IBARAKI PREFECTURE

IBARAKI PREFECTURES

Ibaraki Prefecture is along the eastern coastline of the main island of Honshu in the Kanto region. The capital city of Ibaraki Prefecture is Mito, which is famous for Kairakuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan.

IBARAKI PREFECTURE CAPITAL

Mito is about 100km northeast of Tokyo in Ibaraki Prefecture. This close proximity to Tokyo, has made location Mito a satellite city of Tokyo, with many people living in Mito and working in Tokyo. Mito is famous for three things: Kairakuen, one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan, Mito Komon, a famous ruler in 17th century, and Natto, fermented beans.

IBARAKI CASTLES

Mito Castle was a hilltop style Japanese Castle in Mito Ibaraki Prefecture. Today it is very difficult to see that Mito Castle ever existed. Mito Castle never featured large stone walls or a donjon (tower), but it did have a moat and significant earthworks including a significant cutting into the rock on the south eastern side, which today has a train line running through it. Mito Castle was also protected by cliffs on the other two sides plus the Naka River. The first castle built on the site, Baba Castle, was constructed by Baba Sukemoto around 1200AD. In 1416 the castle was captured by the Edo clan, who then enlarged and improved the castle. The name was also changed to Mito Castle. In 1590 Toyotomi Hideyoshi awarded control of Mito Castle to Satake Yoshinobu. In 1609 the Tokugawa clan established control of Mito Castle. In 1625 the castle was upgraded including the construction of a three story turret, which was destroyed by fire in 1764, along with almost all the other buildings. Two years later a new turret was built which was three stories externally and five stories internally. In 1868 a fire, which could have been related to the national conflict at the time, destroyed many of the buildings. In 1871, as a part of the Meiji Restoration Mito Castle was decommissioned. 1945 the main turret was destroyed by fire caused by an Allied bombing raid.

IBARAKI LANDMARKS

Kobuntei is a historic three-story wooden building in Kairakuen Mito. Tokugawa Nariaki ordered the construction of Kobuntei as a location to host parties for writers, artists and residents of his domain.

Kodokan, in Mito Ibaraki Prefecture, was the largest and one of the most famous schools in Japan at the time. Tokugawa Nariaki established Kodokan in 1841 as a school for Mito clan, where students learned both military arts and academics including medicine and astronomy. The main gate, the main hall 'Seicho' and Nobility Hall are designated as historic national cultural properties.

IBARAKI SHRINES

Tokiwa Jinja Shrine is a Shinto shrine in Mito Ibaraki Prefecture, next to Kairakuen. Tokiwa Jinja Shrine was established in 1868 to enshrine Tokugawa Mitsukuni and Tokugawa Nariaki.

IBARAKI GARDENS and PARKS

Kairakuen is most famous for its 3000 plum trees (the most any where in Japan) which flower in early spring. There are over 100 different varieties of plum trees in Kairakuen, which is one of the Three Great Gardens of Japan. Kairakuen is in Mito.

Kamine Park and Heiwa Street in Hitachi Ibaraki Prefecture is famous for its cherry blossom and is considered one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots.

Shizumine Park, in Nakashi in Ibaraki Prefecture, is most famous for its cherry blossom being considered one of Japan's Top 100 Cherry Blossom Spots.