Living a farmer’s life in Ibaraki Prefecture

Let’s live with farmers from the Hiroura Rural Experience Promotion Association in Ibaraki Town!

  01/04/2020 00:00
Ibaraki Town is located near the center of Ibaraki Prefecture. It takes about 90 minutes by streetcar from Tokyo. The traffic is quite convenient because it is adjacent to Mito City where the prefecture’s administrative office is located. So tourists can enjoy the interaction between urban and rural areas.

One of the famous spots here is "Hinuma", a brackish lake where seawater and freshwater mix. In 2015, it was selected as a wetland under the Ramsar Convention.

The Hiroura Rural Experience Promotion Association offers programs that combine a variety of activities to do with the farmers in the town. It is different to live in a homestay than stay at a hotel or ryokan. The interesting thing is that it is possible to experience life like a local. Moreover, there are many seasonal activities such as farming and fishing. This type of experience is very popular for the education of students.

Spring activities: spring vegetable harvest, fertilizer making, flower picking, vegetable picking, field preparation

Summer activities: summer vegetable harvest, fresh summer barley threshing, weeding, field preparation, fishing, rafting, simulated festivities

Fall activities: rice harvest, fresh fall barley threshing, tillage, winter vegetable sowing, seasonal festivities (November)

Winter activities: winter vegetable harvest, dried potato making, kimchi making, pickle making, potato growing, flower growing 

Other activities: chopstick making, Kumiko making, Japanese drumming, Hanamaki Sushi making

​Blueberry picking
You can try picking blueberries from June to August,
 
Hanamaki Sushi making

Hanamaki Sushi is eye-catching sushi that is a very old local dish of Ibaraki Town. It is often served at parties. The dish is combined from many ingredients, not only beautiful but also rich in flavor.
 

Experiencing simulated festivities
In the festival, people will put a palanquin on a boat that floats on Lake Hinuma. On the boat, people beat drums, play flutes, and dance. This is a rare festival in the whole country. The festival is held every year at the end of July, but outside of the festival period, it is still possible to experience the simulated festivities as scheduled.
On the boat, dancers or performers wear colorful Yukata or Kimono costumes and traditional Japanese masks. They continuously dance to the sound of flutes and drums.

Rafting
This brings the chance to sit on a handmade raft made by locals and enjoy the view over Lake Hinuma.
Rafting is very popular because tourists can join the locals while sailing and contemplating the river.

Rice farming
You will be guided by the farmers on how to plant rice by hand like in the old days.
Through the experience, you will find out how rice is meticulously and painstakingly produced by the hands of farmers. It has become the staple food of Japanese people since ancient times.

Nearby tourist areas:
Kairakuen (Mito City)

Kairakuen is one of the three famous parks in Japan with the second largest area among urban parks. In early spring, about 3,000 plum trees of about 100 different varieties will be in full bloom.

Oarai Isomae Shrine/ Kamiiso no Torii Gate (Oarai Town)
Oarai Isomae Shrine is a cultural property of the prefecture. And Kamiiso no Torii Gate was built on a rock of the coast of Oarai. At sunrise or sunset, you can enjoy the mystical scene when Torii's shadow is imprinted in the sky and sea.

Kasama Inari Shrine (Kasama City)
Along with Shobai Hanjo Shrine and Geino Shotatsu Shrine, Kasama Inari Shrine is one of the three largest Inari shrines in Japan. The shrine was inspired by a deity called Inari no kami, also known as Oinarisan. He was frequently seen in the shopping streets.
In early May, you can enjoy the scenery at Kasama Inari Shrine with typical Japanese architecture. Meanwhile, do not miss the chance to watch the extremely brilliant wisteria flowers.

Chrysanthemum Festival at Kasama Inari Shrine
Every November, the oldest chrysanthemum festival in Japan is held at the shrine. It features about 10,000 chrysanthemum plants that are showing off their beauty and fragrances.
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