Leisurely Cycling and Walking Along the Majestic Coastline : Oarai Town in Ibaraki

Ibaraki Prefecture, situated in the northern part of the Greater Tokyo area, is mostly flat, making it perfect for a relaxed bike ride or a walk while soaking in the views. One spot worth checking out is Oarai Town, which is a cyclist-friendly spot where you can combine sightseeing with biking or walking.

Where is Oarai?

Oarai Town, nestled in the eastern part of central Ibaraki Prefecture, is just a 15-minute journey from Mito City, the prefectural capital. The Oarai-Kashima Line, a local train, transforms this short ride into a delightful retreat, showcasing the beauty of the landscape along the way.

As you look out the train window at the flowing rice fields, you soon arrive at Oarai Station, the entrance to the town. Oarai is famous for its fishing industry and seaside leisure activities, captivating visitors with stunning Pacific Ocean views along its coastline.

It has also become a popular destination for anime fans, as it serves as the setting for the series Girls und Panzer. Additionally, the town is home to a ferry terminal with service to Hokkaido, making it a well-known starting point for road trips to the northern island of Japan.

How to explore Oarai

Oarai is a coastal gem, where the flat landscape invites you to explore charming sights on a bike ride or a leisurely stroll. Embrace the joy of cycling beneath the canopy of black pine trees or wander along the majestic shoreline. The coastline road, with its clear views, beckons you to mindfully walk towards your destination. Don't forget to savor a delicious lunch at the local restaurants by the fishing port to enhance your delightful experience.

Oarai Leisurely Cycling & Walking

Oarai seashore

Oarai Isosaki Shrine Torii

Oarai Aquaworld

Nakaminato Fishmarket

Your travel begins at Oarai Station.

At Oarai Station, you'll find a visitor information center OARAI UMIMACHI TERRACE. This office provides a range of services for visitors, including baggage storage and bicycle rentals. It is an essential stop for gathering travel information, so be sure to visit OARAI UMIMACHI TERRACE before you start your exploration.

Rent a bike at Oarai Station

The OARAI UMIMACHI TERRACE offers several types of rental bicycles to suit different cycling styles; all are electric-assist models. Rental fees vary based on the type of bike and the duration of use. To rent a bike, you must install a dedicated app in advance, which allows you to handle everything from unlocking the bike and paying the fee to returning it.

You can return the rental bicycles at one of three locations.

A feature of this service is the availability of 3 return points: OARAI UMIMACHI TERRACE at Oarai Station, Oarai Seaside Hotel, and Nakaminato Station. If you don’t need to return to the starting point, for instance, to collect your stored baggage, you can enjoy a one-way short ride that fits your plan.

Recommended Sightseeing Route in Oarai

Ibaraki Prefecture’s cycling website has many serious cycling courses, including long distances. However, we want to highlight a shorter route for easy cycling or walking. Starting from Oarai Station, this route lets you explore seaside sights at your own pace without a strict schedule. The total distance is about 15 km round trip by bicycle, or 7.5 km one way on foot.

1. Oarai Marine Tower
2. Oarai Ferry Terminal
3. Oarai Fishing Port Eateries
4. Oarai Isosakijinja Shrine
5. Oarai Park
6. Aquaworld Oarai
7. Nakaminato Fish market

1. Oarai Marine Tower
(大洗マリンタワー)

Approx. 0.9 km from Oarai Station
Follow the road straight from Oarai Station; after passing through a residential area, you will see a tall building. This is the Oarai Marine Tower, an observation tower standing approximately 60 meters high. Admission to the observation deck is 340 yen for adults. The tower has a souvenir shop and vending machines on the first floor, and a café themed after the anime Girls und Panzer on the second floor. If you choose to walk this route, remember that there are no rest stops for a while along the way. It's a good idea to buy a drink to prevent heat stroke.

2. Oarai Ferry Terminal
(大洗フェリーターミナル)

Approx. 1.4km from Oarai Station
Approx. 550m from Oarai Marine Tower
This port near the Marine Tower is the Oarai Ferry Terminal. The "MOL Sunflower" runs a regular ferry service connecting Oarai Port on Japan's mainland to Tomakomai Port on Hokkaido island. While not a tourist attraction in itself, the sight of the large ferries docked there stirs the imagination and evokes the excitement of a sea voyage to Hokkaido.

3. Oarai Fishing Port Eateries
(大洗漁港の食堂)

Approx. 2km from Oarai Station
Approx. 1km from Oarai Ferry Terminal
Distance from Oarai Ferry Terminal: Approx. 1 km
The Oarai fishing port is lined with many eateries serving fresh seafood. These traditional Japanese-style restaurants offer dishes such as sushi, seafood rice bowls, and Hamayaki (fresh seafood grilled right at the table). How about stopping by for lunch?

4. Oarai Isosaki-jinja Shrine (大洗磯前神社)

Approx. 2.9km from Oarai Station
Approx. 900m from Oarai Fishing port eateries
A historic shrine said to have been founded in 857 AD. The Toorii gate, towering over the coastline in front of the shrine's steps, is one of Oarai's most spectacular scenic spots. The view of the sea from the top of the steps and the sight of the gate standing amidst the wild, crashing white waves are truly a must-see. Oarai Isosaki Shrine is located on a slight hill and is accessible by bicycle. You can reach the shrine by following the side road that goes uphill from the intersection where another large Torii gate stands.

