Two days in Ibaraki: the park or aquarium?
Visit Kodokan and Kairakuen together on day one and spend a night in Mito. On day two, choose Hitachi Seaside Park for longer flower-field walks or the Oarai aquarium for close views of sharks and jellyfish. Return to Mito from either destination for a Tokyo-bound limited express.
Choose a 2 days, 1 night itinerary
Mito's historic sights and Hitachi Seaside Park
Visit Kodokan and Kairakuen on day one, then spend a night in Mito. On day two, stay at Hitachi Seaside Park into the afternoon, return to Mito and take a limited express to Tokyo. This itinerary starts and finishes at Tokyo Station.
Mito's historic sights and Hitachi Seaside Park →2 days, 1 night BMito's historic sights and the Oarai aquarium
For sharks, jellyfish and fish in large tanks, visit the Oarai aquarium on day two. See Kodokan and Kairakuen first, spend a night in Mito, then visit the aquarium before returning to Tokyo Station.
Mito's historic sights and the Oarai aquarium →Mito's historic sights and Hitachi Seaside Park
Visit Kodokan and Kairakuen on day one, then spend a night in Mito. On day two, stay at Hitachi Seaside Park into the afternoon, return to Mito and take a limited express to Tokyo. This itinerary starts and finishes at Tokyo Station.
Day 1: Kodokan, then Kairakuen
- Tokyo Station → Mito Station
From Tokyo Station, take a Hitachi or Tokiwa limited express that stops at Mito. Prepare a base-fare ticket and an ordinary-class reserved-seat limited express ticket. Check departures and stops in the official timetable for your actual travel date.
Tokiwa 53 and service calendarJR current station timetable search
- Mito Station north exit → Kodokan side entrance
Go straight along the north deck, down the stairs at the end, then right in front of the ginkgo tree. With the Keisei Hotel on your left, head up Ichozaka, then turn right beside Sannomaru Elementary School. Enter through the fence on your left and register at the side entrance to the right of the closed main gate. Follow the official photo directions.
Kodokan photo directionsKodokan visiting and accessibility guide
- Kodokan → Visit Kodokan
Explore the historic school's Seicho main hall, Shizendo and garden. October hours are 09:00–16:30; adult admission is JPY 420.
Kodokan visiting and accessibility guideKodokan school history and surviving buildings
- Kodokan bus stop 1 → Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi stop
From Kodokan bus stop 1, take loop bus route 10 towards Kairakuen to Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi. The adult one-way fare is JPY 270. Walk towards the main garden's Omote-mon gate after getting off.
- Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi stop → Kairakuen main garden Omote-mon gate
Follow signs towards Omote-mon to the main garden ticket counter. Official guidance gives a walk of about 5–8 minutes. Distinguish the Kobuntei building entrance from the main garden entrance.
- Kairakuen main garden → Walk through Kairakuen
Enter through Omote-mon, walk through the bamboo grove and tall cedar area, and see the garden around Kobuntei. The building's interior is excluded. October main garden hours are 07:00–18:00; adult admission outside the plum festival period is JPY 320.
- Kairakuen Omote-mon gate → Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi bus stop 1
Leave through Omote-mon and retrace your route to Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi bus stop 1.
- Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi bus stop 1 → Mito Station north exit
Take loop bus route 10 towards Mito Station's north exit via Lake Senba and Daikumachi. The adult one-way fare is JPY 270. This loop differs from a return route requiring you to cross to the opposite stop.
Day 2: the park and return to Tokyo
- Mito Station → Katsuta Station
From Mito Station, take a JR Joban Line local train towards Katsuta and get off one stop later at Katsuta. The reference adult paper-ticket fare is JPY 200.
673M and service calendar2026 JR ordinary fare tableJR current station timetable search
- Katsuta Station ticket gates → East exit bus bay 2
Leave through the east exit and find bus bay 2. Check the departure and on-site boarding information.
- Katsuta Station east exit, bay 2 → Kaihin Koen Nishiguchi stop
Take a bus towards the park's south gate via city hall and Joyful Honda, getting off at the west gate. The adult one-way fare is JPY 450; this itinerary does not continue to the south gate.
- West roundabout → West gate, Tsubasa no Gate
From the west roundabout used by buses and taxis, walk to the west gate, Tsubasa no Gate, and enter through the ticket counter.
- Hitachi Seaside Park → Walk around Miharashi no Oka
Pick up a park map and walk towards Miharashi no Oka, with lunch and rest in the park. October hours are 09:30–17:00. The seasonal adult admission for 9 October–3 November 2026 is JPY 800. Flower blooms and kochia colours vary with your visit date. Rides, rental bicycles and the Seaside Train cost extra.
