Tired of the hustle and bustle of city life? Head to Ibaraki an hour away from Tokyo for a relaxing break. Mountains, lakes, lagoons, sandy beaches, landscaped gardens, seaside parks - what more could one ask for! Stroll in the Karaiku-en garden among ‘ume’ blossoms; buy silk kimonos from Yuki, watch football at Kashima Stadium or just enjoy the leisure locales along the coast - you’ll have plenty to do in Ibaraki.

Spring in Mito, the capital of Ibaraki, means a visit to Kairaku-en, to view the flowering `ume’ plum trees, which are the garden’s greatest attraction. 3,000 plum trees - over a 100 species- cover 32 acres of undulating land. Come spring, and Kairaku-en is a mass of pink and white, a frothy and fragrant picture which is almost unbelievably pretty. Designed in 1841 by a Mito feudal lord, Kairaku-en is full of blossoming azaleas in the summer and Japanese bush clover in the autumn. Kairaku-en is open from 6 am to 7 pm between April and mid-September, and from 7 am to 6 pm the rest of the year. Between late February and early March, a special Plum Festival is held in Kairaku-en; it’s the perfect time to visit the garden.

Ibaraki’s 180km coast has many resorts for swimming, marine sports, fishing and camping on the beach. Hot springs are common along the northern coastline. It is Tokyo’s city getaway for the leisure facilities it has on offer. The Hitachi Seaside Park is spread over 350 hectares and has children’s amusement arcades, a flower garden, an ‘ice world’, a cycling trail on the oceanfront and much more.

Other places worth a visit are the spectacular Fukuroda Falls, the shrine at Mt Tsukuba dedicated to the deity of ‘happy marriage’ scenically placed amidst 3000 plum trees and the Okukoji resort in the northern mountains.

Traditional crafts have been preserved in the town of Yuki. Watch artists handcrafting good quality silk - they follow a process called ‘tsumugi’ that dates back 1200 years. Many shops sell kimonos, ties, wallets and purses here. If you are at Kashima City for World Cup 2002, visit the Kashima Jingu Shrine and other historic sites scattered in the city.

Ibaraki has a treat waiting for your taste buds with its sukiyaki, shabushabu, sushi and steaks. Beef, pork, chicken and anglerfish are local produce. Try the Ankonabe (angler fish stew) in winter; that’s when it tastes the best though it looks singularly unappetising.

Getting There: The nearest international airport is Narita, Tokyo. Take a JR from Narita Station and you’ll get to Ibaraki in an hour and a half. A bus will take you two hours to Ibaraki from Narita Station.

Accommodation: There are lots of accommodation options in Ibaraki. If you are looking for luxury hotels head straight to the capital, Mito. Kashima has all ranges of hotels, also the minshuku (private houses that rent out rooms and provides meals) and ryokan (Japanese inn). Prices vary according to amenities and services provided.

For detailed country & visitor information, see Japan.