Sights

Culture & History

Chuson-ji Temple
The Golden Hall (Konjiki-do) is a World Heritage site showing Buddhist culture in the Tohoku region.
Motsu-ji Temple
A beautiful World Heritage site. There is an elegant garden of the Heian aristocrats who lived in the Tohoku region
Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamondo Temple
Bishamondo Temple seems to grow out of the rock wall
Morioka Castle Ruins Park (Iwate Park)
The castle of a “Nambu” feudal lord inside a park. The remains of the stone walls have history carved into them
Esashi Fujiwara Heritage Park
The magnificent culture of the Tohoku Heian nobility is recreated here, and the park is famous as a location for filming samurai dramas
Geibikei Cruise
Cruise down the beautiful Geibikei Gorge as you listen to the strains of the “minyo” folk song “Oiwake Uta”
Morioka Hachiman-gu Shrine
Iwate’s finest grand shrine with its magnificent red shaden and large torii gate piercing the sky
Hanamaki Festival
The 400-year-old Hanamaki Festival with its procession of glittering floats during fiery and fantastic nights
Morioka Sansa Odori Festival
Vivid and energetic dancing to provide an overwhelming performance
Tono Furusato Village
Rural districts, water wheels, thatched-roof houses…experience the region of Tono within the landscape of a recreated agricultural village
Show All (20+)

Nature

Koiwai Farms, Makiba-en Park
A large historical farm with green pastures and Mt. Iwate in the background
Chuson-ji Temple
The Golden Hall (Konjiki-do) is a World Heritage site showing Buddhist culture in the Tohoku region.
Motsu-ji Temple
A beautiful World Heritage site. There is an elegant garden of the Heian aristocrats who lived in the Tohoku region
Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamondo Temple
Bishamondo Temple seems to grow out of the rock wall
Genbikei Gorge
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the four seasons at this gorge created from the natural rocks and waterfalls
Morioka Castle Ruins Park (Iwate Park)
The castle of a “Nambu” feudal lord inside a park. The remains of the stone walls have history carved into them
Geibikei Cruise
Cruise down the beautiful Geibikei Gorge as you listen to the strains of the “minyo” folk song “Oiwake Uta”
Jodogahama
The world of the “Pure Land” as the scenery of mysterious stone mountains rises up from the bay
Hanamaki Festival
The 400-year-old Hanamaki Festival with its procession of glittering floats during fiery and fantastic nights
Tono Furusato Village
Rural districts, water wheels, thatched-roof houses…experience the region of Tono within the landscape of a recreated agricultural village
Show All (20+)

Family

Koiwai Farms, Makiba-en Park
A large historical farm with green pastures and Mt. Iwate in the background
Genbikei Gorge
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the four seasons at this gorge created from the natural rocks and waterfalls
Esashi Fujiwara Heritage Park
The magnificent culture of the Tohoku Heian nobility is recreated here, and the park is famous as a location for filming samurai dramas
Geibikei Cruise
Cruise down the beautiful Geibikei Gorge as you listen to the strains of the “minyo” folk song “Oiwake Uta”
Jodogahama
The world of the “Pure Land” as the scenery of mysterious stone mountains rises up from the bay
Tono Furusato Village
Rural districts, water wheels, thatched-roof houses…experience the region of Tono within the landscape of a recreated agricultural village
Ryusendo
A limestone cave with a deep blue, clear and tranquil lake of mystery
Morioka Handi-Works Square
An interactive facility where the artisans of Morioka gather to show the traditional handicrafts from the good old days
Kita Yamazaki
Take a dynamic walk along the grand panorama of precipitous cliffs that boast “Japan’s Most Beautiful Coastline”
Densho-en
An open-air museum relating the old hometown traditions of Tono
Show All (10+)

Must See Spots

Koiwai Farms, Makiba-en Park
A large historical farm with green pastures and Mt. Iwate in the background
Chuson-ji Temple
The Golden Hall (Konjiki-do) is a World Heritage site showing Buddhist culture in the Tohoku region.
Motsu-ji Temple
A beautiful World Heritage site. There is an elegant garden of the Heian aristocrats who lived in the Tohoku region
Genbikei Gorge
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the four seasons at this gorge created from the natural rocks and waterfalls
Esashi Fujiwara Heritage Park
The magnificent culture of the Tohoku Heian nobility is recreated here, and the park is famous as a location for filming samurai dramas
Geibikei Cruise
Cruise down the beautiful Geibikei Gorge as you listen to the strains of the “minyo” folk song “Oiwake Uta”
Jodogahama
The world of the “Pure Land” as the scenery of mysterious stone mountains rises up from the bay
Kita Yamazaki
Take a dynamic walk along the grand panorama of precipitous cliffs that boast “Japan’s Most Beautiful Coastline”
Densho-en
An open-air museum relating the old hometown traditions of Tono
Goishi Coast
A landscape of the epic sea, fantastically-shaped rocks and pine forests which is a Place of Scenic Beauty along the coast
Show All (10+)

Romance

Ryusendo
A limestone cave with a deep blue, clear and tranquil lake of mystery
Appi Kogen Resort
A highland resort where you can fully enjoy the blessings of nature without fail all throughout the year
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Shopping

