Football, shrine culture and parks give a trip to Kashima a range of different focuses. At the stadium, the history of Kashima Antlers takes center stage; at Kashima Jingu, a museum and the landscape of Kashima City come into play, while two parks each offer their own attractions. If you’re looking for a hotel in Kashima, you can first decide whether club history, local culture or park attractions should shape your stay. The differences between the places can help you refine your choices.
Football History and Stadium Matches
The Kashima Soccer Museum at the stadium introduces the history of Kashima Antlers. The Entertainment Lab at Kashima Soccer Stadium offers quiz and rhythm games that visitors can play to learn more about Kashima Antlers. The two offerings differ in format: the museum focuses on the club’s history, while the Lab explores the subject through games. Check whether the Lab is available before your visit, as availability may change.
Kashima Jingu and the Landscape of Kashima
From JR Kashima-Jingu Station, you can reach Kashima Jingu in a 10-minute walk or a 3-minute taxi ride. Check the route before setting out, as conditions along the way may change. The two travel times make it easy to compare your options: walking takes longer than a taxi, but both take you to Kashima Jingu. The Kokoshika Mini Museum is located on the approach to the shrine. It presents information about Kashima Jingu and local-history materials from Kashima City. The shrine and local history are brought together here.
The Kashima Kami no Michi route passes through the landscape of Kashima City, with forests, a lake and the sea around Kashima Jingu. This offers a different focus from the Mini Museum: rather than information and local-history materials, the landscape takes center stage. When choosing a focus for your visit, you can therefore choose between learning about the shrine and local history or following a route through the named landscape.
Parks with Local History and Distinct Attractions
Kashima Castle Park was created on the site of the main bailey of Kashima Castle. From the park, you can see Lake Kitaura and Jingu Bridge. Here, you can take in local history and the two named views during the same visit.
The tower complex at Ono Shiosai Hamanasu Park includes a planetarium, a local-history museum and a gallery corner. The park also has a 154-meter-long jumbo slide. The tower complex and the slide represent two different sides of the same park: cultural facilities and a distinctive recreational attraction. The park thus offers several themes that clearly set it apart from the historic grounds and views at Kashima Castle Park.
The Saito Festival: Timing and Roles
Kashima’s Saito Festival includes the impressive Saitobayashi in the afternoon, as well as rituals in the morning and evening. Only district representatives and other officials perform the morning departure ritual. In the evening, a spring ritual determines which district will be responsible the following year. If you’re traveling for a particular element of the festival, check the festival dates in advance so you can plan your trip around the program item you want to see.
Discover more destinations: Tsuchiura, Hitachinaka, Yachiyo, Toride, Koga, Shimotsuma, JĹŤsĹŤ, Chikusei
For the main travel overview: Ibaraki Prefecture.
