Tsuchiura Castle Ruins

Spring has fully arrived in Japan. The trees are blossoming, and the temperatures are perfectly pleasant, making it easy to put away winter clothing. Yet, the pandemic persists, and covid infection numbers show no signs of decreasing. It's no surprise that I'm slowly emerging from winter lethargy, with this lovely weather stirring my restlessness to explore Japan. Of course, given the situation, traveling by train or bus isn't advisable...

Fortunately, there are other options, like cyclink. Bicycles are extremely popular in Japan, much more so than in Poland. Virtually every building has a bike parking area for residents. Moreover, most cities have a network of bike paths, and you can find cycling gadgets in numerous stores. During the week, it’s completely normal to see not just groups of students but even office workers in suits riding bikes. I'm among those who commute to work by bike, so once temperatures became comfortable, I decided to explore nearby towns on my bicycle.

The city I recently visited is Tsuchiura. Besides the challenge of pronouncing its name (I struggle with it!), it intrigues for two reasons. First, it hosts Kasumigaura, the second-largest lake in Japan, which I’ll discuss another time. The second reason is the ruins of a castle and a nearby museum. Equipped with GPS, I set off on my bike toward Tsuchiura. However, things weren't as straightforward as they seemed. For some reason, Google Maps in this part of Japan can't generate cycling routes! This was a bit surprising, but it wasn't an issue; I could use the walking paths. The day was very warm, with temperatures reaching 22 degrees, reinforcing my belief that the ubiquitous vending machines are a fantastic idea. When I finally arrived at the museum/ruins, I was surprised to find both places seemingly deserted. Fortunately, the museum was open.

The museum's exhibition is modest in size but includes some fascinating exhibits. You can see samurai armor, various tools, writings, and a large model of the castle's reconstruction. Unfortunately, most of the exhibition is described solely in Japanese. Luckily, for those who don't know the language, the ticket price is very low at just 105 円. The museum is located right across from the ruins, so after the exhibition, I headed straight there. In fact, very little remains of the castle itself—the most characteristic element and symbol of this place is the guard gate. It's unique in the Kanto region. The site of the ruins is now Kijo Park, surrounded by remnants of a moat. In the past, the castle was encircled by three water rings. Although the area was historically prone to floods, the castle was never submerged and appeared to residents like a "turtle floating on water." Hence, it was called the "turtle castle."

Currently, the park hosts many cherry trees. Though I visited before their bloom, it's easy to imagine how enchanting this place must be during the cherry blossom season...

The only drawback of the museum and ruins is their small size. You can complete the visit in one to two hours (depending on your ability to read all the descriptions in the museum), so it’s wise to explore other attractions nearby, such as the previously mentioned Kasumigaura Lake. Tsuchiura is only 60 kilometers from Tokyo, making it a good one-day trip for those staying in Japan's capital.

That's all I wanted to share with you today. More material is coming soon!