Hatsumode (New Year's visit) in Morioka.
Morioka Hachimangu Shrine, which was built more than 300 years ago, is said to attract more than 200,000 worshippers on three days every year.
Also in the center of Morioka City, adjacent to the ruins of Morioka Castle, is the Sakurayama Shrine, where the local deity of protection is enshrined.
Although there was no snow this year, many people visited the shrine to pray for good luck and good health for the year ahead.

Morioka City, the capital of Iwate Prefecture. Morioka City, the capital of Iwate Prefecture, with a population of approximately 280,000, has been the focus of worldwide attention this year.
Morioka was selected by the New York Times as one of the "52 Places to Go in 2023," and was introduced as the second best place to visit after London.
This has attracted many tourists not only from Japan but also from abroad.
Morioka offers beautiful scenery, traditional culture, historical buildings, and world-class nature. We will introduce you to the charms of Morioka in abundance.

This is a traditional Bon Festival event held every year on August 16th in Morioka.
Boats are decorated with lanterns and Bon offerings and floated on the Kitakami River. The boats are then set aflame and floated down the river to send off the spirits of ancestors along with lanterns and pray for good health and safety.

Held for four days from August 1 each year, this festival has been held for 350 to 400 years and is a symbol of summer in Morioka.
The origin of this festival is said to be the legend of Mitsuishi, from which Iwate Prefecture takes its name.
The choreography and costumes differ depending on the participating groups, and the parade is a spectacular sight as they march to the accompaniment of flutes, drums, and shouts of "Saccholachoiwayasse" (Saccholachoiwayasse).

The sound of bells announces the arrival of early summer, a tradition in this area.In this traditional event, which has been held for more than 200 years to express gratitude to farm horses, horsemen and women dressed in brightly colored costumes march "chug-chug" along a 14-kilometer route from Onikoshi Souzen Shrine to Morioka Hachiman Shrine.The sound of bells echoing through the hometown is registered as one of the 100 best soundscapes in Japan.

Located almost in the center of Iwate Prefecture, Morioka prospered as a castle town of the Nanbu domain (200,000 koku) and is surrounded by beautiful mountains. The town center is rich in nature with clear streams flowing through it, and the stone walls and nostalgic Western-style architecture of Morioka Castle Ruins Park create an attractive townscape.Morioka is also a place where one can feel the footprints of great writers such as Kenji Miyazawa and Takuboku Ishikawa, and is a charming town where one can enjoy traditional crafts and culture such as Nambu ironware.

This modern Japanese-style building was built in 1885 as the residence of Yasugoro Segawa, a businessman from Morioka City.It was once used as a guest house for Morioka and has been visited by many celebrities such as Hirobumi Ito and Takashi Hara. The polished floor surface reflects the beautiful trees of the garden, and the seasonal colors are enjoyed as "tokomidori" and "tokomomiji".

This 4.6m root circumference, 10m high Edohigan-zakura cherry tree, which grows out of a huge granite rock with a circumference of 21m, is a national natural treasure.
It is said that cherry tree seeds flew into a crack in the garden stone of a Nanbu domain retainer's mansion, sprouted, and pushed the crack open as the tree grew. Its imposing appearance is breathtaking, and its vigorous vitality is inspiring.

Morioka Castle is a park developed on the site of the former castle of the Morioka Domain and is designated as a national historic site. Morioka Castle is characterized by its stone walls, which are rare in eastern Japan, and the collaboration of the beautiful stone walls that remain today with cherry blossoms in full bloom is also "Instagrammable" (beautiful).
The park is home to approximately 200 cherry trees, including someiyoshino, sato-zakura, and edohigan-zakura. The Morioka Cherry Blossom Festival is held every year, attracting many cherry blossom viewers.

It is a popular spot for citizens to relax in all four seasons, with cherry blossoms in spring, autumn leaves in fall, and swans flying in winter. There are approximately 1,260 cherry trees, including weeping cherry and yae cherry, and it has been selected as one of the "100 Best Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots in Japan.
A promenade surrounds the pond, so we recommend taking a stroll while viewing the cherry blossoms. On a clear day, you can also see the magnificent view of Mt.

Completed in 1934, this is the oldest water purification plant in Morioka City.
There are about 30 Yaeveni shidare higan cherries planted on the site when it was first completed, and they are protected as trees of scenic importance by Morioka City. The graceful blooming of the cherry trees is truly the "Queen of Cherry Blossoms. The Yaebenishidare Higanzakura is usually off-limits to the public, but is open to the public only when the cherry blossoms are at their best.