Important cultural property

A 1920 shoin wing and an early Meiji storehouse at the Former Sakano Family Residence in Joso City, Ibaraki, became an Important Cultural Property in 2023.

The Former Yanaka Family Residence in Tsukuba, built in 1942 and 1949 by materials researcher Yanaka Ryujiro, became an Important Cultural Property in 2023.

A pagoda finial planted in the ground as a monument in itself: 9.16 metres of hammered copper on a wooden core, raised at Sairenji in 1287 and incised with donors.

Built in 1543 and shorn of its upper storey in the Kansei era, Sairenji Niomon still carries three-stepped brackets designed to hold a balcony that is long gone.

Designated in 1968, the Sakano Family Residence in Joso City keeps a thatched main house, a samurai-style gate and a one-hectare walled compound, open as a museum.

The Main Hall of Satake-ji Temple in Hitachiota, Ibaraki Prefecture, is a National Important Cultural Property rebuilt in 1546. This magnificent thatched-roof structure showcases transitional architectural elements that foreshadow the Momoyama period, including flame-shaped windows and ornate bracket complexes. As the 22nd temple on the historic Bandō 33 Kannon Pilgrimage, it carries over a millennium of spiritual devotion.

Discover the Shiina Family Residence in Kasumigaura, Ibaraki — a nationally designated Important Cultural Property and the oldest precisely dated farmhouse in eastern Japan, built in 1674. Explore its thatched roof, traditional hiroba-style layout, and timeless craftsmanship near the shores of Lake Kasumigaura.

Located in Ushiku, Ibaraki, the former brewery of Château Kamiya was completed in 1903 as Japan's first authentic wine château, founded by entrepreneur Kamiya Denbei. The Storage Cellar and Fermentation Room — brick structures designed around Bordeaux techniques and a gravity-fed vertical workflow — form the production heart of the complex, with twenty-six massive fermentation barrels still in place. Designated an Important Cultural Property in 2008, the buildings now welcome visitors as the Kamiya Denbei Memorial Hall, free of charge.

Discover the Zenkoji Romon Gate, an Important Cultural Property in Ishioka, Ibaraki Prefecture. This thatched-roof gate from the Muromachi period remains uniquely unfinished, offering a rare glimpse into medieval Japanese temple architecture and the turbulent history of the Oda clan.

Discover the Main Hall of Daiho Hachimangu Shrine in Shimotsuma, Ibaraki—a nationally designated Important Cultural Property built in 1577. Explore its 1,300-year history, Momoyama-era architecture, and seasonal festivals.

Discover the Former Hida Family Residence, an 18th-century L-shaped magariya farmhouse and Important Cultural Property of Japan, preserved in Koga Kubo Park, Ibaraki Prefecture. Learn about its unique architecture, history, and visitor information.

Located in Oguri, Chikusei City in Ibaraki Prefecture, Naige Daijingu is a historic shrine that was once the only Ise Inner-Shrine sacred estate in the entire province of Hitachi. Its Inner and Outer main halls, rebuilt in 1679 by local carpenters in authentic three-bay shinmei-zukuri style, are recognized as the oldest surviving example of twin shinmei main halls in Japan. Together with the 1574 Goseiden, the three buildings were designated Important Cultural Properties in 2009.

The Nakazaki Family Residence in Mito, a thatched farmhouse traditionally dated to 1688, was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1968. Privately owned.

The Main Hall of Hachimangu Shrine in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture (popularly Mito Hachimangu) is a National Important Cultural Property built in 1598 by the warlord Satake Yoshinobu. Designed in a Wayō–Karayō hybrid style with an irimoya roof, it was constructed by a team of young craftsmen led by the fifteen-year-old master carpenter Yoshihara Sakutarō. Restored to its original colors and gilding between 1995 and 1999, it preserves the brilliance of late Azuchi-Momoyama architecture in a region where few medieval structures survive.

The Hanawa Family Residence in Kasama City, Ibaraki, is a late Edo farmhouse of 2 blocks roofed as one. Designated an Important Cultural Property in 1976.

The Hirai Family Residence in Inashiki City, Ibaraki, is a thatched hall-plan farmhouse of the Genroku era. Designated in 1976, it was restored 2001 to 2003.

Discover Bussho-ji Main Hall (Hakkaku-do), a rare octagonal Buddhist temple built in 1585 and designated as a National Important Cultural Property. Located in Mito, Ibaraki, this unique Tendai temple features Zen-style architecture and a beautifully restored thatched roof.

Discover Yakuōin Main Hall, a nationally designated Important Cultural Property in Mito City, Ibaraki. Founded in 807 by the great monk Saichō, this Tendai Buddhist temple preserves Muromachi-period architecture and houses precious Heian-era sculptures.

Discover the Yamamoto Family Residence in Kamisu City, Ibaraki Prefecture — one of only four fishing households in Japan designated as an Important Cultural Property. This 300-year-old thatched-roof magariya offers a rare glimpse into the daily life of Edo-period coastal communities.

Yokotone Lock Gate in Inashiki, Ibaraki, is the last brick and stone lock built in Japan. Completed in 1921 and designated an Important Cultural Property in 2000.