Immerse Yourself in the Spectacular View and Power of the Sea! A 2-day / 1-night trip to Hitachinaka City and Oarai Town

Immerse Yourself in the Spectacular View and Power of the Sea! A 2-day / 1-night trip to Hitachinaka City and Oarai Town

Hitachinaka City and Oarai Town are located on the Pacific Ocean side of Ibaraki Prefecture, and are blessed with beautiful ocean scenery and nature.
The popular glamping spots are also located near the sea.
We enjoyed a two-day and one-night trip to power spots and spectacular scenery while feeling the sea breeze.

Recommended walking courses in Hitachinaka City and Oarai Town

1. Hoshiimo jinja Shrine
2. Sakatsura Isosaki Jinja Shrine
3. Aqua World Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium
4. Oarai Kaisen Ichiba
5. ume cafe WAON
6. Grand Mare Ibaraki Oarai
7. Oarai Isomae Shrine

Visit two unique shrines in Hitachinaka City for good fortune!

Hoshiimo Jinja Shrine" is lined with golden torii gates that look beautiful against the blue sky.
The shrine has a solemn atmosphere, yet its unique name is somehow familiar.

This shrine was built by Hitachinaka City, which boasts the largest production of dried sweet potatoes in Japan, in the precincts of the Hinode Shrine as a token of its gratitude for the bounty it receives.
Although the shrine was built in 2028, it is still loved by many people.

The vividness of the shrine is overwhelming, but if you look closely at the torii, you will notice that the dark green of the shade tree is a leaf of a sweet potato, the red of the forehead bundle is the sun, and the base is in the shape of a dried sweet potato.
If you visit the shrine while imagining a moist, soft, and sweet dried sweet potato, your blessings may be doubled.

Sakatsura Isosaki Jinja Shrine, located about a minute's drive from Hoshiimo Jinja Shrine, is a shrine with a long history, founded in 856.
In addition to the spectacular view of the magnificent ocean beyond the torii gate, what has made this shrine famous in recent years is the luck of lottery winners.
Stroking the stone statue of a lucky tortoise can win a large lottery ticket (!). and many people visit the shrine in conjunction with the ticket office.

Of course, even without the luck of winning the lottery, the temple grounds, with its sea breeze, are pleasant and invigorating.
Just walking along the approach to the shrine covered with camellia trees and paying your respects will surely give you power!

Hoshiimo Jinja Shrine

【Address】
　172-2 Ajigauracho, Hitachinaka, Ibaraki
【Phone】
　029-265-9533
【Website】
　https://www.guidoor.jp/en/places/6282

Sakatsura Isosaki Jinja Shrine

【Address】
　4607-2 Isozakicho, Hitachinaka, Ibarak
【Phone】
　029-265-8220
【Website】
　https://www.guidoor.jp/en/places/6283

Enjoy the new world of the sea at Aqua World Oarai with its fascinating creatures!

Aqua World Oarai exhibits 68,000 creatures of about 580 species, and boasts the largest number of sharks in Japan, with more than 60 species in captivity, which has become a symbol of the aquarium.
Visitors can see a wide variety of sharks swimming in leisurely fashion, including the "white crocodile," the first shark species to be successfully bred in Japan.
Visitors can also enjoy various programs such as "IWASHI LIFE," in which a school of about 15,000 sardines living in the large tank of the ocean, the largest in the museum, move to the accompaniment of light and sound, "Jellyfish 365," a large tank of fantastic jellyfish, and "Dolphin Sea Lion Ocean Live," with its dynamic performances.
The "Dolphin Sea Lion Ocean Live" is a dynamic performance.

Aquaworld Ibaraki Oarai Aquarium Information

【Address】
　8252-3 Isohamacho, Higashiibarakigun Oaraimachi, Ibaraki
【Phone】
　029-267-5151 (voice guidance)
【Opening hours】
　9:00 - 17:00 (last admission 16:00) *Varies according to season.
【Website】
　https://www.aquaworld-oarai.com

After scarfing down a fresh seafood lunch, it's time for a sweet and sour café!