5. Oarai Park (大洗公園)

Approx. 4.1km from Oarai Station
Approx. 1.2km Oarai Isosaki-jinja Shrine
This seashore park faces a forest of Japanese black pines—a historic grove originally planted during the Edo period(1603-1867) to serve as a windbreak and sand-drift barrier. The combination of the sandy beach and the pine forest creates a very Japanese landscape. It is said that the name "Oarai" (literally "Great Washing") derives from the sight of rough waves powerfully washing over the rocky shores here. It is a spot to sit on a bench, gaze out at the turbulent sea, and lose yourself in thought.

6. Aquaworld Oarai
(アクアワールド大洗)

Approx. 5km from Oarai Station
Approx. 1km from Oarai Park
One of the largest aquariums in the greater Tokyo area, it exhibits approximately 68,000 creatures across around 580 species. The aquarium holds the record for having the highest number of shark species in Japan, with over 50 varieties. It is also well-known for its displays of schooling sardines and ocean sunfish.

https://www.aquaworld-oarai.com/

7. Nakaminato Fish market
(那珂湊おさかな市場)

Approx. 6.5km from Oarai Station
Approx. 1.5km from Acuaworld Oarai
This fish market is open to visitors to buy fresh seafood, always bustling with crowds. The market has seafood eateries of Kaiten Sushi (conveyor belt sushi) which are a major draw and keep the place constantly busy. While it is difficult to purchase seafood and bring it while out cycling, it is nice to stop by and feel the lively and enjoyable atmosphere of the market.

Nakaminato Station (那珂湊駅)

Approx. 7km Oarai Station
Approx. 500m from Nakaminato Fish market
Nakaminato Station is on the Hitachinaka Seaside Railway line, which runs between Katsuta Station and Ajigaura Station. You can return the rental bicycle here that you rent at Oarai Station.

Nakaminato is a town in Hitachinaka City, not Oarai City. The two cities collaborate to offer rental bicycle services, enabling multiple return points.: Nakaminato Station, OARAI UMIMACHI TERRACE (at Oarai Station), and the Oarai Seaside Hotel. Please note, however, that Nakaminato Station has no visitor information center, and the rental procedure differs from that at Oarai Station. The rental service fee at Nakaminato Station is lower, but it is handled in a "manual way". You need your identification when renting and declare your intended return location at that time.

Getting There Getting Around Extra Info

From Central Tokyo

From JR Ueno Station by way of Mito Station
From Ueno Station, take the train "Express Hitachi Tokkyu" on the Joban Line bound for Mito station. (Travel time approx.65 min).
Regular train on the Joban Line is also available between Ueno and Mito Station, though the travel time can be more than 2 hours.

From Mito Station, take a train on the Oarai-Kashima Line to get to Oarai Station (Approx. 15 min travel)

NOTE:
Transit IC cards (such as Suica and PASMO) cannot be used at Oarai Station. When boarding the Oarai-Kashima Line from Mito Station, you will need to purchase a ticket from the machine at the ticket gate before boarding the train. There is a tourist information center next to the ticket gate at Mito Station where you can ask for assistance.

You cannot take a direct train from Oarai Station to Nakaminato Station because they are served by different train lines. If you want to get to Nakaminato Station from Oarai Station, you need to change trains at Katsuta and Mito Station.
Transit IC cards such as Suica and PASMO cannot be used at either Oarai Station or Nakaminato Station. Buy a ticket before boarding the train.
To return to Tokyo from Nakaminato Station, take the Hitachinaka Seaside Railway (HSR) train bound for Katusuta Station. From Katsuta Station, you can take the Joban Line's express train "Tokkyu Hitachi" bound for Ueno.
NOTE:
The Katsuta Station on the HSR is located within the JR Katsuta Station. When you exit the HSR station, be sure to show your ticket and keep it with you. You will need your ticket when you pass through the JR ticket gate to purchase a ticket for the JR Joban Line train. If you accidentally leave your HSR ticket at the exit, simply explain the situation at the JR service window, and they will assist you.
The regular Joban train ticket costs about 40% less than the express train, although the travel time can exceed two hours.
A loop bus runs from Oarai Station to Aquaworld Oarai. It runs once an hour or so.
You can take a bus from Aquaworld Oarai to Nakaminato Station, but the service is not frequent. Check the timetable on-site before deciding whether to use it.

Hitachi Seaside Park, a famous tourist attraction in Ibaraki, is located about 19km from Oarai Station and 8km from Nakaminato Station. The route is part of the a long cycling route called Oarai-Hitachi Seaside Route.
The Hitachinaka Seaside Railway, which includes Nakaminato Station, is the line used to travel by train to Hitachi Seaside Park.
A shuttle bus runs from the terminus, Ajigaura Station, to the park.

Spring

Nemophila flowers at the Hitachinaka Seaside Park

will be in full bloom around mid-April.

Summer

Oarai is known for Oarai Sun Beach, a popular swimming beach that attracts many visitors during the summer months. However, the waters surrounding Oarai can be quite rough, and swimming is prohibited in several areas. To find out where swimming is allowed, please visit the Oarai Tourism Association's website.

Autumn

Kochia at Hitachi Seaside Park

turn a brilliant red in the middle of October.

Winter

Mito Station is the starting point for trains heading to Oarai Station, and it is renowned for Kairakuen, a garden famous for its beautiful plum blossoms. If you visit between mid-February and early March, you’ll see the blossoms in all their glory.

Plum blossoms