Home to as many as 300 research institutes and companies that together engage 22,000 researchers, Tsukuba Science City is one of the world's top academic scientific research cities. The "science tour" that makes a round of visits to some of the institutes enjoys high popularity. Visitors to the Tsukuba EXPO Center will find amusement in the planetarium (one of the world's largest) or the full-scale model of a rocket.

[Getting there] around the Tsukuba Central Bus Terminal

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Kairakuen Park, one of the three most famous parks in Japan and known for its plum blossoms, was built by Mito's ninth feudal lord, Nariaki Tokugawa, in 1842. In the plum blossom viewing season, from the end of February to March, about 3000 plum blossoms bloom in succession, receiving an endless stream of visitors. With azalea in May and bush clover in September, the park presents different styles of natural beauty as the seasons change. The Kobuntei Pavilion and the Togyokusen Springs in the park are also good destinations for walkers.

[Traffic] about 15 minutes by bus from Mito Station on the JR Joban Line

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Reportedly founded in 660 B.C., this is one of the three major shrines of Togoku (Eastern Japan). The shrine halls contributed by Hidetada Tokugawa are characterized by the vivid colors of the architecture of the Momoyama Period. The shrine is composed mainly of a main hall and a worship hall and is designated a Nationally important cultural property. In the washroom in front of the rear palace contributed by Ieyasu Tokugawa is the famous "Long Life" spring, which attracts numerous believers. The treasure hall displays a 270-cm-long straight sword allegedly made in the Nara Period.

[Traffic] about 10 minutes' walk from Kashima Jingu Shrine Station on the JR Kashima Line

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