8 Must-Visit Leisure Spots in Ibaraki You Can Only Experience During Your Trip

Since you’ve come all the way to Ibaraki, experiencing things you can only do here is one of the true joys of travel. Ibaraki is rich in history and tradition, and offers both delicious seafood and bountiful mountain fare—experiences that are uniquely possible in this region. In this article, we’ll introduce eight spots where tourists can easily enjoy these special activities.

1. Glass Studio SILICA - Experience Making Original Glass in Ibaraki

At Glass Studio SILICA in Kitaibaraki City, Ibaraki Prefecture, visitors—elementary school age and up—can enjoy a popular hands-on experience of making original glass items. Participants can create unique cups, single-flower vases, and more. The studio offers various workshops such as sandblasting, burner work, and glassblowing, allowing guests to go through the same processes as professional artisans. With a wide range of options, guests can immerse themselves in the fascinating world of glassmaking.
In the SILICA Exhibition Room, visitors can view precious works created by contemporary glass artists using diverse techniques. For those who want to create their own original glass art, this experience is highly recommended. Additionally, some of the valuable glass products are available for purchase—perfect as a souvenir or a personal reward, making it a delightful highlight of any sightseeing trip.

2. Behind the Scenes at the Aquarium - Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium

Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium is the representative aquarium of Ibaraki, located in the town of Oarai. Home to over 5.8 million marine creatures, it warmly welcomes tourists with its vast variety of sea life. It’s not just a place to observe marine animals—it’s also a popular interactive attraction.

The aquarium features a dedicated kids’ area that includes a touching pool, where children can directly interact with fish and other sea creatures. One of the most popular activities is the Aquarium Exploration Tour. This free tour lets visitors peek into the massive tanks from above and sneak behind the scenes of the aquarium, making it a favorite among marine life enthusiasts.
It’s a rare opportunity to experience the aquarium from a zookeeper’s point of view. With guidance from professional keepers and attendants, even those with no prior knowledge can enjoy the experience. The tours are limited to 15 people per session and are held about three times a day, on a first-come, first-served basis. While the Oarai Aquarium is fun to visit and observe, it’s also enjoyable as a hands-on experience spot.

3. Recommended Pottery Experience Spot in Ibaraki - Kasama Craft Hills

Kasama-yaki refers to valuable pottery made using a traditional ceramic method passed down in Kasama City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Kasama is a famous pottery-producing region, home to a wide range of kilns—from traditional ones to newer studios run by up-and-coming designers. Visitors can view Kasama-yaki pieces known for their individuality and unique designs.
For those who want to try making Kasama-yaki themselves, we highly recommend Kasama Craft Hills, located in Kasama City, Ibaraki. This facility is part of the Kasama Art Forest, which also includes the Ibaraki Ceramic Art Museum, and is a complex centered around Kasama-yaki.
Reservations are required, but you can experience wheel-throwing pottery from around 3,000 yen, making it a great way to create memorable souvenirs during your trip. Kasama Craft Hills also features a gallery where visitors can view a wide variety of works. You can enjoy comparing the textures and forms of different Kasama-yaki, or even purchase one for yourself or a loved one. In the area around Kasama Craft Hills, you can spend the whole day surrounded by your favorite ceramic wares.

4. A Hands-on Spot to Experience Science Through Play - Tsukuba Expo Center

The Tsukuba Expo Center is located in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture known as Japan’s premier hub for advanced science and technology, called the Tsukuba Science City. The center utilizes the site of the 1985 International Exposition (Expo '85) and has since become a leading facility where visitors can engage directly with science. It features various zones, including one where you can step inside a giant soap bubble, conduct energy experiments, and explore imagery from the nanoscale world. Popular with both children and adults, this hands-on center offers exciting experiences that unveil the mysteries of everyday scientific phenomena.
In the grand outdoor exhibition space, there’s a monument called the “50-ton Wobbling Stone,” which, despite its massive weight, can mysteriously be moved even by a woman’s strength. The center positions itself as a place where dreams meet research, offering deep engagement with the wonders of life, science, and the universe. It’s a highly recommended experience spot located in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki.

5. Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture: A City of Space – Experience Astronaut Training at AES Tsukuba

Tsukuba City in Ibaraki Prefecture is known as a hub of Japan’s space research and development, as evidenced by the presence of the Tsukuba Space Center. While the Tsukuba Space Center lets you experience the mysteries and romance of space, the AES Tsukuba Office offers a rare opportunity to actually experience astronaut training. You can undergo training using simulation equipment that real astronauts have used inside the center.
The training includes multiple realistic simulation programs, with participants able to experience one to three types depending on the day’s schedule. Even a single type takes about 1 hour and 25 minutes, making the experience quite authentic. You’ll even wear a spacesuit, making you feel like a real astronaut.
The experience is available for children in grade 2 and above, so it’s something the whole family can enjoy. Reservations must be made through their website at least one week in advance, and slots close when capacity is reached—so booking early is recommended.

6. Soba-Making Experience Surrounded by Mountains in Okukuji, Ibaraki – Satomi Fureai-kan

Located in Hitachiota City, deep within the mountains of Okukuji in Ibaraki Prefecture, Satomi Fureai-kan offers an authentic soba-making experience. This hands-on exchange center allows you to make soba using the region’s famous spring water. From sifting buckwheat flour to rolling the dough and carefully cutting the noodles with a soba knife, it’s a hands-on experience from start to finish. You can also eat the freshly made soba on-site, enjoying the fragrant and flavorful taste unique to Okukuji—perfect for both adults and kids.
Satomi Fureai-kan also offers tofu making, wood-fired pizza baking, and woodworking experiences, including traditional Ibaraki crafts. There’s also accommodation available for those who want to enjoy the nature of Okukuji more leisurely. Since everything is reservation-based, it’s best to book early.

7. A Unique Tea Experience in Daigo Town, Ibaraki – Okukuji Tea no Sato Park

Located in the Okukuji region of Ibaraki Prefecture, Okukuji Tea no Sato Park is a multi-purpose facility that offers a variety of hands-on experiences. One of its highlights is the traditional tea-making technique called "ocha temomi" (tea hand-rolling), where you can taste the tea you've made yourself. In front of the facility, lush green tea fields stretch out, offering a refreshing view that lifts your spirits. You can even sample the hand-rolled tea on the spot.
The park also has a dining area where you can enjoy local dishes, such as cha soba (green tea noodles) made from freshly picked tea leaves and vegetables or mountain herbs harvested from the rich natural surroundings of the area.
Okukuji Tea no Sato Park is a rare destination in Ibaraki where you can enjoy unique, location-specific experiences. These include seasonal tea leaf picking during the new tea season, soba noodle making using locally produced buckwheat flour, and konjac crafting with peeled konjac potatoes using traditional methods. These are authentic cultural experiences you can only have in Ibaraki.

8. Ibaraki: The Hidden Fruit Kingdom – Unique Melon-Picking Experience at Kenko Tasshaka Village Fukasaku Farm

Ibaraki Prefecture is Japan’s top producer of melons and also grows strawberries, blueberries, grapes, and other fruits, thanks to its rich natural environment and abundant water resources. Among its standout destinations is Kenko Tasshaka Village Fukasaku Farm located in Hokota City, Ibaraki. This experiential farm offers not only strawberry picking but also the rare opportunity to go melon picking.
Fukasaku Farm is a large-scale agricultural facility where strawberries and melons are cultivated using environmentally friendly EM natural farming methods. The farm also emphasizes bee pollination, resulting in fully ripened fruits rich in sweetness and grown with care.
The melon-picking season runs from mid-May to mid-July. For just 2,500 yen, visitors can take home one fully ripe melon. The experience also includes a quarter portion of a ripe melon or a melon-flavored soft serve, making it a favorite among tourists. Here, you can enjoy specially cultivated melons crafted with passion in Japan’s melon heartland.

◎ Recommended Leisure Spots in Ibaraki: A Complete Guide

Ibaraki offers an abundance of leisure destinations where visitors can enjoy unique and immersive experiences surrounded by the region’s rich natural beauty. While sightseeing and fun photo spots are great, enhancing your trip with hands-on experiences—from traditional crafts to cutting-edge space technology—makes for a more meaningful and unforgettable journey. Whether you're traveling solo, as a couple, or with family, Ibaraki has something special to offer for every type of traveler.

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8 Must-Visit Leisure Spots in Ibaraki You Can Only Experience During Your Trip