Tsukuba
From Wikitravel
Contents
Tsukuba (つくば) is in Ibaraki, to the north of Tokyo, Japan.
[edit] Understand
Tsukuba is a modern city built around the University of Tsukuba — one of the most respected public universities in Japan and home to two Nobel Prize winners and a cyclotron. The city is also located at the foot of Mount Tsukuba which offers scenic views, hiking, and lifts. The surrounding area is mostly agricultural.
[edit] Get in
The Tsukuba Express Line connect Tsukuba to Akihabara in downtown Tokyo in about 45 minutes. Tsukuba Center in downtown is a bus hub which provides transporation to Tokyo and other areas.
[edit] Get around
Tsukuba is extremely accessible and well laid-out. The infrastructure consists of the Higashi-Ōdori on the east and the Nishi-Ōdori on the west, both major roadways running on either side of the university. The campus itself is connected to downtown via a system of bicycle paths and bridges, offering easy transit for university students.
[edit][add listing] See
- Tsukuba Space Center, ☎ +81-29-868-2023, [1]. 10AM-5PM. JAXA research center with free exhibits and guided tours five times daily. Facility includes exhibits on rockets, satellites, and Japan's involvement with the International Space Station. Free. edit
[edit][add listing] Do
Tsukuba's main attraction for tourists is Mount Tsukuba, a double-peaked mountain with a lot of history. A well-marked "tour bus" drives from the Tsukuba Express Train Station to Tsukuba Shrine for 700 yen each way.
- Tsukuba Shrine- Notable for a huge bell and Nikko-style carvings, this shrine lies at the foot of the hiking path/cable car.
- Ascend Mount Tsukuba- There are several hiking paths up the mountain, the most direct of which will get you to the top in about an hour. However, the longest trail offers the most cultural sights, such as a large stone Buddha. The not so fit can take the cable car to the top for 500 yen.
- Tsukuba Summit- The terminus of the cable car features several restaurants, souvenir stores, and snack shops. The true summit of Nantai-san is a short additional hike. The twin summit of Nyotai-san boasts a dramatic granite formation, a small shrine, and the famous toad-shaped rock, Gama-ishi.
[edit][add listing] Buy
Tsukuba has many places for shopping such as LALA GARDEN, Q't, SEIBU, and so on. Lots of families or couples go there every weekend. Moreover, these shopping centers are large comparatively, so you can kill time when you don't have things to do.
A large shopping center, Iias, is one stop away (Kenkyuu Gakuen) on the Tsukuba Express line and offers three floors of stores and restaurants, including a large movie theatre and pet store.
[edit][add listing] Eat
Ton-Q is a great place to enjoy amazing tonkatsu and a bottle of beer. It is near the city center and the layout will remind you of a Denny's in the U.S.A.
[edit][add listing] Drink
[edit][add listing] Sleep
[edit] Get out
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