IbarakiLeisure

URALA

Flow of the course

About 75 min here

About 15 min to the next stop

Next stop: Stroll through a park preserving the remains of Tsuchiura Castle and feel the atmosphere of the old castle town

About this spot

A complex built in 1997 as part of the redevelopment of the area in front of Tsuchiura Station. Since 2015, Tsuchiura City Hall has occupied the space once held by the large anchor store. The building connects to the station's west exit via a pedestrian deck, and Urara Plaza (うらら広場) has a large roof structure that is also used for events. On the day of the fireworks festival, large crowds gather around the station, so finishing a relaxed meal early in the day lets you enjoy the afternoon sightseeing smoothly. Stowing your bags in a coin locker at this point lets you move freely and light until night.

Tips

Right outside the ticket gates of JR Tsuchiura Station (JR土浦駅). Restaurants inside PLAYatre Tsuchiura (プレイアトレ土浦) get crowded around lunchtime on the day of the fireworks festival, so it's best to enter early, around noon to 1 pm. Coin lockers are available inside the station, but the number is limited, so use one early. The station gets very crowded after the fireworks end, so keeping your belongings to a minimum will make the trip home smoother.