Historic Sites, Places of Scenic Beauty, and Natural Monuments of Ibaraki

Located on the southern shore of Lake Kasumigaura in Miho Village, Ibaraki Prefecture, the Okadaira Shell Mound is one of Japan's largest shell midden sites, formed over approximately 3,500 years from the Early to Late Jomon period. Known as the birthplace of Japanese archaeology — where the first excavation by Japanese researchers took place in 1879 — it was designated a National Historic Site in 1998. Visitors can explore reconstructed pit dwellings, view cross-sections of ancient shell layers, and experience Jomon-style pottery making.

Carved into tuff cliffs in Hitachinaka, Ibaraki, this 500-plus cave tomb complex was used from the 7th to 9th century. Designated a National Historic Site in 2024.

Seki Castle Ruins in Ibaraki: where Kitabatake Chikafusa completed the Jinnō Shōtōki during a two-year siege that ended in 1343. Ramparts and a rare tunnel survive.

Mito's Tokiwa Park, known today as Kairakuen, pairs a shaded bamboo grove with about 3,000 plum trees and the Kobuntei pavilion designed by Tokugawa Nariaki in 1840.

Hitachi's eighth-century county temple ruins in Ibaraki: two pagodas once flanked the Main Hall on a single east-west line, with a nearby kiln that fired its tiles.

Tokugawa Mitsukuni's thatched retreat outside Hitachiōta, where he spent his last nine years editing the Dai Nihonshi. Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.

Jomon shell mound on Lake Kasumigaura where Kondo Yoshiro proved in 1962 that prehistoric Japanese boiled seawater into salt, rewriting Jomon economic history.

Held by the Makabe clan from 1172 to 1628, this 12.5-hectare National Historic Site in Ibaraki preserves four concentric moats and angled medieval earthen ramparts.

Located in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, the Yoshida Kofun is the only known octagonal tomb in Japan containing line-engraved wall paintings. Built in the mid-7th century during the Terminal Kofun period, its horizontal stone chamber features engravings of weapons such as a quiver, knife, and spear on the back wall. Designated a National Historic Site in 1922, it is an invaluable site in the study of decorated tombs.

Ibaraki’s registered properties across designations, with featured heritage and travel notes.

The complete kokuhō catalogue — browse by prefecture, period, and category.

Nationwide jūyō bunkazai — architecture, sculpture, painting, crafts, and documents.