11 Sights in Morioka, Japan (with Map and Images)

Morioka Castle is a hirayama-style Japanese castle constructed in 1611. It was the seat of the Nanbu clan, a tozama daimyō clan who ruled over Morioka Domain, Mutsu Province in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan during the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. The castle is located in what is now the center of the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It was also referred to as Kozukata Castle , but strictly speaking this name pertains to the predecessor of Morioka Castle on the same site.

Wikipedia: Morioka Castle (EN)

Iwate Prefectural Civic Hall is a multi-purpose hall in Iwate Prefecture located in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. Based on the designated manager system, it is managed and operated by the Iwate Prefectural Cultural Promotion Agency. For two years from April 2023, Tosai Co., Ltd., a car dealership, acquired the naming rights and was nicknamed "Tosai Classic Hall Iwate".

Wikipedia: 岩手県民会館 (JA)

Iwate Prefectural Public Hall is a public facility located in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. It is located next to the Iwate Prefectural Government Building. The owner is Iwate Prefecture, and the management is currently outsourced to Ryuzawa Gakukan, Daiichi Shoji Co., Ltd., IBC Development Center Co., Ltd., and Sogo Planning Shinwa Co., Ltd.

Wikipedia: 岩手県公会堂 (JA)

The Rock-Breaking Cherry Tree is an approximately 400-year-old cherry tree growing out of a crack in a granite boulder. It is located in front of the district courthouse in Morioka, the capital of Iwate Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan.

Wikipedia: Rock-Breaking Cherry Tree (EN)

Morioka Hachimangū (盛岡八幡宮) is a Shinto shrine in the city of Morioka, Iwate in northern Japan. The shrine is noted for its annual festival on the second Saturday in June, which is famous for the Chagu Umakko, a horse parade which was recognized in 1978 as an Intangible Folk Cultural Property. In 1996 the sound of the bells of the Chagu Umakko was selected by the Ministry of the Environment as one of the 100 Soundscapes of Japan. The shrine is also noted for its displays of yabusame horse archery during its annual festival on September 15.

Wikipedia: Morioka Hachimangū (EN)

Ishikawa Saiki Memorial Museum is a literary museum located in Shibumin, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. It opened in 1970 as a memorial facility for the poet Ishikawa Saiki, one of the leading poets of modern times. In addition to the main building, the former Saito family residence and the former Shibumin Hirotsune Elementary School have been relocated to the site and are open to the public as facilities of the hotel.

Wikipedia: 石川啄木記念館 (JA)

Shiwa Castle was an early Heian period jōsaku-style Japanese castle located in what is now part of the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of far northern Honshu, Japan. The site was proclaimed a National Historic Site of Japan in 1979.

Wikipedia: Shiwa Castle (EN)

Mount Himekami is a mountain in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It lends its name to the band Himekami. Mt. Himekami is about 20 kilometres (12 mi) north of urban Morioka and features alpine flora and views of Mount Iwate. A relatively easy hike to its summit is practicable from April to November.

Wikipedia: Mount Himekami (EN)

Gankyoji is a Jodo Shinshu Hongwanji sect temple located in Kitayama 1-chome, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. The mountain name is Hokuhōzan. It is known as the cremation site of the Morioka domain lord, Nanbu Shigenari, in "Morioka Sunako." It is also a temple where the domain lord Nanbu Toshiyasu was once a monk.

Wikipedia: 願教寺 (JA)

Morioka Mane Museum is a museum located in Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture. It collects, preserves, and exhibits materials such as letters, diaries, and manuscripts of celebrities related to Morioka and people related to them, and conducts research on materials.

Wikipedia: 盛岡てがみ館 (JA)

Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building is a former bank building located in the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The building is an example of Meiji period western style architecture in Japan, and is listed as an Important Cultural Property. The building is now used as a museum.

Wikipedia: Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building (EN)