Tsuchiura, Castle town in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan
Tsuchiura is a castle town in Ibaraki Prefecture in northeastern Japan, spreading along the western shore of Lake Kasumigaura. Streets run in a grid from the train station toward canals, parks, and residential neighborhoods that stretch flat to the water.
A fortress arose here between 1336 and 1573 to control trade routes between two larger towns. The compound lost its military role after 1868 and was turned into an administrative center, while business districts formed around the train station from 1895 onward.
The name comes from the sandy soils along the shoreline that shaped the settlement for centuries. Merchants built two-story storehouses from dark timber between 1603 and 1868, their doors still standing on main streets today.
Trains connect the main station regularly with the capital and other towns in the region. From the station you can reach the former castle grounds on foot in about twenty minutes, buses run to more distant neighborhoods by the lakeside.
Every autumn pyrotechnic artists from across the country gather at the shore to launch their rockets over the water. The competition began in 1925 and still showcases different techniques and colors that reflect in the lake.
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