Shishitsuka, Tsuchiura

As winter approaches, I am pleased to announce a pleasant late morning walk in Shishitsuka, a small region just east of Tsukuba, inside Tsuchiura. The region has a lake and a pond, and hosts Kamikotsu Kaizuka Hometown History Plaza and Tsuchiura City Archaeological Museum. This walk is more or less on a planar ground (does not involve any climbing).

We will start from Tsukuba center in car pools, as usual, and drive some 5 km to the parking lot of the Archaeological Museum [there is also an option to come there on bicycles], park our cars there and start walking. After walking for about 2 hours we will have our lunch, walk some more and head toward the parking lot of the museum. Those of us interested can visit the museum (entry free).

Meeting place: Tsukuba Center prop off/pick up parking of the station [free for 20 min.], as usual.

Departure time: 9:30 AM (please do not be late, because we can park only for 20 min.) on 27th November (Sunday)

What to bring: lunch! drinks

What to wear: casual clothes, light walking shoes are fine.

Finishing time: by 2 PM.

So please let me know if you want to join, are coming by car (and how many participants can you take with you), or want to come on bicycle.

Let's hope for a good weather,

In Shishitsuka, Tsuchiura City, there is a 100-hectare satoyama area surrounded by a reservoir and a forest of mixed trees. It is the widest satoyama from Tokyo to the foot of Mt. Tsukuba. The surrounding area is also rich in historical sites such as the Shishitsuka Burial Mounds and the nationally designated Kamikotsu Shell Mounds.

Since its establishment in 1989, the Shishitsuka Nature and History Association has continued to carry out activities to hand over this precious satoyama to the younger generations.
To get an impression, below is a link to their video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JtzJa_QxZ4U

I am pleased to report that we had a very nice walk in the nearby Shishitsuka area.

We, 8 persons, met in the parking of the Hometown History Plaza and Tsuchiura City Archaeological Museum adjoining Tsukuba city. Six of the participants came in 3 cars, and another two on bicycles.

The weather was at its best: sunshine, clear blue skies and autumn colors. We started walking at 10:00 AM, stopping first to look at shell midden. This whole area (of Ibaraki prefecture) was under sea until 130,000 years ago. Sea shells along with archeological remains are buried in dunghills.

Then we came to sunlit green wide elevated ground (hiroba), where original and recreated archeological remains of the Jomon period are displayed. The ground was surrounded on one side by forest in autumn colors.

Then we walked to the Shishitsuka lake, with a large number of several varieties of ducks in it. The lake was surrounded by autumn colors reflected in it.

We walked around a part of the lake and then took a diversion towards north, to the rice fields. We looked at the activities by various non-profit and related groups.

We then took a roundabout way back over beautiful forested hills to the other side of the lake. Here we split into two groups: one went over the hills taking a longer route back to the open ground (hiroba), while the other took a more direct trail.

We converged at the hiroba at about noon, and ate our lunch sitting on a bench and tree stumps. We walked back to the parking at about 1 o clock. Most participants then visited the museum.

In all, a very pleasant and lovely walk on a very pleasant autumn morning with walking trails within a short area.