Morioka

For a traveller, Morioka is perhaps not high on any itinerary and is best known as a major transport hub for Tohoku. From here, one can branch off on the Shinkansen towards Akita and some of the tourist towns on the Akita Shinkansen line.

Morioka is an ancient city; it has been inhabited since prehistoric times. You're not likely to see much of its history, however, as it presents itself as much like any Japanese city of its size.

Morioka is a small enough city to walk around. The furthest you're likely to want to go is the Morioka Castle site which is about a 30-minute walk from the front of the train station over the steel arch bridge and through the central business district. You can otherwise get the bus to the castle site (below), but the walk through the city is quite pleasant, though can be slippery, snowy and just plain cold in winter and unpleasantly hot and humid in summer.

From the station, the easiest and safest way to into the city proper is to use the underground tunnels from the station which go underneath the bus station and the main road. This can be slightly confusing at first for people who cannot read Japanese signs. The tunnels are wheelchair accessible via lifts. Sticking to the left side of the road from the station to the castle allows you to use overbridges to cross some intersections, though they don't save much time.

There is a wide and flat walking trail along the Kitakami river that makes for a pleasant walk or a good jogging spot with nice views of Mt Iwate. It's about a five minute walk from the front of the station, walking straight ahead to the steel arch bridge and then taking the stairs on either side of it down to the river.

• 🌍 Morioka Castle (盛岡城), ☏ +81 19-639-9057. Morioka Castle was built in the 16th century by Nanbu Nobunao, the first daimyo of the area. The castle was used as a residence during its heyday until it was dismantled during the Meiji Period. The area was converted into a park in 1906 and is known today as a popular place to see cherry blossoms in the spring. It is also very pretty in winter when the snow falls on the varied landscape and old castle walls, but it can be slippery and you can expect to trudge through thick snow. Free. 
• 🌍 Morioka History and Culture Museum (もりおか歴史文化館). The museum features exhibits about the history of the city, particularly its days as a castle town, but also includes artifacts from early civilizations to modern times. There are also exhibits of the city's festivals, such as the Chagu Chagu Festival. The museum's displays were revamped in 2023 - there's little English language signage, but it offers a free audio tour covering key items. The museum shop has an excellent range of souvenirs. ¥300. 
• 🌍 Morioka Museum of Great Predecessors (盛岡市先人記念館), ☏ +81 19-659-3338. A museum with rotating exhibits about people who have been influential in Morioka. ¥300. 
• 🌍 Nansho-so (南昌荘). 
• 🌍 Morioka City Science Center (盛岡市子ども科学館), ☏ +81 19-634-1171. A children's museum with a educational science exhibits and a planetarium. Museum entrance is ¥200, Planetarium is ¥300. 
• 🌍 Hoonji (報恩寺). Contains 500 rakan statues. 
• 🌍 Oyakuen Garden (御薬園). The garden was constructed in the early Edo Period as an herb garden and was later converted into a garden for the local lord. It became a villa in 1908 until the buildings around the garden were turned into a museum. Today the garden is a popular spot to see autumn foliage. 
• 🌍 Takuboku Shinkon House (啄木新婚の家). The Takuboku Shinkon House is the former residence of Takuboku Ishikawa, a famous local poet. He lived here as a newlywed with his wife albeit only for less than 3 weeks. Free. 
• 🌍 Shiwa Castle (志波城, shiwa-jō). Reconstruction of an ancient jōsaku fort (城柵). 
• 🌍 Former Nakamura Residence (旧中村家住宅). 
• 🌍 Hara-kei Memorial Museum (原敬記念館), ☏ +81 19-636-1192. 09:00-17:00. The former home of Takashi Hara which has been converted into a museum. Takashi Hara was a Morioka native who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1918 to 1921. He is also known for being Japan's first Christian Prime Minister. The building contains documents and personal possessions. ¥200. 
• 🌍 Fukazawa Kōko Nonoha Art Museum (深沢紅子野の花美術館, fukuzawa kōko nonoha no bijutsukan), ☏ +81 19-625-6541. 10:00-18:00. A Morioka native, Fukazawa was a 20th-century painter of European-style art. ¥500. 
• 🌍 Morioka Hachimangu (盛岡八幡宮). 
• 🌍 Sixteen Arhats (十六羅漢). 
• 🌍 Daijiji (大慈寺). 
• Ishikawa Takuboku Memorial Museum (石川啄木記念館, ishikawa takuboku kinenkan). Closed for renewal until Dec 2024. A famous tanka poet who was born here in the Tamayama district. The museum has information and displays about him and his poetry. ¥300. 
• 🌍 Iwate University Museum and Botanical Garden (岩手大学ミュージアム, iwate daigaku myūjiamu), ☏ +81 19-621-6082. 10:00-15:00. A museum established by the university with a nice botanical garden outside. 
• 🌍 Morioka Zoo (盛岡市動物公園, morioka-shi dōbutsuen). The Morioka Zoo a great place to check out the animals in a peaceful surrounding. ¥500. 
• 🌍 Iwate Museum of Art, 12-3, Matsuhaba, Motomiya, ☏ +81-19-658-1711. Tu-Su 09:30-18:00. This very modern art gallery has an impressive permanent collection (mainly made up of modern art) and hosts interesting special exhibitions, and is well worth the trip from the center of Morioka. ¥410 for permanent collection, more for special exhibitions. (updated Oct 2023)

