Mito
Introduction
Mito is the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture, in the northern part of the Kantō region. The city spreads across a substantial area and is home to a large population, with a notably high share of residents over the age of 65.
Before you go
Before you go, it helps to know that Mito was one of only three domains granted to members of the Tokugawa clan after Ieyasu reunited Japan and based his shogunate at Edo. These three cadet lines, the Gosanke, could supply an heir if a ruling shogun had none, which made Mito's rulers among the most loyal Tokugawa loyalists. The city's scholarly tradition mattered beyond the domain itself: the Mito School of Confucian scholars helped redefine the Japanese nation and provided ideological foundations for the enhancement of imperial power during the Meiji Restoration and its aftermath. For practical planning, the city maintains an official English travel guide online.Getting there
Mito is served by Ibaraki Airport, a secondary airport to Haneda and Narita with connections to several Chinese cities, Taiwan, Vietnam, the Philippines, and other regions of Japan. From there, buses run to Ishioka Station for JR Joban Line trains toward Ueno, and to Mito Station for rail connections to the north. If you fly into Narita instead, the Rose Liner airport limousine bus runs to Mito Station, the Mito-Oarai Interchange, Katsuta Station and Hitachi. From Haneda, Airport Limousine buses run directly to Mito during the afternoon and evening; otherwise take the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa, then the JR Yamanote or Keihin-Tohoku Line to Ueno to pick up a train bound for Mito. By rail, Mito sits on the JR Joban Line, which starts at Ueno station in Tokyo and runs to Sendai. Limited Express trains leave Ueno for Mito every 30 minutes during the day, with HITACHI trains departing on the hour and TOKIWA trains at half past; the trip takes 65-75 minutes depending on stops, and is covered by the Japan Rail Pass. Local trains take about two hours and depart Ueno two to three times per hour. By bus, Mito can be reached from Tokyo Station in about two hours, with departures at least twice an hour and every ten minutes during weekday rush hours. Seats are unreserved, so arrive early if you need a specific departure; baggage can be stored in the coach. If you are coming from an airport, take the bus directly to Mito rather than going into Tokyo first.Getting around
Mito is a compact city, and much of what you'll want to see clusters around two hubs: the area around Mito Station in the centre, and Kairakuen Garden to the west. Attractions within each hub sit within walking distance of one another, and the two are linked by a straightforward walk along the river. Mito Station is the main rail hub and a terminal for several lines, served by the JR Joban Line, the JR Suigun Line and the private Kashima Line. Smaller stations within the city's boundaries include Kairakuen (open only during plum blossom season, when some JR Joban Line trains make a temporary stop there), Akatsuka and Uchihara on the Joban Line, and Higashi Mito and Tsunezumi on the Kashima Line.
Walking is genuinely practical: Kairakuen is an easy half-hour walk from Mito Station's South Exit — head to the river (the Sakuragawa), take a right, stay on the right bank and keep going along the north shore of the lake. In April you'll pass cherry blossoms the whole way, with waterfowl for company. Buses are extensive and, as elsewhere in Japan, feel complicated at first but prove useful once you've worked out your route; most areas are served a few times each hour, and the bus to Kairakuen leaves from terminal 6 on the north side of Mito Station. Note that Suica and Pasmo IC cards don't work on Mito's buses — Ibaraki Kotsu uses its own rechargeable "Ibappi" card — and a one-day pass covering all buses in a designated downtown area that includes Kairakuen and many tourist spots is worth looking into if you'll make several trips in a day. Taxis are always available for short hops. By far the best way to get around near the station, though, is by bicycle: the levee banks of the Naka River carry excellent bike paths that act as bike freeways, offering leisurely rides with views of the rice farms on the river plain and a way to reach most destinations while avoiding traffic. Car rental is available at several outlets near the station.
Where to stay
Most of Mito's accommodation clusters around Mito Station, which makes the city easy to use as a base for exploring the surrounding area. The Mito Prince Hotel sits a short walk from the station on the Sakuragawa side and is known for an elaborate breakfast; it is an independent property that predates the similarly named hotel chain and has no connection to it. Reservations are required, so plan ahead if you want to stay here. Nearby, Hotel Mets Mito occupies an address in Miya-machi, also within easy reach of the station. Further out, Hotel Route Inn Mito Kenchomae serves the area around the prefectural government offices, a practical choice if your business or sightseeing takes you away from the station district. All three are conventional city hotels rather than guesthouses, so expect standard rooms and amenities.Food & drink
Mito is famous for natto, a fermented soybean dish that is notoriously smelly and sticky. It is very much an acquired taste, and even many people elsewhere in Japan, particularly in Kansai, dislike it. If you want to try it, look for restaurants serving Mito and Ibaraki specialities, such as natto dishes alongside anko (monkfish) nabe. For something different, there are Indian curry and naan restaurants in the city as well.
