Ibaraki

Ibaraki is located in the northeastern part of the Kanto region. Its eastern side facing the Pacific Ocean has a mild maritime climate, while the inland area is influenced by a continental climate. The sand dune areas along the Kashima Nada coast are well-drained and have a long history as a production area for sweet potatoes and dried sweet potatoes (hoshi-imo). Multiple Class A rivers, including the Naka River, Kuji River, and Tone River, form rich alluvial soil in their basins, spreading low wetlands suitable for cultivating Lotus Root and paddy rice. In the hilly areas at the foot of Mount Tsukuba, Melon cultivation is active, utilizing the temperature difference between day and night in summer, and the areas around Hokota City and Kashima City are known as prominent Melon production areas in Japan. In the lowlands around Lake Kasumigaura, Lotus Root cultivation is conducted using soft muddy soil, and as of 2023, its production volume maintains 1st nationally. In the inland part of the Hitachi region, the livestock industry is also developed, and Hitachi gyu (Japanese Black beef) is raised. Despite being adjacent to the Kashima Coastal Industrial Zone along the coastline, the prefecture's agricultural output ranks high nationally, and it is noted as a prefecture where agriculture and industry coexist. In the inland area centered on Mito City, soybean production is also active, functioning as a production area for soybeans used as raw materials for Mito natto (fermented soybeans).

Source: MAFF Crop Statistics (Reiwa 5 / 2023), JMA historical weather data

What characterizes agriculture in Ibaraki is a structure of ranking high nationally in multiple items rather than concentrating on a single product. While dried sweet potatoes, Melon, and Lotus Root all have national recognition as major production areas, each is produced by utilizing different zones, soils, and climate conditions. The fact that three distinct topographical zones—the sand dunes along the Kashima Nada coast, the low wetlands around Lake Kasumigaura, and the hilly areas at the foot of Mount Tsukuba—are contained within one prefecture, each demonstrating separate strengths, is unusual in the Kanto region. The close distance to the Tokyo metropolitan area and a distribution environment where products can be delivered to the market by the next morning are also important factors supporting the competitiveness of the production areas. As symbolized by Mito natto (fermented soybeans), the prefecture is active in developing processed goods and branded food products. A system of not only selling agricultural products as raw materials but also distributing them with added value is becoming established. The acceptance of migrating farmers from urban areas is also progressing, making it a notable prefecture in terms of producer diversification.