Ibaraki is often seen simply as another suburban city near Tokyo and overlooked as a tourist destination. While I had a similar image of Ibaraki, a day trip was enough for me to wake up to the potential of this quaint prefecture and to appreciate its local gems hidden out of sight just an hour's distance from Tokyo.

Here's the itinerary of my day trip which can hopefully inspire others:

1. Kodokan (pics 2-3): A traditional Japanese building with absolutely stunning aesthetics, Kodokan was founded as a Samurai school by the Togukawa clan in the late Edo period. This is an impressive historic site to witness a slice of the lives of Japan's last samurai generation - in the shadow of the revolutionary change to come.
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2. Kairakuen (4-5): A spacious Japanese garden teeming with plum blossoms. The strikingly pretty teahouse in the center of the garden reminds me of Ginkakuji with its thatched rooftop.
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3. Restaurant Iijima (6): Hitachi beef is a local delicacy of Ibaraki and Iijima offers many different ways of enjoying it. I particularly liked the succulent hamburg, elevated by the high quality beef.
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4. Treehouse Bonsai (7-8): Ran by an American bonsai professional, this bonsai garden not only hosts many beautiful pieces, but it also offers a rare chance to learn about the art of bonsai in English.
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5. Tsukuba Vineyard (9-10): Besides beer and nihonshu, Ibaraki is also a famous wine-producing region within Japan. There's some noteworthy wine and warm hospitality to be enjoyed in a visit to Tsukuba Vineyard.

As most of Tokyo&Kyoto's most famous sights are getting overcrowded to the point of being not enjoyable anymore, it is good to remember there is always more to see and discover in Japan outside of the hype.