Morioka Mikoda Morning Market
You gotta get up early! An inexpensive market selling vegetables of the season raised on the great land under the pure sky
Morioka Handi-Works Square
An interactive facility where the artisans of Morioka gather to show the traditional handicrafts from the good old days
Sekinoichi Sake Brewery
Enjoy the regional taste of sake and local beer that has garnered international acclaim
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Nightlife

Morioka Sansa Odori Festival
Vivid and energetic dancing to provide an overwhelming performance
Michinoku Traditional Dance Festival
A festival starring over 100 types of folk entertainment winding through the streets
Show All

World Heritage

Chuson-ji Temple
The Golden Hall (Konjiki-do) is a World Heritage site showing Buddhist culture in the Tohoku region.
Motsu-ji Temple
A beautiful World Heritage site. There is an elegant garden of the Heian aristocrats who lived in the Tohoku region
Hashino Blast Furnace Ruins
The World Heritage blast furnace is in the middle of a forest. The history of its modern-day iron manufacturing is related to the present day
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Hotspring

Genbikei Gorge
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the four seasons at this gorge created from the natural rocks and waterfalls
Hanamaki Onsen
A relaxing onsen village surrounded by the nature of a deep gorge whose onsen hotels with their own personality are charming
Matsukawa-so
A pure Japanese onsen inn surrounded by primeval forest, it provides healing from a simple mountain hospitality and supreme waters
Sukawa Kogen Onsen
A mountain onsen with a wild feeling and hot waters roaring through the rough rock
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Famous Foods

Jodogahama
The world of the “Pure Land” as the scenery of mysterious stone mountains rises up from the bay
Tono Furusato Village
Rural districts, water wheels, thatched-roof houses…experience the region of Tono within the landscape of a recreated agricultural village
Morioka Handi-Works Square
An interactive facility where the artisans of Morioka gather to show the traditional handicrafts from the good old days
Densho-en
An open-air museum relating the old hometown traditions of Tono
Sekinoichi Sake Brewery
Enjoy the regional taste of sake and local beer that has garnered international acclaim
Show All

Cherry Blossom (Sakura)

Koiwai Farms, Makiba-en Park
A large historical farm with green pastures and Mt. Iwate in the background
Takkoku no Iwaya Bishamondo Temple
Bishamondo Temple seems to grow out of the rock wall
Morioka Castle Ruins Park (Iwate Park)
The castle of a “Nambu” feudal lord inside a park. The remains of the stone walls have history carved into them
Show All

Festivals & Events

Hanamaki Festival
The 400-year-old Hanamaki Festival with its procession of glittering floats during fiery and fantastic nights
Morioka Sansa Odori Festival
Vivid and energetic dancing to provide an overwhelming performance
Michinoku Traditional Dance Festival
A festival starring over 100 types of folk entertainment winding through the streets
Show All

All Sights

Lake Kinshu
An artificial lake with beautiful fall colors as far as the eye can see. You can also enjoy an onsen and camp next to the lake
Kokuseki-ji Temple
Established in 729, the Tohoku’s first Shugendo temple with a sleeping Buddha in the lushly green city of Oshu
Hiraizumi Cultural Heritage Center
A museum where you can learn for free about the culture and history in the World Heritage site of Hiraizumi
Iwate Museum of Art
With exhibitions centering on the works of local artists, domestic and foreign special exhibitions are also held
Takadachi Gikeido Hall
The final resting place for tragic hero, Yoshitsune Minamoto, his soul rests on lovely high ground overlooking the flowing Kitakami River
Kogen-sha
The place where Kenji Miyazawa, the famed author who penned many children’s stories, published “The Restaurant of Many Orders”
Sannoiwa
A fantastically-shaped rock that boasts to be the most spectacular in the Sanriku coastal area at a height of 50m, it has continued to endure 100 million years of wind and snow
The Kenji Miyazawa Museum
A museum that diversely recreates the world of Kenji Miyazawa’s works
Ennen-no-Mai (Longevity Dance)
A traditional singing and dancing ritual performed for longevity that has continued at Motsu-ji Temple since its establishment 850 years ago
The Cattle Museum
A unique museum to get to know cows and to look at the relationship between them and humans from many angles!
Mt. Kinkei
A World Heritage mountain adorned in legends which include one where a golden rooster had been buried there to protect Hiraizumi
Hayachine and Kenji Museum
A museum that was restored from a former county office, modeled after Kenji Miyazawa’s children’s story “The Cat Office”
Fujiwara Festival
One of two Fujiwara festivals held in the spring and fall, the Spring Fujiwara Festival has the elegant procession of the ages
New Ryusendo Science Museum
The world’s first limestone cavern museum where you can experience the lifestyle of ancient people who lived in these caves
Mt. Yakeishi
One of the Tohoku region’s prominent mountains for flora, it has a breathtaking beauty when it is covered in the fall colors
Shinsai Memorial Park Nakanohama
Relics to show the record of natural disasters to future generations to depict the threats from nature and a step toward recovery
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