Sea and mountains: two faces in a single festival. Northern Ibaraki has a coastal area facing the Pacific and a mountainous area called Oku-Kuji, two regions of different character brought together as one stage. By the sea there are cliffs, a lighthouse, fishing ports; in the mountains, gorges, waterfalls, hot springs. Though both are northern Ibaraki, the scenery is utterly different. Into this, contemporary art is set, works of the sea and works of the mountains, savored as you move between them. This region underpinned modern Japan's industry; the name Hitachi even became a company's name. But industry's structure changed, and the population is dwindling. The festival is an attempt to cast light on the region once more, with cutting-edge media art and installations set in nature alike. Art guides you through a little-known northern Ibaraki, from sea to mountain, learning the region's depth in a day.