I stayed with friends on their farm just a little away from the city. Only about 200 peple lived in the nearby village of Yawara-Mura. Tsukuba istelf is not that japanese the big public areas seeming a little out of context.
Favourite spots:
Top of Tsukuba mountain. The patchworked view of all the fields was amazing.
What's really great:
just wandering around the small roads and along the river. realxed and unhurried.