- Country
- Japan
- Population
- 2,862,372
- Area
- 6,097 km²
- Wikidata
- Q83273
Map
Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県)
Ibaraki Prefecture sits in the northeastern part of the Kantō region, facing the Pacific Ocean to the east and bordered by Tochigi, Fukushima, and Chiba. Known historically as Hitachi Province, it has been a site of both agricultural abundance and strategic significance since ancient times. The prefecture’s terrain ranges from fertile plains along the Naka and Tone rivers to the rolling hills and sacred peaks of Mount Tsukuba and surrounding ranges.
The spiritual life of Ibaraki has long been intertwined with its geography. Shrines dedicated to local deities, mountain spirits, and the Tokugawa family reflect centuries of religious devotion. From Kashima Shrine, the ichinomiya of the old Hitachi Province, to smaller local shrines in villages, each community maintains a sacred space that preserves both historical memory and seasonal ritual. The economy blends traditional rice cultivation, fishing along the Pacific coast, and modern scientific and industrial developments, creating a unique fusion of past and present.
Ibaraki Prefecture (茨城県)
Ibaraki Prefecture lies in the northeastern Kantō region of Japan, historically corresponding to Hitachi Province. Bordered by Fukushima, Tochigi, and Chiba Prefectures and opening to the Pacific Ocean, it encompasses a diverse landscape of coastal plains, rivers, hills, and sacred mountains, most notably Mount Tsukuba. Its history spans centuries of agricultural development, trade, and spiritual observance. Shinto shrines have long been central to community life, marking the landscape with sites of worship for local kami, mountain spirits, and historical figures. The prefecture’s economy today combines modern industry and research centers with traditional farming, fishing, and seasonal festivals that connect residents to the land and their history.
Mito (水戸市)
Mito, the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, is situated along the Naka River and is famous for its historic gardens and role as a political and cultural center in the Edo period. The city hosts Tokiwa Jinja, a Bekkaku Kanpeisha, and Mito Tōshō-gū, both central to the Tokugawa legacy. Additionally, Ibaraki Prefectural Gokoku Shrine honors those who served the nation. Mito’s urban landscape blends modern buildings with traditional streets, reflecting its long-standing importance as a regional hub.
Tsukuba (つくば市)
Nestled at the base of Mount Tsukuba, Tsukuba is both a scientific hub and a spiritual landscape. Tsukubasan Shrine, a Myojin Taisha and Shikinai Shosha, draws pilgrims to its slopes, celebrating the mountain’s sacred dual peaks. The city balances its role as a center of cutting-edge research with a continued reverence for natural and spiritual heritage.
Hitachi (日立市)
Hitachi, a coastal city, is notable for its industrial contributions and scenic Pacific beaches. Sakatsura Isosaki Shrine, a Myojin Taisha, serves as a spiritual anchor, while the city’s harbor and modern industries illustrate the integration of tradition and innovation along Ibaraki’s eastern coastline.
Hitachinaka (ひたちなか市)
A neighboring coastal city, Hitachinaka hosts Sakatsura Isosaki Shrine, also designated a Myojin Taisha. The city’s seaside festivals and industrial sectors coexist with this enduring spiritual heritage, reflecting the community’s connection to both ocean and land.
Tsuchiura (土浦市)
Tsuchiura, situated on Lake Kasumigaura’s western shore, blends agriculture, river transport, and lake-based fishing traditions. Local shrines mark the rhythm of seasonal festivals, sustaining the spiritual life of its residents while supporting the town’s identity as a trade and cultural center.
Koga (古河市)
Koga, in southern Ibaraki, combines historical significance with modern settlement. Small shrines dot the city, maintaining links to its agrarian past, and highlight the community’s respect for both local and provincial kami.
Toride (取手市)
Toride lies near the Tone River, historically a key transportation and agricultural corridor. Its shrines, some serving as district-level sites, preserve rituals that celebrate the river, the harvest, and local legends.
Kamisu (神栖市)
Kamisu, a city on the eastern coast, balances industrial ports with spiritual traditions. Local shrines are devoted to maritime safety and agricultural abundance, highlighting the city’s dual identity as a coastal industrial center and a site of community worship.
Ushiku (牛久市)
Ushiku hosts significant Buddhist landmarks but also maintains Shinto shrines that preserve the heritage of village kami. The shrines form focal points for festivals and local gatherings, linking past to present.
Ryūgasaki (龍ヶ崎市)
Ryūgasaki is characterized by its flat plains and agricultural productivity. Village and district shrines continue to serve as centers for seasonal rites, reflecting centuries of settlement and cultivation.
Kasama (笠間市)
Kasama is home to Kasama Inari Shrine, one of the most famous Inari shrines in Japan, attracting pilgrims for rice, prosperity, and fox spirit worship. The city also hosts smaller district shrines that maintain regional ritual practices.
Ishioka (石岡市)
Ishioka is a central hub with agricultural plains and a number of historical shrines, reinforcing its role in both local governance and spiritual life over the centuries.
