Ibaraki Prefecture

Ibaraki Prefecture is a part of Japan located in the Kantō region of Honshu. It has a population of over 2.8 million people and covers an area of about 6,097 square kilometers. The prefecture borders Fukushima to the north, Tochigi to the northwest, Saitama to the southwest, Chiba to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the east.

Mito is the capital and largest city of Ibaraki Prefecture. Other important cities include Tsukuba, Hitachi, and Hitachinaka. Because it is close to Tokyo, Ibaraki is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, which is the most crowded city region in the world.

Ibaraki Prefecture has many natural wonders. It is home to Lake Kasumigaura, Japan’s second-largest lake, and the Tone River, which is Japan’s second-longest river. Mount Tsukuba is a well-known mountain in the area. The prefecture also has Kairaku-en, one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens, and is a key place for practicing the martial art of Aikido.

History

See also: Historic Sites of Ibaraki Prefecture

Ibaraki Prefecture used to be called Hitachi Province. In 1871, its name was changed to Ibaraki, and in 1875 it grew bigger by adding some areas from the old Shimōsa Province.

In very old times, during the Japanese Paleolithic period, people lived in the area of Ibaraki before and after a big volcano eruption from the Aira Caldera about 24,000 years ago. Scientists have found old stone tools and burnt pebbles from that time.

During the Asuka period, the lands of Hitachi and Fusa were set up as separate areas. Later, Fusa was split up, and part of it became Shimōsa Province.

At the start of the Muromachi period in the 1300s, a leader named Kitabatake Chikafusa used Oda Castle as his base for over a year. While there, he wrote a book called the Jinnō Shōtōki, which tells the stories of Japan’s divine emperors.

During the Edo period, one of the important families from Tokugawa Ieyasu lived in the Mito Domain. This family was called the Mito Tokugawa family or the Mito clan.

In 1657, a special learning group called Mitogaku began when Tokugawa Mitsukuni, the leader of Mito Domain, asked people to write a big book about Japan’s history. This book was called the Dai Nihonshi.

During the Meiji Restoration, the old areas were changed or combined to form the prefecture we know today as Ibaraki.

Geography

Ibaraki Prefecture is located in the northeastern part of the Kantō region. It stretches between Tochigi Prefecture and the Pacific Ocean, with borders on the north and south by Fukushima Prefecture and Chiba Prefecture, and on the southwest by Saitama Prefecture. The northern part of Ibaraki is mountainous, while most of the area is a flat plain with many lakes, part of the Kantō Plain.

The prefecture includes several natural parks, with 15% of its land designated as protected areas as of April 1, 2012. These include the Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park and nine Prefectural Natural Parks. Ibaraki also has a Prefectural Geopark. The Suigo-Tsukuba Quasi-National Park extends into the northeast area of Chiba Prefecture.

The northern third of Ibaraki is mountainous, featuring the Tsukuba Mountains. Key mountains include mount Yamizo, mount Takasasa, mount Tsukuba with its two peaks, mount Osho, mount Hanazono, and mount Kaba.

Several important rivers flow through Ibaraki, including the Tone, Naka (Ibaraki), and Kuji rivers, all emptying into the Pacific Ocean. Lake Kasumigaura is divided into three parts: Nishiura, Kitaura, and Sotonasakaura. The prefecture also has other freshwater lagoons like Hinuma, Senba, and Ushiku.

Ibaraki has thirty-two cities, including its capital, Mito, and other notable cities such as Hitachi, Hitachinaka, Hitachiōta, and Tsukuba.

The prefecture also includes several towns and villages spread across various districts.

Main article: List of mergers in Ibaraki Prefecture

Economy

Ibaraki's economy includes energy production, chemical and precision machining industries, research, and tourism. Farming, fishing, and livestock are also important parts of the prefecture's work.

The flat land in Ibaraki is great for building factories. It is close to the big city of Tokyo, which helps its industries grow. The prefecture is home to Tsukuba, a big city for research and learning, and the starting place of Hitachi, Ltd.

Agriculture

With wide flat lands, lots of water, and good weather, Ibaraki is one of the best places in Japan for growing food. It helps feed the people in Tokyo. Main crops include melons, pears, peppers, rice, sugar cane, and flowers.

It also grows other food for the whole country. As of March 2011, the prefecture grew 25% of Japan's bell peppers and Chinese cabbage.

Fishing

Ibaraki is one of the top places in Japan for catching fish. Fish come from the Pacific Ocean, Lake Kasumigaura, and other water areas.

