Food Zen Coffee and Cup Café Elysse Hurtado Nestled beside the roadside of the busy Yuki bypass is a small, unassuming building with a bright red sign reading 'Zen',..
Culture Visiting the Ushiku Daibutsu (Great Buddha) Biankah Bailey The Ushiku Daibutsu is one of the tallest statues in Japan that many people have never heard about.
Activities Hiking up Mt. Tsukuba Joe Peters The hiking trails of Mt. Tsukuba are about 100 km (60 miles) from Tokyo, easily accessible by train or car.
Culture Visiting Ushiku Daibutsu Peter Sidell An hour north-east of Tokyo, the Ushiku Daibutsu is a towering statue of the Amida Buddha. A full hundred and twenty meters tall,..
Activities Oarai's Aquaworld Aquarium Elysse Hurtado One of the world's biggest shark collections, daily dolphin shows, and marine fun for all ages on Oarai's beautiful coast...
Activities Lake Senba, Mito Elysse Hurtado One of Mito’s landmark attractions is the beautiful Lake Senba, a part of the famous Kairakuen Park. Though it is a man-made l..
Culture Mito's Kobuntei Elysse Hurtado Finally reopened after several long months of reconstruction, Mito’s historically rich Kobuntei could be considered the jewel ..
Culture Kasama Chrysanthemum Festival 2025 Late Oct Every autumn, Ibaraki hosts the Kasama Kiku Matsuri, an amazing chrysanthemum festival in the grounds of the historic Kasama I..