Seafood is one of the things I was looking forward to in Oarai.
Oarai Kaisen Ichiba" is a great lunch spot with a wide variety of freshly landed fish.

There are a variety of menu items such as rice bowls, sashimi, and boiled set menus, but the most enjoyable is definitely the hamayaki style, where you grill the fish on the table.
You can choose what you like from the many ingredients lined up.
The seafood you enjoy while feeling the sea breeze is delicious enough just by grilling it and does not require any seasoning.

After filling your stomach, it's time to enjoy a cafe with a different kind of drink.
In Oarai, there is a rare ume specialty café that uses ume, a specialty of Ibaraki Prefecture.
It is operated by Yoshidaya, a long-established pickle store whose history dates back to 1830.

The menu includes many ume-based items such as ochazuke (rice with green tea and pickled plums), rice balls, pasta, and other meals, sweets, and drinks, with a choice of nine different types of pickled plums.
For sweets, in addition to the standard "Hitachi-no-ume roll cake with two-color ume confiture and ume jelly," the menu is updated according to the season.

Oarai Kaisen Ichiba Information

【Address】
　8253-56 Isohamacho, Higashiibarakigun Oaraimachi, Ibaraki
【Phone】
　029-267-0121
【Openning hours】
　Weekdays 7:00 - 18:00, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays 6:30 - 18:00 (varies depending on the season)
【Closed】
　No holidays (temporary closures are possible)
【Website】
　http://www.oarai-kaisen.com/

ume cafe WAON Information

【Address】
　546 Isohamacho, Higashiibarakigun Oaraimachi, Ibaraki
【Phone】
　029-229-1223
【Opening hours】
　10:00 - 18:00 (L.O. 17:00)
【Closed】
　Wednesdays (occasional holidays)
【Website】
　http://kk-yoshidaya.co.jp/umecafe/

A glamping resort in front of the ocean where you can enjoy starry skies and sunrise views

The destination for the day was Grand Mare Ibaraki Oarai, located right in front of Oarai Beach.
It is a glamping-style resort hotel that just opened in April 2022.

The guest rooms are in the form of dome tents with a diameter of 6 meters.
Even though they are called tents, they have a double-layered structure inside, are fully air-conditioned, and have a toilet and shower room in every building, so you can spend a comfortable stay.

The panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean from your room!
After checking in, relax in a tent with a spectacular view, read a book while feeling the ocean breeze by the pool, or refresh yourself in the barrel-shaped outdoor sauna.
There is also a private hot spring (reservation required. (Reservations are required and charged separately).

For dinner, a BBQ using plenty of local ingredients is served.
You can either bring your own favorite ingredients or enjoy a sumptuous meal with nothing at all.
You can enjoy your meal in a dedicated dining space, so even on rainy days, you can relax and savor the food with your friends.

The best part of this location is going to sleep listening to the sound of the waves and waking up the next morning to feel the sunlight reflecting off the ocean.
A morning stroll along the beach is also a great way to start the day.

Grand Mare Ibaraki Oarai Information

【Address】
　1212-11 Onukicho, Higashiibarakigun Oaraimachi, Ibaraki (check-in location)
【Phone】
　050-3198-5770
【Rooms】
　10
【Website】
　https://www.ibaraki-glamping.com/

Powerful and gentle, to a power spot in the sea

The next day, after waking up with a pleasant feeling from watching the sunrise, go to the most powerful power spot in the sea.
Oarai Isomae Shrine is a historic shrine known for its "Kamiiso-no-Torii," a torii gate standing on a rocky reef.

The white torii gate seen amidst the white waves breaking against the rough reefs is quite dynamic!
Above all, this torii gate is a sacred place where God is said to have alighted.
Just looking at the powerful nature, you will feel as if you are filled with power.

Oarai Isomae Jinja Shrine Information

【Address】
　6890 Isohamacho, Higashiibarakigun Oaraimachi, Ibaraki
【Phone】
　029-267-2637
【Website】
　https://www.guidoor.jp/en/places/6265

A two-day and one-night trip to a power spot and a spectacular view of the sea.
After this extraordinary trip, you will surely feel energized in body and soul!


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