こんにちは from the Shinkansen bound for Tokyo. My train left Morioka (盛岡) station a few minutes ago, which means that I have about two hours and half in front of me to write an article about my wonderful experience visiting and staying in Morioka. In the pure tradition of click-baity articles, here are 8 reasons you (yes, you!) should add Morioka to the itinerary of your next trip to Japan. いきましょう。

1: Morioka the perfect city for slow travellers... but it will keep you busy!

Alright, let’s start with an opinionated take: if you’re the “bucket list” kinda traveller then you might not enjoy Morioka (and it’s ok because Japan is rich of bucket list kind of attractions). Even though it has plenty to do and see, Morioka is not a city for checking boxes. There is no Sky Tree, no geisha district, no cat café, no 3 meter tall statue of a famous anime character.

So what makes Morioka so special? It is a very pleasant city to walk around and in which one will enjoy taking breaks for coffee, pastries, soba, etc. It is the perfect place for taking the time and go slow. There are a lot of benches along its multiple rivers, making it easy to sit and appreciate the things one can only see when they go slow. Its amount of bridges offer the visitors great opportunities to admire the city as well as the mountains surrounding it North, East, and West.

There are a few shrines and temples, some of them are quite impressive like the Morioka Hachimangū shrine (盛岡八幡宮). However, the spotlight is likely to be stolen by a 200-year old cherry tree (Ishiwari-zakura) which broke the enormous rock that made the mistake of being in its way. Lesson learned: don't mess up with cherry trees!

Like a lot of cities in Japan, Morioka has a castle but its specificity is that it is actually a ruin. Locals and tourists can wander freely through it and admire the city from the top of it.

Morioka also has interesting museums, such as the Iwate Museum of Art. Sadly, I didn’t have time to visit it during my trip. That will be for my next time, as Morioka is already on my list.

2: It is perfect starting point for day trips too

Because of its location, Morioka offers great opportunities for day trips to discover places around it.

Towards the north, Aomori is less than two hours away. Heading east towards the Pacific Ocean? Hachinohe is a bit more than 1h away.

The Hinabi route allows visitors to hop on a train and discover the Eastern part of the Tohoku region. The train connects Morioka with cities such as Miyako, Tono, and Kamaishi. With its large windows and observation decks, sightseeing starts from the train seat!

On your way back to Tokyo, you might want to first stop in Sendai which is only one and a half hours away.

3: Morioka loves food

This city does not want you to starve! The Iwate prefecture is very keen on its gastronomy and food is everywhere... and in every conversation!

Iwate prefecture is well-known for its farming industry, and the locals are (quietly, respectfully) proud of it. Locally produced flour, soy sauce, noodles, … and apples! Apples everywhere. It is impossible to not be attracted by the vending machines exclusively selling various apple juices with, next to it, a big diagram showing the different varieties and scale of acidity and sweetness of each type of apple! コンビニ promote local products and, of course, you can get the socks with Wanko Kyodai, the local mascot with its head shaped like a lacquerware noodle bowl!

Morioka has its own specialties. The most heard-of might be the Three Noodles: Morioka reimen (cold noodles), Morioka jajamen (noodles with black bean sauce), and Morioka wanko soba (soba served in small bowls, like tapas but with soba).

If you love coffee, Morioka also has an interesting coffee scene with a new generation of café owners running their own and modern interpretation of kissaten. Coffee afficionados will definitely find happiness in a cup when visiting Morioka!

4: People are incredibly lovely

Because the city is small, there is a closeness between the locals which is perceptible by the visitors. Old people tend to say hello and try to have a chat, shop owners engage in chats and might even share about their personal history or interests. Hey, people are people too! and it is something that gets forgotten when being a tourist in a big city.

Don’t get me wrong, in Morioka you won’t be a local by staying for only a few days ;) but you won’t get the feeling to just be a ghost floating around.

5: It has been the #2 recommended city to visit by the New York Times

In 2023, in the famous newspaper’s annual list of the best cities to visit, Morioka ranked #2. Out of 52! (Sorry Nanami, Fukuoka arrived only in 19th place ;) )

6: Craft Village

Morioka is a laid-back city, but it is serious about its traditional crafts. Don’t take my word for it, you can see talented artists and makers performing their arts directly in front of you. Indeed, on the outskirts of Morioka (40 minutes bus ride from the city center), one can visit the Tezukurimura (手作り村　てずくりむら) a big square dedicated to local craftmanship. In this “village”, the visitors can buy local craft and also try their hands on different activities: bamboo basket weaving, ceramic painting, indigo dyeing, soba making, etc. During the low season, some shops and workshops might be closed. On the bright side, it gives more time for the artisans who are open to connect with the visitors and demonstrate their work.

If you’re interested in farming demonstrations, you can take another bus and go to the Koiwai village where farmers are working and also proposing visitors to try their products as well as see some activities.

7: It is only two and a half hours from Tokyo

I would not recommend Morioka for a day-trip as it would make the visit too rushed, potentially a cultural faux-pas. However, if you still want to pay visit to the city over a busy day, you could take the train in the morning (there is a direct Shinkansen from Tokyo Station every hour or so) and arrive on time for lunch, enjoy a post-lunch coffee in a lovely kissaten with a view on the river banks before adventuring by foot through the city, while taking care of punctuating the walk with visits to bakeries and other street food stalls. The train station is not outstanding but close by the river, so it is easy to instantly dive into the peaceful, relaxed vibe of the city.

8: It’s the perfect city to practice your Japanese skills

Because international tourism is not yet a thing in Morioka, it is quite common that shopkeepers and staff speak very little English. Fear not, as in everywhere in Japan, people are excelling in making themselves understood. However, I was grateful people I interacted with in Morioka did not hurriedly open GoogleTranslate or any translation device, and offered me a serious amount of patience to express myself, no matter how clumsy and slow I was. People in Morioka take their time and it makes it easier for a Japanese learner to jump in an impromptu conversation and see where the flow will take them.

Some additional information

• Opening hours: Because a lot of shops are being run by small owners, opening hours can sometimes be quite unreliable but it is part of the experience.

• When to visit Morioka: As it is located in Tohoku (north from Kanto), Morioka is likely to be colder than Tokyo. Summer in Morioka tends to not feel excessively hot compared to cities like Tokyo and winter can offer snow falls.

• Festivals:

• Sansha Matsuri festival: this festival takes place yearly from August 1st to 4th and includes street celebrations, dancing, and taiko drums concerts.

• Chagu Chagu Umakko (チャグチャグ馬コ): this horse festival is held on the 2nd Saturday of June. Every year, a long parade of about one hundred horses covered with colourful fittings and bells connect Takizawa to Morioka.

• Going around in Morioka: The Dendenmushi (Snail Bus) is a bus line making a loop around central Morioka. A one-day pass costs 350 yen and you can use your Suica in all the city buses. http://www.iwatekenkotsu.co.jp/denden-multilingual.html

• Read more about Morioka and Iwate: Drawn to Morioka, promotional video for foreign tourists: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSxudeUk2w4

  Morioka's tourism information: https://www.city.morioka.iwate.jp/kankou/kankou/index.html

  Wanko kyokai: https://iwatetabi.jp/wanko/introduction + https://voyapon.com/iwates-mascots/

  Morioka's Hachimangu Shrine: https://www.kanpai-japan.com/morioka/hachiman-gu

  
  

Virginie

Hi there! I am Virginie, a French person living in Berlin (Germany). I have been learning Japanese for a few years.