• 🌍 Morioka City Multipurpose Arena (盛岡市総合アリーナ, morioka-shi sōgō arīna), ☏ +81 19-658-1212. Facility for indoor sports such as futsal, volleyball and table tennis. Until 2015, it was the public skating rink of the city. 
• 🌍 Morioka Skating Rink (盛岡市アイスリンク, morioka-shi aisurinku). The public skating rink of the city, opened in 2015. (updated Oct 2015)

• 🌍 Morioka Handcrafts Village (盛岡手づくり村 Morioka tezukuri-mura), Oirino-64-102 Tsunagi. (updated Oct 2019)

There are some good shops selling local souvenirs in the station. The station shopping centre also has an underground area with a number of restaurants, including a McDonald's if you're so inclined.

If you're in Morioka as a stopover destination and need to stock up on basics, there is a large supermarket, Jusco, by walking left on the main road in front of the station for about ten minutes, it's on the right just after you walk under the overpass. A large branch of Daiso, a national ¥100 shop chain, that sells cheap and basic and sometimes strange Japanese goods, can be found in the city centre. If you walk in a straight line from the station across the bridge and into the city you will find it on the right. There are also plenty of convenience stores in the area.

• Nambu Sembei (南部煎餅). Morioka's traditional wheat crackers. (updated Oct 2015)
• Nambu Ironware (南部鉄器, nanbu tekki). 
• Chagu Chagu Umakko. Kids' toy horse. 

There are several shops selling high end clothes (including upmarket workwear brands for men) on the main roads leading from the train station to the centre of the city. Other clothes shops are located in and near the Kawatoku department store in the center of the city. The Aeon mall in western Morioka houses branches of Uniqlo and Muji, among many other stores.

There are also a number of arts and music stores in the center of the city.

Regional specialities include:

• Morioka Reimen (盛岡冷麺). Spicy cold noodles served with half a boiled egg, kim-chi and slice of either apple, watermelon or both. 
• Wankosoba (わんこそば). Small servings of soba, served "all you can eat". 
• Morioka Jajamen (盛岡じゃじゃ麺). Chinese-style noodles with miso. 

There are a lot of restaurants in the underground shopping area of the station, though they can be quite expensive and not especially good. Other eating options are in the central business district area or in the area in front of the station.

Some good options are:

• 🌍 Aeron Standard (アーロンスタンダード), ​3-6-24 Odori, Morioka City. Su-Th 17:00-01:00, F Sa 17:00-02:00. This modern izakaya has a diverse food and drinks menu which you can order from using English language touch screens. The staff are friendly, but don't speak much English. (updated Oct 2023)

Morioka is a small city, but it offers a number of good drinking options. The water in the area is clean and pure so there are a number of sake breweries. Japanese style 'Izakaya' bars are everywhere, and there are also some German style beer breweries which offer a variety of brews.

• Ootaru (大たる), Oodori (15 minutes walk from the station). Japanese-style eatery with Asahi on tap and ¥1,500 2½-hr nomihodai (all you can drink) deals. Try the pizza.

As with most cities in Japan, karaoke is a good drinking option, especially if you have a large group. Most places cost ¥1,000 an hour, including drinks. A good place is right off Odori on the fourth floor across the street from Ootaru.

• Hanamaki
• Hachimantai
• Takizawa
• Iwaizumi
• Tono
• Hiraizumi
• Shizukuishi
• Kitakami
• Kakunodate