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Sample Schedule
Half-day | Starts from Hitachi Station |
English guided throughout
This schedule serves as a guide. Exact timings may vary slightly depending on group size and seasonal conditions.
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Rina will meet you at the station and drive you toward the foothills of Mount Oiwa. As you leave the city behind, the landscape shifts into ancient cedar forest — the first sign that you are entering somewhere genuinely different.
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One of Japan's oldest continuously worshipped sacred sites, Oiwa Shrine appears in historical records dating back to 721 AD. Your tour begins with a guided walk through the shrine grounds with a shrine priestess — a rare privilege in itself.
Along the way, you'll learn the fascinating history of this sacred mountain: the origins of Shinto, the dramatic separation of Buddhism and Shinto during the Meiji period, and the stories behind the monuments, stone lanterns, and ancient cedar trees that line the path. One of these cedars — known as the Three-Trunk Cedar — is among Japan's top 100 forest giants, its three trunks rising from a single base in a formation that has stood for centuries.
This is not a rehearsed tourist explanation. It is a living conversation with someone whose life is devoted to this place.
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This is something that ordinary visitors to Oiwa Shrine cannot experience.
Through Hitamichi's deep relationship with the shrine, guests are invited to participate in a private ritual ceremony conducted by the priestess — an intimate window into the living spiritual practices of Shinto that very few people outside Japan witness firsthand.
We ask that guests approach this experience with openness and respect. What happens in the ceremony is best discovered in the moment.
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After the ceremony, we make our way to a local restaurant for lunch — a quiet moment to reflect on the morning over good food and unhurried conversation.
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We'll drop you at the most convenient station for your onward journey — or if the day has inspired you to go deeper, we can add an afternoon experience. The sake brewery at Okabe is nearby, as is a local food tour through Hitachiota.
Looking to make a full day of it?
Oiwa Shrine sits in the heart of northern Ibaraki, surrounded by some of the region's most memorable experiences. After your morning at the shrine, consider adding one of these to your afternoon:
Just a short drive from the shrine, Okabe Brewery has been crafting sake for over 150 years in Hitachiota City. Meet the fifth-generation family, hear the story behind their award-winning Matsuzakari, and taste sake in the place where it was born.
Okabe Sake Brewery
Northern Ibaraki sits along the Pacific coast, and its fish markets are a window into a seafood culture most visitors never discover. Fresh catches, local traders, and the kind of authentic atmosphere that disappears the moment tourists find it.
Fish Market Tour
One of the longest pedestrian suspension bridges in Japan, stretching across a dramatic gorge in Hitachiota. In May, hundreds of koinobori carp streamers are displayed across the valley in a display unlike anything else in Japan. For the adventurous — bungee jumping is available from the bridge.
Ryujinkyo Suspension Bridge
The former retirement residence of Tokugawa Mitsukuni — one of the most celebrated figures of the Edo period — nestled quietly in the mountains of Hitachiota. The surrounding Tougen garden spans 8,000 square metres of koi ponds, stone bridges, and seasonal landscapes. A traditional tea house on the grounds serves matcha in the classical style — a moment of stillness that connects you directly to the Edo period.
Seizanso & Tougen Garden
All add-on activities can be arranged by Hitamichi. Let us know your interests when you enquire and we'll build your perfect day.
