Although I’ve always loved Morioka, I’ll be honest: I was shocked when the New York Times listed it as Japan’s top destination a few years back. I was delighted, however, when that listing failed to translate into tons of foreign visitors coming on the scene.
Morioka, to be sure, is a slightly hard nut to crack. While there are certainly worthwhile attractions in the city center (which I’ll be highlighting over the coming paragraphs), I’d argue that the city’s primary utility remains as a base for exploring surrounding Iwate prefecture.
Regardless, it is a pleasant place to be for a few days, and I’ve developed a greater appreciation for things to do in Morioka (like, the city-proper) the more often I’ve returned over the years. I hope you’ll stay with me as I explain.
Where to Stay in Morioka
As you can imagine, most Morioka hotels are of the “business hotel” variety—which is absolutely by me. On my most recent stay, I enjoyed the Daiwa Roynet Hotel Morioka Ekimae location, but have also had pleasant experiences at the Richmond Hotel and at the Dormy Inn in the past. If you plan to use Morioka as a base for day trips, I highly suggest that you stay as close to Morioka Station as possible.
Alternatively, if you’re completely agnostic about explore central Morioka, what to do is base yourself just to the west in Tsunagi Onsen, whether at the high-end Shikitei, or the more attainable Aishinkan. In either of these cases, however, you should be prepared for a 30-minute bus ride each day to Morioka Station for day trips, or you should rent your own car to ensure that transportation is simply not an issue.
What to Do in Morioka
Take in Mt. Iwate views from the Kitakami River
The most compelling visual in Morioka, Japan is of Mt. Iwate rising over the city. Although views of this spectacle are best a mile or two south of town, you can take enjoy them with minimal effort by walking along the east bank of the Kitakami River as it flows past Morioka Station. In particular, I love looking northward toward the mountain from the Seinan Ohashi bridge.
Eat jajamen and reimen
Another important part of any Morioka itinerary? Eating! Although you can enjoy any type of Japanese food here, two locally famous noodles (jajamen and reimen) are particularly delightful. Over the years I’ve come to prefer reimen (a cold soup that, in summer, is topped with—stay with me here—watermelon) to jajamen, which is basically udon with fermented soy and, occasionally, raw eggs.
Explore the Morioka Castle Ruins
Castles aren’t usually associated with Morioka travel, since none of Japan’s original such structures are anywhere near the city. Indeed, while Morioka’s own castle is quite literally in ruins, these are a delight to visit. I particularly like them in autumn, when the reds and oranges of maples and the yellow or ginkgoes contrasts beautifully with the blue sky, but the Morioka Castle Ruins are close enough to town that you can feasibly visit at any time of year.
Sip matcha at Nanshosho Garden
Another example of Morioka things to do that’s especially wonderful in fall? Nanshosho, a traditional Japanese landscape garden that’s so deeply nestled in residential southeastern Morioka that you might miss it if you aren’t looking for it. This is a small garden with an on-site café overlooking it, which I fear may become difficult to visit if Morioka ever becomes more popular than it is. Maybe the NYT’s waning cultural influence isn’t such a bad thing?
Get out of town
Central Morioka attractions notwithstanding, my favorite thing about this city is everything on its periphery. This is true whether you head west to the Kakunodate Samurai district (which is technically in Akita prefecture), southward to Hiraizumi (aka the “Kyoto of the North”), eastward to Jodo-ga-hama beach and the surrounding Sanriku Coast or northward to the Hachimantai Dragon Eye.
How Long Do You Need in Morioka?
Not surprisingly, the duration of your stay in Morioka (whether you sleep in the city center or in Tsunagi Onsen) correlates directly to the number of day trips from Morioka you wish to take. Also not surprisingly is the fact that for each planned day trip, you need to add one day to your time in Morioka. So if you plan to visit Kakunodate, Hiraizumi and the Sanriku Coast, then you should plan on a minimum of three days in Morioka.
Now obviously, as a result of how I’ve structured this post, I hope you’ll spend at least a full day enjoying the delights of Morioka proper. This, of course, translates to one day (or more) being added to the equation of how many days in Morioka you spend overall. My conclusion is that most travelers will need between 3-7 days in Morioka, though I understand that this is a pretty broad range.
Other FAQ About Visiting Morioka
What to do in Morioka?
Although there are a few attractions to enjoy in Morioka city, it’s really much more of a base for exploring the surrounding. This not only includes the coastal and mountainous areas of Iwate prefecture itself, but the Kakunodate Samurai village in nearby Akita prefecture.
What prefecture is Morioka?
Morioka is the capital and largest city of Iwate prefecture, which is named for Mt. Iwate. Iwate is located in the central part of Japan’s northeastern Tohoku region, and is rightly known as the best base for sightseeing, with a more convenient location than Miyagi (Sendai), and a better tourism infrastructure than Aomori.
What does Morioka mean?
Morioka (Japanese: 盛岡) literally means “prosperous hill.” It is not to be confused with other places named Morioka, which in spite of sounding the same in English, are different in Japanese—森岡 means “forest hill.” From a tourism perspective, the word “Morioka” is also synonymous with Iwate prefecture in the central part of the Tohoku region.
The Bottom Line
I hope you’ve enjoyed my round-up of things to do in Morioka. Whether you come in autumn and sip matcha in Nanshosho garden after traipsing through the Morioka Castle Ruins, or visit in another season and use Morioka as a base for day-tripping to Hiraizumi or the Sanriku Coast, Morioka remains delightfully underrated, in spite of being hyped up in the international press in recent years. Certainly, if you’re looking for an affordable and uncrowded place to stay for a short while, there are few other cities of Morioka’s size in Japan that do the job as well as it does. The best way to incorporate Morioka (or anywhere else off Japan’s beaten path) into your trip? Hire me to plan your custom Japan itinerary!