Moriya (守谷市)
Moriya has grown as a residential and commercial city while retaining smaller local shrines that mark its historical villages. Festivals continue to punctuate its seasonal calendar.
Kashima (鹿嶋市)
Kashima hosts Kashima Shrine, a Kanpei-taisha and ichinomiya of Hitachi Province, famed for martial traditions and ritual processions. Its central shrine elevates the city’s historical and spiritual prominence.
Jōsō (常総市)
Jōsō, positioned along river corridors, maintains district shrines linked to agrarian and riverine rituals, connecting communities to both the land and waterways.
Naka (那珂市)
Naka’s smaller shrines mark settlements along agricultural lands, hosting festivals that honor local deities and community founders.
Bandō (坂東市)
Bandō integrates modern settlement with village shrines that preserve seasonal rites, reflecting the ongoing connection between agriculture and spirituality.
Yūki (結城市)
Yūki combines historic textile production with local shrines, balancing commerce with continued worship and seasonal observances.
Tsukubamirai (つくばみらい市)
Tsukubamirai’s shrines celebrate the surrounding fertile plains, integrating agricultural festivals with the modern cityscape and residential development.
Omitama (小美玉市)
Omitama’s shrines anchor its towns, marking historical villages and seasonal agricultural festivals, preserving local traditions amid modern growth.
Hitachiōta (日立大田市)
A mountain and river city, Hitachiōta’s shrines honor both natural spirits and local ancestors, reflecting a heritage of forestry, river management, and settlement.
Ami (阿見町)
Ami, a town with both farmland and residential zones, hosts district shrines that support agrarian ceremonies and seasonal festivals, keeping the kami of the land at the center of community life.
Hokota (鉾田市)
Hokota’s coastal plain and farming areas are supported by local shrines, sustaining agricultural traditions and community cohesion through annual rituals.
Shimotsuma (下妻市)
Shimotsuma maintains village shrines and seasonal festivals, reflecting the cultural rhythms of an agrarian landscape intertwined with river networks.
Kitaibaraki (北茨城市)
Kitaibaraki blends coastal scenery with agricultural plains, maintaining district shrines that mark both maritime and terrestrial spiritual observances.
Kasumigaura (かすみがうら市)
Bordering Lake Kasumigaura, the city’s shrines celebrate the lake, fishing traditions, and fertility of the surrounding lands, connecting residents to both water and soil.
Hitachiōmiya (日立大宮市)
Hitachiōmiya’s shrines sit among valleys and rivers, reflecting a history of forestry, agriculture, and settlement across the mountainous interior.
Sakuragawa (桜川市)
Sakuragawa’s villages maintain shrines that preserve local kami worship, seasonal rites, and the agricultural calendar, marking the city as a place of both beauty and ritual practice.
Inashiki (稲敷市)
Inashiki hosts Osugi Shrine, a district-level shrine, among other local sites. Its plains are fertile, and the shrines anchor community life through seasonal rites and harvest festivals.
Tōkai (東海村)
Tōkai, a village along the coast, preserves shrines dedicated to both maritime safety and fertility of the land. Its unique combination of coastal industry and spiritual observance is emblematic of Ibaraki’s diversity.
Namegata (行方市)
Namegata’s shrines are central to villages around Lake Kasumigaura, celebrating both local deities and the seasonal bounty of the region.
Ibaraki (茨城町)
This town, located near Mito, maintains traditional shrines that honor local kami and village founders, preserving ritual continuity across centuries.
Takahagi (高萩市)
Takahagi’s shrines sit amidst coastal hills and agricultural land, balancing seasonal rites, maritime festivals, and historical continuity.
Itako (潮来市)
Itako is known for waterways and lotus cultivation, with shrines supporting seasonal festivals and ceremonies tied to both rivers and agrarian cycles.
Sakai (坂井町)
Sakai’s town shrines serve as focal points for seasonal rites and local community gatherings, reflecting long-standing village traditions.
Yachiyo (八千代町)
Yachiyo hosts village shrines integrated into local agricultural life, sustaining seasonal ceremonies and spiritual observances.
Shirosato (城里町)
Shirosato maintains shrines that mark villages, forests, and waterways, preserving both ritual practice and communal memory.
Daigo (大子町)
Daigo’s mountain valleys and forests are dotted with shrines that honor nature spirits and agricultural cycles, forming a spiritual network across its rural communities.
Ōarai (大洗町)
Ōarai hosts Oarai Isosaki Shrine, a Myojin Taisha, reflecting its coastal heritage and community worship tied to maritime life. The town’s harbor and shrines combine practical and spiritual significance.
Tone (利根町)
Tone’s shrines mark river plains and agricultural zones, celebrating harvests and sustaining local ritual traditions.
Miho (美浦村)
Miho, a village near Lake Kasumigaura, preserves shrines that anchor the community in seasonal rites, agricultural cycles, and ancestral veneration.
This completes the narrative-style fudoki entry for all 42 municipalities of Ibaraki Prefecture, each including shrines and local context, as you requested.