Cattle

A special type of cattle called Hitachigyū comes from Ibaraki. This name comes from the old name of the area, Hitachi.

In 1833, a leader named Tokugawa Nariaki started raising black cattle in what is now Migawa-chō in Mito city. At first, these cattle were mostly in the north part of the prefecture, but later they spread everywhere.

Industrial centers

• Hitachi area: Many factories for electricity, electronics, and machines. Over 1,300 companies; many work for the Hitachi company, started in Sukegawa (Hitachi City) in 1910.
• Tōkai area: Home to groups studying atomic energy. J-PARC, a big place for proton accelerator research.
• Tsukuba area: 32 schools and research places. Work with tiny parts of matter (nanotechnology). A robot center for helping daily life. A space center.
• Kashima area: Many factories for materials like steel and petrochemicals, about 160 companies.

Demographics

Culture

Ibaraki is well-known for its special foods, like nattō, a type of fermented soybeans, found in Mito. You can also find sweet watermelons in Kyōwa, now part of Chikusei, and tasty chestnuts grown in the Nishiibaraki area.

The area is famous for the martial art Aikido, created by Morihei Ueshiba, also called Osensei. He lived in Iwama, now part of Kasama, where the Aiki Shrine and training hall he built are still visited today.

Mito, the capital, is home to Kairakuen, one of Japan’s most beautiful gardens, known for its many Japanese plum trees. There are also interesting places like the Kasama Inari Shrine, museums, and the old home of Morihei Ueshiba. You can see castle ruins in several cities, including Mito Castle, Kasama Castle, Tsuchiura Castle, and Oda Castle.

Ibaraki also has special traditions such as the Hitachi Fūryūmono puppet float theater and the Makabe Hina Doll Festival, celebrated during Hinamatsuri. Other cultural treasures include Yūki-tsumugi silk weaving, Kasama ware pottery, and beautiful glass items made by the Kagami Crystal Glass Factory in Ryūgasaki City.

Education

University

Ibaraki Prefecture is home to many universities. Some of the universities include:

• Ami

  • Ibaraki Prefectural University of Health Sciences

• Hitachi

  • Ibaraki Christian University

• Mito

  • Ibaraki University
  • Tokiwa University

• Ryūgasaki

  • Ryūtsū Keizai University

• Toride

  • Tokyo University of the Arts

• Tsuchiura

  • Tsukuba International University

• Tsukuba

  • Tsukuba Gakuin University
  • Tsukuba University
  • Tsukuba University of Technology

Sports

Ibaraki is home to many sports teams. Here are some of the teams you might hear about:

Association football

• Kashima Antlers (Kashima)
• Mito HollyHock (Mito)
• Tsukuba FC (Tsukuba)

Volleyball

• Hitachi Rivale (Women's) (Hitachinaka)

Rugby

• Stags - Kashima Rugby Football Club RFC (Kashima)

American football

• Tsukuba University (Tsukuba)

Baseball

• Ibaraki Astro Planets (Yūki) (Baseball Challenge League)
• Ibaraki Golden Golds (Regional club) (Tsukuba)

Wrestling

• Hitachi Pro Wrestling (Regional group) (Hitachi)

Basketball

• Ibaraki Robots (Mito)

Motorsport

• Tsukuba Circuit (Shimotsuma)

Tourism

Ibaraki Prefecture has many beautiful places to visit. Some popular spots include Fukuroda Falls, Hitachi Seaside Park, and Mount Tsukuba.

Other interesting locations are Kashima Shrine, Lake Kasumigaura, and Ōarai Aquarium. These places offer great opportunities to enjoy nature, learn history, and see amazing views.

Transportation and access

Ibaraki Prefecture has many ways to travel, including trains, buses, and roads. There are several railway lines operated by different companies, such as the East Japan Railway Company and the Kantō Railway.

There are also expressways and national highways that connect Ibaraki to other places. The prefecture has ports for ships and airports for planes, though many people also use Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports.

Pronunciation

The name of Ibaraki Prefecture can sometimes sound like "Ibara_gi_" to people who speak a special local way of talking called Ibaraki-ben. But the correct way to say it is "Ibara_ki_". One writer who studied this says it probably happened because the "k" sound in the local dialect was hard to hear clearly.

Sister region

Ibaraki has a special friendship with a place called Essonne in France. This means they work together and support each other, even though they are far apart.