- Sanmi (山翠) — a popular restaurant featuring Mito and Ibaraki speciality cuisine, including anko (monkfish) nabe and various natto dishes.
- Gandhi (ガンジー) — an Indian curry and naan restaurant.
Yoshiwaradenchū is a finger-sized Japanese cake created by the Mito clan, made from rice cake, covered with candy and coated in soybean flour. If you would rather keep your options simple, Mito Station has numerous budget and mid-range places to eat, and AEON Mall Mito-Uchihara, outside Uchihara Station about ten minutes from Mito Station, gathers around forty eateries, combining over a dozen full restaurants with a food court. For drinks, the Drunken Duck on the south side of Mito Station is an English-style pub serving Aussie grub, and it has WiFi.
What to see and do
Kairakuen Garden is the city's signature sight, a hillside garden known for its plum trees, which bloom in late winter. Walkways thread through tall stands of cedar and bamboo and past flame-red azalea and snow-white bush clover, with camellia, magnolia and cherry blossoms appearing depending on the season. When the cherry blossoms open in spring, the garden's elevated position gives sweeping views over Semba Lake and Park. On the same grounds stands Kobuntei, a well-preserved samurai residence with fine natural woodwork, thatched roofs, hand-painted paper doors and a surrounding garden; look for the Chinese-character cheat-sheets on the walls of the poetry-composing room. At the garden's south gate you'll find Tokiwa Shrine, a large Shinto shrine dedicated to the Mito clan lords Tokugawa Mitsukuni and Tokugawa Nariaki, and the small Giretsukan museum, which holds a huge rolling taiko drum, an ancient large-barrel cannon on wooden wheels, a Tokugawa lineage chart and the multi-volume history compiled by the Mito School. Elsewhere in the city, the Kōdōkan is the former han school for samurai founded by Nariaki Tokugawa, the same lord behind Kairakuen; most of its buildings survived and it sits a short walk northeast of the train station. Art Tower Mito, founded by the city to mark its centenary as an official city, centres on a spiral tower rising above the plaza and is popular with locals partly for its closeness to Mito Station. Further afield, Seizansō in Hitachiōta was the final residence of Mitsukuni Tokugawa, with cherry blossoms in spring and maples turning red and yellow in autumn, while Nanatsudo Park is laid out as an English garden. If you're in town in summer, the Kōmon Festival takes over the first full weekend of August, and its fireworks display is reflected in the lake as well as lighting up the sky.Festivals & events
Mito's festival calendar is anchored by the Kōmon Festival, held each August. If your visit falls in that month, plan around it, as the city's event life centres on this celebration.Three days in Mito
Day one: Arrive in Mito, the capital of Ibaraki Prefecture in the Kanto region. The city's identity was shaped before the Tokugawa period and then by Tokugawa Ieyasu, whose family line produced the Gosanke. Begin with the Mito School, where Confucian scholars shaped Japanese thought in the years leading to the Meiji Restoration. If you are arriving by air, Ibaraki Airport serves flights from English-speaking countries as well as Chinese, Taiwanese, Vietnamese and Filipino routes, while Haneda and Narita are the larger international gateways. From Ishioka Station on the JR Joban Line, or from Ueno, you reach Mito Station easily; the Rose Liner bus runs via the Oarai Interchange, and Katsuta Station and Hitachi lie further along the line. From Haneda, the Airport Limousine and the Keikyu Line to Shinagawa, then the JR Yamanote and Keihin lines, connect you onward.
Day two: Spend the day with the intellectual and political history that gives Mito its character. The Mito School and its Confucian scholarship are central to understanding the city, and the Tokugawa legacy - Ieyasu and the Gosanke - runs through the story of Edo and of Japan before the Meiji Restoration. Walk the city with that context in mind, letting the names of the domain and its scholars frame what you see.
Day three: Use Mito as your base for the wider area. The JR Joban Line links Mito Station with Ishioka Station, Katsuta Station and Hitachi, so you can move between the city and the coast without difficulty. If you are heading back to Tokyo, Ueno is the natural terminus, and the Rose Liner via the Oarai Interchange offers another route. For departures, Ibaraki Airport handles regional international flights, while Haneda and Narita remain the main options, reached via Shinagawa and the Keikyu, JR Yamanote and Keihin lines.