Local trivia of Ibaraki Prefecture for elementary school students! A fun, educational quiz book

local cuisine

Shimotsukare is a local dish made in the northern Kanto region—such as Ibaraki, Tochigi, and Gunma—and is sometimes prepared on the first Horse Day of February. It is a simmered dish of ingredients like salmon, grated daikon radish, soybeans, and sake lees, with slight variations in preparation depending on the area. In 2017, it became so popular that Calbee released limited-edition “Shimotsukare” potato chips.

Nemophila

In Ibaraki Prefecture’s Hitachi Seaside Park, there is a place called Miharashi no Oka. In spring, the hill is covered with blue nemophila flowers, and it’s known for being very beautiful. The scenery, where the blue flowers blend with the sky and the sea, is so stunning that it’s often called a breathtaking view. It’s a popular spot in Ibaraki that many people visit to take photos.

melon

Ibaraki Prefecture produces the most melons in Japan, accounting for about 27% of all melons grown domestically. The melon called “Ibaraking” was developed with the hope that it would become the king of Ibaraki’s melons. Many other sweet and delicious melons are also grown there, making Ibaraki Prefecture very famous as a melon-producing region.

kappa

There are several kappa legends associated with Lake Ushikunuma in Ibaraki Prefecture. The most famous is the tale of the “Kappa Pine.” Long ago, kappa were troubling the villagers by ravaging fields and drowning children. Hikōemon, the village’s best swimmer, captured a kappa and tied it to a pine tree. The kappa repented, stopped its mischief, and began helping the villagers.

Natto

Mito-chan, Ibaraki Prefecture’s mascot character, has bright hair tied into two bunches that look like natto. She wears plum blossom ornaments in her hair, and her outfit resembles that of Mito Komon, complete with a staff and an inro. Her birthday is March 10, in reference to “Mito.” She’s a character who cheerfully promotes Mito City, famous for its natto.