Tag Ibaraki

Welcome back to another off-of-the-beaten-path adventure in Japan. This time, we’ll be taking a look at Oiwa Shrine. Located up in northernmost part of Ibaraki Prefecture, this sanctum has existed deep in the mountains of the Hitachi Alps since ancient…

Dear reader, allow me to begin this one with an intriguing folktale. According to this legend, back in the early mists of time, a deity descended from the heavens. Seeking a place to spend the night, this divine being beseeched…

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…

And… we are off on another adventure! In this article we’ll take a look at one of my favorite hidden gems, Kashima Jingu. Much like Nagoya’s Atsuta Jingu, this ancient shrine hides a long-forgotten legacy. The shrine lays claim to…

Today, we will be journeying back up north to the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture for a hidden gem that is often overlooked, the city of Mito. Though firmly located off the beaten path, Mito is by no means a “countryside”…