Official English mapPark admissionOpening daysOpening calendar
- Park walking area → Kaihin Koen Nishiguchi bus stop 1
Return to the west gate, exit and go to Kaihin Koen Nishiguchi bus stop 1 at the roundabout. Leave time for walking within the park and waiting for the bus.
- Kaihin Koen Nishiguchi bus stop 1 → Katsuta Station
Exit at the west gate and take the Katsuta Station-bound bus from stop 1 via Joyful Honda and city hall. The adult one-way fare is JPY 450.
- Katsuta Station → Mito Station
Take an inbound JR Joban Line train towards Mito and Tsuchiura to Mito Station. The reference adult paper-ticket fare is JPY 200. If the bus is delayed, check the next train.
422M and service calendar2026 JR ordinary fare tableJR current station timetable search
- Mito Station → Tokyo Station
If you stored luggage at your accommodation, collect it within its available hours and return to Mito Station. Allow for local buses, trains and accommodation detours when choosing a reserved seat on a Shinagawa-bound Hitachi or Tokiwa limited express that stops at Tokyo. Board at Mito and get off at Tokyo Station.
Hitachi 22 and service calendarJR current station timetable search
Check the park opening calendar and buses serving the west gate. If the return bus is delayed, check the next Mito train at Katsuta and leave a buffer before your Tokyo-bound limited express.
Included costs: Tokyo–Mito limited express return JPY 8,000 + Mito–Katsuta JR return JPY 400 + historic sights buses JPY 540 + park buses return JPY 900 + Kodokan JPY 420 + Kairakuen main garden JPY 320 + seasonal park admission JPY 800 = JPY 11,380.
Extra costs: Accommodation, meals, travel to the starting station, additional visits and activities, and luggage storage cost extra.
Calculated using an October weekday adult paper-ticket fare and advance purchase of limited express tickets, checked on 8 October 2026. Check fares, admission and discount conditions for your actual dates. This is not a full trip total including accommodation. The JPY 800 park admission applies during 9 October–3 November 2026; recalculate for other dates.
2026 JR ordinary fare tableAdvance limited express faresKodokan → Omote-mon buses and faresOmote-mon → Mito buses and faresKodokan visiting and accessibility guideMain garden admission and hoursPark-bound times and faresReturn to Katsuta StationPark admission
Mito's historic sights and the Oarai aquarium
For sharks, jellyfish and fish in large tanks, visit the Oarai aquarium on day two. See Kodokan and Kairakuen first, spend a night in Mito, then visit the aquarium before returning to Tokyo Station.
Day 1: Kodokan and Kairakuen, overnight in Mito
- Tokyo Station → Mito Station
From Tokyo Station, take a Hitachi or Tokiwa limited express that stops at Mito. Prepare a base-fare ticket and an ordinary-class reserved-seat limited express ticket. Check departures and stops in the official timetable for your actual travel date.
Tokiwa 53 and service calendarJR current station timetable search
- Mito Station north exit → Kodokan side entrance
Go straight along the north deck, down the stairs at the end, then right in front of the ginkgo tree. With the Keisei Hotel on your left, head up Ichozaka, then turn right beside Sannomaru Elementary School. Enter through the fence on your left and register at the side entrance to the right of the closed main gate. Follow the official photo directions.
Kodokan photo directionsKodokan visiting and accessibility guide
- Kodokan → Visit Kodokan
Explore the historic school's Seicho main hall, Shizendo and garden. October hours are 09:00–16:30; adult admission is JPY 420.
Kodokan visiting and accessibility guideKodokan school history and surviving buildings
- Kodokan bus stop 1 → Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi stop
From Kodokan bus stop 1, take loop bus route 10 towards Kairakuen to Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi. The adult one-way fare is JPY 270. Walk towards the main garden's Omote-mon gate after getting off.
- Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi stop → Kairakuen main garden Omote-mon gate
Follow signs towards Omote-mon to the main garden ticket counter. Official guidance gives a walk of about 5–8 minutes. Distinguish the Kobuntei building entrance from the main garden entrance.
- Kairakuen main garden → Walk through Kairakuen
Enter through Omote-mon, walk through the bamboo grove and tall cedar area, and see the garden around Kobuntei. The building's interior is excluded. October main garden hours are 07:00–18:00; adult admission outside the plum festival period is JPY 320.
- Kairakuen Omote-mon gate → Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi bus stop 1
Leave through Omote-mon and retrace your route to Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi bus stop 1.
- Kobuntei Omote-mon Iriguchi bus stop 1 → Mito Station north exit
Take loop bus route 10 towards Mito Station's north exit via Lake Senba and Daikumachi. The adult one-way fare is JPY 270. This loop differs from a return route requiring you to cross to the opposite stop.
