Take a soul soothing journey and meet the friendly folks of Morioka. It’s a trip down memory lane that’ll give you a taste of Iwate!

Songs of soba to get you in the swing of things

Satisfying hungry customers since 1884, Chokurian is the place to try Iwate’s signature dish known as wanko soba (3,355 yen for the regular course and 4,158 yen for the deluxe). The magic all happens on the restaurant’s spacious second floor tatami mat room. The server explains the rules of the dining table, put on our bibs, and are ready to dig in. Small helpings of soba noodles are swiftly served up one bowl after another as the server sort of sings a song of soba that goes, "Jan-jan-don-don."

• Curious, I asked why they eat soba this way. It turns out that in the mountain villages of Iwate, there is a tradition of serving soba at the end of banquets. In this custom, known as "soba furumai," the noodles are divided among many people and served up in small bowls. This is said to be the origin of wanko soba, and I’m convinced it’s true.

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The wide variety of little healthy dishes is irresistible

• The minute you down a helping of soba, the server refills your bowl, and the more that happens, the more you’ll enjoy it.
  
  

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In addition to toppings, such as green onions and nori (seaweed), it also comes with sujiko (salmon roe), grated daikon with nameko mushroom, and kuki wakame (seaweed) to spice up the seemingly endless stream of noodles. When you've had your fill, quickly close the lid on your bowl before the server has a chance to add any more and say “gochisosama” in thanks for the food.

At Chokurian, they use matchsticks to count how many servings of wanko soba you’ve eaten, and you can even take them home as a souvenir.

The red brick bank is the iconic landmark of this quaint city

Morioka City is dotted with venerable structures that turn any stroll along the streets of this timeworn town into a virtual architectural walking tour. Towering above them all is Iwate’s green domed iconic red brick bank building, a Renaissance-style building built in 1911. Designed by Kingo Tatsuno, the architect of Tokyo Station, the building was used as a bank until 2012.

The restored manager's office and vault offer a glimpse into the past

The building boasts an enormous multipurpose hall with high ceilings accentuated by ornate details and chandeliers that would have seemed a marvelously modern to those who first walked through its doors. Off the multipurpose hall are meticulously restored reception room and executive and branch manager's offices, containing numerous period artifacts, that enable visitors to see the bank as it was when it first opened for business.

The antique lighting fixtures hanging from the ceiling put the decorative carving above the door in a stunning light. The old manager's office overlooks the entrance to the old vault. The heavy vault is a sight to behold.

The building has been designated as an Important Cultural Property of Japan. Visitors can learn all about the Bank of Iwate in the virtual theatre on the second floor.

This is a view of the multipurpose hall as seen from the second floor. This is where banking operations took place, and you can almost feel the presence of those bankers all busily working away.

• The red brick building capped off by that big dome is reminiscent of Tokyo Station. It’s amazing experience to simply walk through the doors of this historic building and step back in time.

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Go crackers at this classic senbei shop where flavors change with the season

This is an old-fashioned senbei, or cracker, shop that has been making the region’s signature Nambu senbei since it was founded 80 years ago. In addition to the regular sesame, pumpkin, and Morioka reimen (cold noodle) flavors, the Nambu senbei served up here comes in a variety of seasonal flavors, including chocolate.

You could buy just one, but then again you could buy one of every kind. From left to right, sesame, pumpkin, and Morioka reimen flavors.

Wonderful water and wild rice make amazake amazing

The neighborhood of Nataya-cho is a timeworn tapestry interwoven with old merchant houses that have stood as a witness to history. In the middle of the town sits Machiya Salon Pippi, a Meiji period merchant house turned old fashioned coffee shop. The specialty here is the hiyashi-amazake (350 yen) made simply from rice, koji, and Seiryu-sui (literally, “blue dragon water”), which in recent years was ranked in the top 100 for fine quality water in Japan. Savor it with a cup of coffee for 400 yen.

Lining the quaint shelves is a colorful collection of heartwarming molas, folk handicrafts from Panama, and more, but it’s the heartwarming personalities of the establishment’s owners, Mr. and Mrs. Yoshida, that are the real magnet of attraction.

Tea and tasty treats made with treasured water

The Matcha Set (650 yen) includes Japanese sweets and matcha served in a bowl that complements the bright green tea. The sweets on the menu vary with the seasons.
Zenzai with black soybeans (350 yen) is a winter-only treat. The refreshingly sweet flavor will warm up your whole body.

Come home to a festival of dolls and natural springs

Each year residents of Morioka’s Nataya-cho mark their old calendar for a neighborhood-wide celebration of the traditional doll festival known as Hina Matsuri. Here you’ll get to see a host of traditional Hina dolls on display.

About 40 different venues are decorated with cute little Hina dolls up until the day of the doll festival on the old Japanese calendar. What better way to see these traditional Japanese dolls and handmade hanging Hina dolls than in an old merchant house. At Pippi, they can be seen on display from mid-February to early April.

• You can also visit Daiji Shimizu, one of the three natural springs in Morioka. The pure water flowing from this spring is in many ways still the lifeblood of the local community. Pools of water are divided into water for drinking, water for rinsing rice and vegetables, water for doing laundry, and water for foot bathing, in that order. Scoop it up with a bamboo ladle and drink it all in!

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The perfect place to add some style to your stay

The hotel consists of two buildings. There is the main building, which is directly connected to JR Morioka Station and boasts outstanding convenience. Then there is the New Wing, which is based on the concept of "quality in everything." One of the main attractions of the hotel is various types of restaurants, including Chinese, Japanese, and French, along with a dining and bar restaurant for you to choose from depending on your mood.

