Tsukuba / Ushiku

Top Things to do

• Ushiku Daibutsu

  4.0

  410 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Ushikushi Kunochou 2083

  World’s largest free-standing bronze statue—at 120 meters. The inner body is divided into five levels—one floor for trying sutras, one floor with 3,400 internal buddha statues, and an observatory deck where you can see Mt. Fuji and Tokyo Skytree from a height of 85 meters. There’s plenty to enjoy in the area too, from the small zoo where you can see monkey acrobatics or feed small animals to the Pure Land-style gardens with beautiful flowers in each season.

• Tsukubasan-jinja Shrine

  4.0

  177 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Tsukubashi Tsukuba 1-1

  Tsukubasan-jinja Shrine enshrines the spirits of Mt. Tsukuba, a holy mountain in the eastern Kanto region. Its mention in 25 of the poems in the Nara period collection of poems the Manyoshu shows that it was well known even then but its history is said to stretch back almost 3,000 years. Tsukuba’s god and goddess Izanagi and Izanami give benefits towards marriages and harmonious unions. Many visitors come to the shrine for the New Year’s Eve and New Year festivals.

• Bakery Couronne Tsukuba

  4.5

  75 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Tsukubashi Matsunoki 152-40

  This chain of bread bakeries is primarily located in southern Ibaraki Prefecture; this particular location is situated in Matsunoki, Tsukuba City. Outside, the bakery's exterior gives it a warm and inviting atmosphere; inside, visitors will find a large variety of breads. The establishment has a terrace seating area with 15 seats where, on sunny days, patrons can enjoy a baked good fresh out of the oven. The bakery's breads are basic made with great care using pure, safe, and healthy ingredients. The secret behind the great taste of the bakery's rye bread is its use of natural, homemade yeast levain. The bakery's abundant selection of goods includes Japanese shokupan bread, baguettes, and baked sweets, as well as seasonal items like stollen.

• Ibaraki Prefectural Doho Park

  4.0

  75 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Tsukubashi Ninomiya 2-20

  Ibaraki Prefectural Doho Park located in Tsukuba City is a prefectural urban park. Seasonal trees spread out around the Doho Pond. In addition to an athletics field and a gymnasium, which is available for a fee, it is equipped with a year-round heated pool and tennis courts with night lighting. There is also an athletic facility which is free of charge and families can also enjoy it together. It holds sports classes such as tennis and swimming, events such as ground golf competitions, and orienteering.

• Asahi Beer Ibaraki Factory

  4.5

  67 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Moriyashi Midori 1-1-1

  There is a 10-minute free shuttle bus from Moriya Station on the Tsukuba Express Line to reach the Asahi Beer Ibaraki Factory. Starting with a video at the orientation theater enjoy learning about the bottling process and environmental initiatives from the tour guides. After the tour try a sample of Asahi Super Dry and Dry Black fresh from the factory (there is a 20-minute, three drink per person limit). There’s also a giftshop with novelties and factory exclusive items as well as a garden that you can explore either before or after your tour.

• Tsukuba Wanwan Land

  3.5

  77 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Tsukubashi Numata 579

  Tsukuba Wanwan Land is a large-scale interactive zoo where you can pat the animals. A landmark is Mokkun, an 11-meter high wooden statue which is a dog-shaped observatory. Dogs are the main attraction, and there are about 500 dogs from 90 breeds. You can pat your favorite dog as well as experience walking with it. In addition to dogs, there is a building which houses cats only and an area which you can pat small animals so you can experience interacting with a wide range of animals. Entry with your pet dog is available. Your dog can use a dog run, and there are events in which it can participate.

• Geospatial Information Authority of Japan Science Museum of Map and Survey

  4.0

  56 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Tsukubashi Kitasato 1

  "A science museum located close to the ""Kokudo Chiriin"" bus stop on the Kanto Railway Bus which leaves from Tsukuba Station in Ibaraki Prefecture. Through videos, informational panels, human body rulers, dioramas, eye measuring activities, and other exhibits, visitors can learn about the history, principles, mechanisms, and latest technologies concerning maps and surveying. At the adjoining Earth Plaza, there is a hemispherical model of the globe from the position of the Japanese islands from which visitors can get a sense of the true curvature of the planet, and Kunikaze, a former survey plane, is also on display here. The museum also holds special exhibitions, map and surveying orientations, and lectures."

• National Museum of Nature and Science (Tsukuba Botanical Garden)

  4.5

  53 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Tsukubashi Amakubo 4-1-1

  Located in Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture, this botanical garden is a part of the National Museum of Nature and Science, fully utilizing its position amid the rich nature at the southern base of Mt. Tsukuba, 7,000 species of plants—tropical and temperate—from Japan and around the world are cultivated here. General visitors can see roughly 3,000 of them. The garden is divided into nine sections, like evergreens, shrubs, aquatic plants, etc., and features three greenhouses recreating environments like the savannah and the tropical rainforest. You can see many rare foreign plants here.

• Geological Museum

  4.5

  49 Reviews

  Ibaraki Pref. Tsukubashi Higashi 1-1-1

  A museum located 10 minutes from the Sakura-tsuchiura interchange on the Joban Expressway. The only comprehensive museum in the country dedicated to the earth sciences, here visitors can view exhibits on minerals and fossils for free. Visitors can have fun while learning about the history of the earth through exhibits like a replica of the fossilized skeleton of a Desmostylus, a mammal which lived along the North Pacific coast during the Neogene period; and three-dimensional geological models such as cross-sectional views of Mt. Fuji and the Mt. Hakone volcano complex.