Day 2: the Oarai aquarium, then Tokyo
- Mito Station → Oarai Station
Take a Kashima Rinkai Railway train towards Oarai and get off at Oarai Station. The adult one-way fare is JPY 420. Check destination and platform information on the station board.
- Outside Oarai Station → Aqua World Oarai stop
Take the Umimachi Line sightseeing route bus to Aqua World Oarai. The adult fare is JPY 200 per ride. Distinguish it from other loop routes that do not serve the aquarium.
- Aqua World Oarai stop → Aquarium entrance
Walk about 1 minute from the stop to the entrance, following official guidance.
- Oarai aquarium → Visit aquarium exhibits
Explore the shark and jellyfish exhibits and large tanks, then have lunch. Adult admission is JPY 2,300. Regular hours are 09:00–17:00, with last entry at 16:00. Check your visit day's guidance for show seating, individual activities and dining area hours.
Aquarium admissionHours and transportDining area noticeAqua World sharks, jellyfish and large tank guide
- Aqua World Oarai stop → Oarai Station
Return to the stop from the aquarium and take the Umimachi Line sightseeing route towards Oarai Station. The adult fare is JPY 200 per ride.
- Oarai Station → Mito Station
Return on the Kashima Rinkai Railway towards Mito. The adult one-way fare is JPY 420; check your date's timetable for a train connecting with the sightseeing bus.
- Mito Station → Tokyo Station
If you stored luggage at your accommodation, collect it within its available hours and return to Mito Station. Allow for local buses, trains and accommodation detours when choosing a reserved seat on a Shinagawa-bound Hitachi or Tokiwa limited express that stops at Tokyo. Board at Mito and get off at Tokyo Station.
The Umimachi Line costs JPY 200 per ride or JPY 400 for two rides. Suica and PASMO are not accepted, so prepare a payment method listed by the operator. Check return bus and train services together.
Included costs: Tokyo–Mito return with ordinary paper tickets and advance ordinary-class reserved-seat limited express tickets JPY 8,000 + Kodokan–garden–Mito buses JPY 540 + Kodokan JPY 420 + Kairakuen main garden JPY 320 + Mito–Oarai railway return JPY 840 + sightseeing loop bus return JPY 400 + aquarium JPY 2,300 = JPY 12,820.
Extra costs: One night's accommodation, meals, travel to Tokyo Station, Kobuntei interior admission, shrine visits, taxis, additional activities and luggage storage cost extra.
Calculated using an October weekday adult paper-ticket fare and advance purchase of limited express tickets, checked on 8 October 2026. Check fares, admission and discount conditions for your actual dates. This is not a full trip total including accommodation. No discount tickets or passes are applied.
2026 JR ordinary fare tableAdvance limited express faresKodokan → Omote-mon buses and faresOmote-mon → Mito buses and faresKodokan visiting and accessibility guideMain garden admission and hoursCurrent railway faresOarai Town Umimachi Line sightseeing routeAquarium admission
Frequently asked questions
Can I fit the flower park, aquarium and waterfall into two days?
These itineraries visit Mito's historic sights on day one and choose either the park or aquarium on day two. The waterfall needs a return Suigun Line journey and about 40 minutes walking from the station. To see all three, compare an option giving them separate days, such as three-night option B.
Hitachi Seaside Park official transport guideCurrent Kashima Rinkai Railway table
Official sources and check dates
- Hitachi Seaside Park official transport guide ·
- Tokiwa 53 and service calendar ·
- Kodokan photo directions ·
- Kodokan → Omote-mon buses and fares ·
- Main garden walking route ·
- Omote-mon → Mito buses and fares ·
- 673M and service calendar ·
- Outward bus ·
- West gate roundabout ·
- Official English map ·
- Return bus ·
- 422M and service calendar ·
- Hitachi 22 and service calendar ·
- Operator's symbol key ·
- 2026 JR ordinary fare table ·
- Advance limited express fares ·
- Park admission ·
- Current Kashima Rinkai Railway table ·
- Oarai Town Umimachi Line sightseeing route ·
- Aquarium access ·
- Aquarium admission ·
- Hitachi 20 ·
- Main garden admission and hours ·
- Entrances and transport ·
- Kodokan visiting and accessibility guide ·
- Opening days ·
- Hours and transport ·
- Dining area notice ·
- Park-bound times and fares ·
- Return to Katsuta Station ·
- Current railway fares ·
- Opening calendar ·
- JR current station timetable search ·
- Kodokan school history and surviving buildings ·
- Aqua World sharks, jellyfish and large tank guide ·