells of other local shark eggs.
BROOKS GREENLIT CAFE in Minami-Aoyama, Tokyo, is hosting two limited-time summer fairs — a plant-based ice cream collection featuring 28 varieties from six brands across Japan, plus fermented soda floats made with _SHIP KOMBUCHA.
The Dolphin & Sea Lion Ocean Live at Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium has been completely renewed from March 12, 2026. Two programs are now on offer — a daytime story-driven show and a night-only program — both blending light, sound, and video with live animal performances.
Two special events are set to take place at National Hitachi Seaside Park on May 10, 2026 — a local PR fair showcasing the charm of Hitachinaka, Oarai, and Tokai, and a large-scale hula exhibition featuring 15 performing groups. The park will also offer free admission on that day.
A collaboration event between the popular anime Odekake Kozame and Aqua World Oarai, Japan's aquarium with the greatest variety of shark species, runs from May 14 to July 13, 2026.
Cafe & Bar Plaza at Mito Plaza Hotel in Ibaraki is hosting a Japanese-style Evening High Tea on Fridays and Saturdays throughout May 2026, featuring seasonal Japanese appetizers, a main dish, and a 90-minute all-you-can-drink service.
BEB5 Tsuchiura by Hoshino Resorts is hosting the inaugural "Melon Marugoto Summer Festival" from July 15 to August 31, 2026, transforming its TAMARIBA public space into a summer festival venue featuring melon-skin lanterns, melon-themed food stalls, and exclusive merchandise activities.
Mito Plaza Hotel in Ibaraki Prefecture is set to open "Plaza Garden," a new outdoor space nestled in its lush forested grounds, in June 2026, coinciding with the hotel's 25th anniversary.
Kasuminoura Nagomi, a lakeside ryokan in Itako City, Ibaraki, now offers THE MIST GAME — an exclusive murder mystery experience that turns the entire inn into a stage, available as an overnight stay or day-trip plan.
The nemophila flowers at Miharashi Hill in Hitachi Seaside Park are entering their 30% bloom stage from April 4, with peak bloom expected around April 16 — about two days earlier than usual.
Starting April 1, 2026, visitors can purchase a combined pre-sale entry ticket for both Hitachi Seaside Park and Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium exclusively through Seven Ticket at 7-Eleven stores nationwide.
Kasama in Ibaraki Prefecture is known for its autumn chestnut harvest and chrysanthemum festival, but spring is equally spectacular, with cherry blossoms and azaleas transforming the mountains into a vivid floral landscape.
Oarai Park Hotel in Oarai, Ibaraki has reopened after a full renovation in March 2026, featuring redesigned guestrooms and seven newly built private sauna and jacuzzi suites under the theme "Revival of Elegance."
Glass artist Naomi Shioya presents an exhibition of sculptural works at the Joyo Historical Archives Art Spot in Mito City, running from April 1 to May 30, 2026. Admission is free.
Starting April 1st, 2026, a limited-time combo ticket will be available for two of Ibaraki's top spring attractions—Aquaworld Oarai aquarium and Hitachi Seaside Park, famous for its stunning nemophila fields.
Aquaworld Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium is launching a completely redesigned Dolphins and Sea Lions Ocean Live show featuring synchronized twin jumps, a massive screen, and live camera feeds starting March 12, 2026, alongside a renewed souvenir shop.
The Ishikari Fair showcases Hokkaido's specialty foods and tourism information at Coach & Four stores in Inagi, Tokyo and Tsukuba, Ibaraki from February 20 to March 25, 2026.
A new dining concept celebrating Ibaraki's natto culture opens at Excel Minami, offering authentic natto set meals at lunch and a community bar experience in the evenings.
Bird lovers can enjoy TORIFES festivals in Kyoto on February 21-22 and in Mito on February 28 to March 1, 2026, coinciding with the beautiful plum blossom viewing season in both cities.
At Hitachi Seaside Park's Miharashi Hill, the removal of frost protection sheets began on February 10th. The sheets that protected the young Nemophila plants from winter's cold are being removed, revealing the green plants underneath and signaling the approach of spring.
The Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum presents the largest-ever exhibition showcasing Yoshida Shoya's innovative mingei designs, featuring 297 works including furniture, ceramics, textiles, and everyday objects from March 14 to June 21, 2026.
The special Kairakuen Plum Hand Cream will be available for purchase at three locations during the 130th anniversary Mito Plum Blossom Festival, held from February 11 to March 22, 2026.
Ginza Tairaku Tanggao, known for fluffy Taiwanese castella made with authentic methods and premium Japanese ingredients, opens a pop-up shop at Mito Keisei Department Store from February 6 to 12, 2026.
Plus One Education announces a hands-on day tour at Komorebi Mori no Ibaride theme park in Ibaraki, featuring craft-making, authentic pizza cooking, and playground activities for kindergarteners to elementary students.
Hitachi Seaside Park hosts popular winter bird watching sessions on January 24th and February 28th. The park also features a new exhibition introducing wild birds and bird watching for beginners.
Cafe & Bar Plaza at Mito Plaza Hotel presents "Strawberry Afternoon Tea Set Vol.2" from February 1 to March 14, 2026, featuring unique sweets and a tasting of three varieties of locally-sourced Ibaraki strawberries.
Chocosil, a chocolate shop and cafe in Tsukuba, Ibaraki, celebrates its first anniversary on January 23, 2026, with a special three-day campaign featuring free products, discount tickets, and limited-edition lucky bags filled with popular chocolate items.
Takagi Coffee introduces a limited-time seasonal menu featuring homemade nama chocolate in pancakes, smoothies, and hazelnut lattes, available from January 16th at 9 locations across Japan.
Hitachi Seaside Park's iconic "Ice Tulips" will reach full bloom starting January 6, 2026. This winter spectacle features 15,500 tulips across two locations, offering colorful displays through late January.
Ibaraki Prefecture is holding a stamp rally collaboration with the TV anime The Apothecary Diaries from October 25, 2025, to January 18, 2026, featuring 10 tourist spots across the prefecture with original mini-character stamps of Maomao and Jinshi.
Ofuro Cafe 13th location will open at the botanical resort, featuring co-ed saunas, local cuisine, and relaxation facilities in Ibaraki Prefecture.
Summary Oarai, located in Ibaraki is a coastal town known for its scenic beaches, fresh seafood, and the iconic Oarai Isosaki Shrine. With its tranquil atmosphere, visitors can enjoy seaside strolls, explore the local fish market, and experience the cultural charm of this beautiful coastal destination! This time, my friend and I decided to visit […]