Hitachinaka, Japan Cruise Port

Located in the center of Ibaraki Prefecture, Hitachinaka—in its current iteration—came into existence in 1994 when the cities of Katsuta and Nakaminato merged. While originally developed as a company town for the Hitachi company—hence the name—the amalgamated city maintains a connection to nature and a culture all its own. The Hitachi Seaside Park is a glorious slice of nature with flowers blooming all year round. The many flowers come in many varieties including 170 different types of tulips. The citizens and visitors can enjoy sport at the local baseball stadium or all-purpose sports center which has a particular focus on soccer. Every August, in the middle of cruise season, Hitachi Seaside Park hosts the Rock in Japan Festival. This three-day fest brings in a great number of acts of various genres from all over Japan, as well as spectators from throughout the world.

• Even though the flowers bloom all year at Hitachi Seaside Park, the absolute best time to go is during cruise season to see the most possible varieties in full bloom.
   
• Take in some Edo era history at Kodokan Park. Once one of the larger schools for samurai, the Kodokan housed upwards of 1,000 at a time and allowed them scholarly study alongside their swordsmanship training.
   
• Check out the live seafood prep and friendly vendors at the Nakaminato Fish Market. They also have on-site restaurants where you can sample the wares if you’re not around long enough to buy in bulk.
   
• Unwind anytime on the many coastal beaches. The water is calm and blue and the sand is always inviting, no matter what the temperature.