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Hitachi Seaside Park & Kairakuen Garden Customized Tour
This tour will take you to two of the biggest tourist attractions in Ibaraki Prefecture in one day. Hitachi Seaside Park is famous for its vast garden where you can enjoy seasonal flowers. On the other hand, Kairakuen Garden is a garden created in the center of Mito City more than 180 years ago, where you can enjoy the world of Japanese such as plum forests and bamboo forests. I will also guide you to other attractive spots in the center of Mito City.
Meeting Point
At your hotel in Mito city, Hitachi-naka city, Hitachi city or Iwaki city
- I will pick you up at your hotel.
JR Katsuta Station
Katsuta is the nearest station to the seaside park.
From here, we’ll take a bus to the seaside park.
(From Tokyo)
If you take the limited express Hitachi that departs from Tokyo Station at 7:52 am, you will arrive at Katsuta Station at 9:25 am.
(From Mito)
It takes just 6 minutes by local train.
Hitachi Seaside Park
I will guide you through the seasonal flower garden of the park, which boasts an area of 300 hectares. Sunflowers and green broom grass (kochia) are popular in August. Let's go to the Miharashi Hill area. Admire the majestic views of the Pacific Ocean from the top of the hill.
JR Mito Station and surrounding area (Kodokan school, etc)
The old town of Mito, the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, is located on a plateau surrounded by large rivers and lakes.
In the Edo period, there was Mito Castle around Mito Station, where feudal lords lived. Many of the buildings were destroyed by fire, but some buildings and moats still remain. The Mito clan focused on education and founded a large clan school called Kodokan at the end of the Edo period. Let's take a short walk through the area where you can taste the world of 200 years ago.
Central Mito (Lunch)
Have a meal at a restaurant in a department store in the central commercial area of Mito. Since it is located on a hill, you can see the cityscape and unique terrain of Mito. I recommend pasta dishes from local chains, but there are also other dishes such as Japanese food and soba noodles. Taste your favorite dishes.
Basically, you don't visit this area on a bus tour, so you can see the daily life of the locals.
Kairakuen Garden
This park was created more than 180 years ago by Nariaki, the lord of the Mito Domain. It is said to be one of the three famous gardens in Japan. Nariaki created a place of relaxation that could be enjoyed not only by the high class such as samurai, but also by the common people. Kairaku means to have fun with the citizens. On this private tour, we will follow the wishes of the feudal lord who is the designer, and enter through the main gate and taste the world of yin(Darkness) first and then the world of yang(Brightness). Please enjoy the spectacular view from the old buildings in the park.
By the way, the Mito clan is a relative of the shogun family of Edo, and the first lord of the Mito domain is the grandson of the first shogun Ieyasu. Also, the son of Nariaki, who created this park, is the last shogun, Yoshinobu.
JR Mito Station
Send-off.
If you take the express Hitachi that departs at Mito at 4:27 pm, you will arrive at Tokyo at 5:43 pm.
Ending Point
JR MIto Station
Want to personalize this tour?
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Inclusions & Exclusions
guide fee, round trip transportation fee to the meeting point(Mito area) for guide.
tansportation fee (you and guide),lunch and entrance fee (you and guide)
*Transportation costs about 1,800 yen ~ 2,000 yen per person.
*Entrance Fees：Seaside Park 450 yen, Kodokan (domain school) 300 yen, Kairakuen Park (including Kobuntei admission fee) 380 yen.
*Approximate lunch fee: 1,500 yen ~ 2,500 yen.
Tour Important Information
* This tour involves a lot of walking, so make sure to wear comfortable shoes.
* Please let me know in advance if you have any food allergies or other dietary restrictions.
* During heavy rains or when the flowers are not in bloom, I would guide you to one of the following three areas instead of the seaside park.
(1) Naka-minato & Oarai town (Seaside Area)
・Fish Market, Aquarium, Isosaki Shrine (A divine torii gate standing on a rock on the coast.)
(2) Mito Station South Area
・Museum of Modern Art, Plum Wine Brewery
(3) Kasama City(Inland Area)
・Inari Shrine, Pottery Gallery, Popular Chestnut Sweets Shop, etc.
* Flowers in bloom may not be seen by weather condition.
*During heavy rains or when the flowers are not in bloom, I would guide you to one of the following three areas instead of the seaside park.
(1) Naka-minato & Oarai town (Seaside Area)
・Fish Market, Aquarium, Isosaki Shrine (A divine torii gate standing on a rock on the coast.)
(2) Mito Station South Area
・Museum of Modern Art, Plum Wine Brewery
(3) Kasama City(Inland Area)
・Inari Shrine, Pottery Gallery, Popular Chestnut Sweets Shop, etc.
Cancellation Policy
- Free cancellation - 8 days prior to meeting time
- 50% Refund - 3 to 7 days prior to meeting time
- No Refund - Within 2 day(s) prior to meeting time
Ibaraki Tour Reviews
“Flexible and thoughtful, no better available.”
Go san is a kind-hearted person, he accommodated my change of schedule as far as he could. He asked why I opted for this tour and he could addressed with places to visit from extraordinary to wow. Go san was informative and talkative as well which allowed us to exchange observations and ideas of the local area spicing up the experience.
Go E.
(4 reviews)Maxim san Thank you for your heartwarming review. I am very happy that you enjoyed the tour. Thank you very much for sharing your thoughtful stories. They were very profound and informative to me. I look forward to seeing you again. Kind Regards Go
“Fukushima Coastal Tour”
I spent an amazing day with Go. He picked me up at my hotel and was on time. He took me to some awesome spots that I really enjoyed. It was one of my favourite parts of my trip as I got to see a side of Japan that you don’t see in the major cities. Go had the itinerary all laid out and I never felt rushed exploring the whole day. I went solo with him and his English is excellent.
Go E.
(4 reviews)Charles-san, I'm really glad you enjoyed the tour. I’ve learned a lot from you through the tour. I will continue to strive for a better tour. I look forward to seeing you again in the future. Thank you very much. Go
“Fukuroda falls”
Had a great day with Go-san, he helped us to arrange for the taxis and tea ceremony session with Chanosanto park. Unfortunately, Namase falls was too many steps and challenging, so we did not manage to see. Fukuroda falls was amazing! We ended the tour at an old cafe since the lacquerware shop is closed.
Go E.
(4 reviews)Fonia-san Thank you very much for your review. There were some things I didn't do well during the tour, but I were all helped by your kindness, compassion and smiles. I will do my best to provide more satisfying guiding in the future. I would also like to make a tour around the waterfalls and lakes of Fukushima. I look forward to seeing you again. Thank you. Go
