Grains
Ibaraki’s Hitachino region was once the largest producer of barley for beer brewing in Japan.
In early summer, sometimes called “Barley’s Autumn” in Japanese, ears of starch-laden grain would turn the entire area gold.
The area receives winds from Mt. Tsukuba and fresh water from the Naka and Kuji Rivers.
This fertile land was also a seat of provincial government in ancient times.