Iwate is Japan’s second-largest prefecture by area. Home to the samurai town of Hiraizumi, the rugged Sanriku Coast, and Morioka’s famous three noodles.
Hiraizumi
A UNESCO World Heritage Site. The golden Konjikido hall inside Chusonji Temple is one of Japan’s most dazzling cultural treasures.
Sanriku Coast
Towering sea cliffs and the Kitayamazaki headlands rising 200 meters above the Pacific are breathtaking.
Morioka’s Three Noodles
Wanko Soba, Jajamen, and Morioka Reimen make this city a noodle lover’s paradise.
Getting There
Tohoku Shinkansen from Tokyo: about 2 hours 10 minutes to Morioka.