The Skymetro café terrace, located on the top floor, makes a great stop. Take in a fine meal while taking in a breathtaking view of Mt. Iwate as it spreads out across the windowpane.

The main building’s guest rooms are all about getting a good night's sleep

The rooms in the main building are simple and functional, with a focus on a good night's sleep. There are women only rooms and a woman only zone, making it a perfect place for a woman traveling alone to stay. *The above picture is a guest room in the New Wing.

The New Wing also features superior rooms, including spacious twins and suites. Whether you’re here for business or pleasure, you can find a room to suit your needs to a tee.

New Wing room key fobs are fashioned from traditional Nambu ironware. Nothing gets overlooked and everything is a truly unique Iwate experience right down to smallest detail.

The tea lounge, encompassing a chapel, is a heavenly spot to enjoy a pastry or two

The Tea Lounge Clover is located on the first floor of the New Wing. The hotel patissiers’ tasty creations are a feast for the eyes as well. The hotel’s original roll cake "Metoroll" is a popular choice made from Iwate’s famed Ginga no Shizuku rice flour and Ginga no Chikara wheat flour.

• The tea lounge is also used as a chapel. A large chandelier, big open atrium, and marble columns all come together to create an ambience of sheer elegance.

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The breakfast buffet includes Chinese porridge with healthy herbs made from the local Special A Grade Hitomebore brand of rice, bread made with natural yeast (Kiryu yeast), and other specialties such as Morioka reimen noodles. This time, I chose the Western menu. Both rich and delicious, the yogurt and eggs were super satisfying.

Hometown beer made the old-fashioned way

A 10-minute drive from the city center, there is a brewery that is the pride of Iwate Prefecture. The beer here is still crafted by traditional meisters using time-honored European techniques and a more than century-old brew house brought here from a southern German town. Along with the attached shop, the brewery offers guided tours.

Guided by brewery staff, see exactly what goes into the fascinating process of making beer

You can join one of the guided tours that are conducted three times a day and learn all about making fine quality beer from milling the malt to brewing, fermentation, cellaring, and bottling while listening to the brewery staff explaining the nuts and bolts of beer making.

It all starts with an explanation about the barley. Different types of malts and hops have distinct flavor profiles and aromas. It’s a full sensory experience where you get to touch the ingredients and breathe in their aromas.

The copper kettle in the brew house dates back to 1908. It’s amazing that it’s still up and running to this day.

The wort comes from the faucets connected to the filtering equipment. The wort is then checked to see if it is ready.
Once the fermentation process is complete, it all gets stored in huge tanks. This is where time turns the cloudy liquid into beer that’s bursting with delicious flavor.

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  After seeing the brewing process, it’s time for tasting. Here you can enjoy craft beer bubbling over with the artisanship and passion put into it. This is a chance to experience the full flavor embodied in a tradition of uncommon excellence.

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  After seeing the brewing process, it’s time for tasting. Here you can enjoy craft beer bubbling over with the artisanship and passion put into it. This is a chance to experience the full flavor embodied in a tradition of uncommon excellence.
  
  In addition to beer you can get all sorts of Baeren merchandise in the brewery shop, including T-shirts, towels, and snacks. The "Ginga no Yoru" crackers, baked 100% real cheese, pair perfectly with any Baeren beer.

After seeing the brewing process, it’s time for tasting. Here you can enjoy craft beer bubbling over with the artisanship and passion put into it. This is a chance to experience the full flavor embodied in a tradition of uncommon excellence.

Enjoy classic Morioka reimen at a convenient location just a few steps away from the train station

Established in 1965, the restaurant Daido-en is a local favorite specializing in yakiniku (Japanese style barbecue) and Morioka reimen (cold noodles). Conveniently located on the first floor of the Odense building that’s part of the Fesan department store attached to Morioka Station, this Daido-en branch location is a great place to get a taste of Morioka reimen.

Lightly seasoned traditional reimen hits the spot!

There are two types of Morioka reimen, one in red daegutang (codfish) soup and the other in white gomtang (ox bone) soup. The noodles are made from the restaurant’s unique blend of Hokkaido potato starch and wheat flour. These fresh noodles that have been rinsed in ice cold water are translucent and chewy and taste so good going down. The set menu features Morioka reimen with Korean sushi rolls, which is another plus.

• The clear broth, made from both Maezawa and Iwate beef bones, is purely delicious. You can add kimchi and vinegar if you like. Enjoy Morioka’s soul food to your heart’s content.

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The specialty menu is addictive and delicious

Montan is an old-fashioned spaghetti restaurant located along the moat in the Morioka Castle Ruins Park. A favorite of locals, the A La Montan is a spicy tomato soup spaghetti. Sprinkle some Tabasco sauce if you like.

The spicy tomato soup is addictive, attracting many repeat customers. We tried it and we are convinced it’s delicious.

Discover the charm of Nambu ironware at a theme park-style factory!

Iwachu, a long-established maker of Nambu Tekki ironware, operates this hands-on gallery where visitors can learn all about this traditional craft of Iwate Prefecture. The origin of Nambu ironware dates back to the mid-17th century when the lord of the Nambu domain invited artisans from Kyoto to design and make cast iron teapots in Morioka. Since then, a variety of products have been made along the way, from traditional crafts such as iron kettles to ashtrays and interior decorations.

See Nambu cast iron artisans at work close up

The factory tour provides visitors with an up-close look at every step that goes into making cast iron, from making the mold to casting and coloring.

After melting iron at 1,400°C to 1,500°C in an electric furnace, a craftsman pours the molten metal into a clay mold using a ladle called a yukumi. Feel the fiery passion at work.

In the picture on the left a skilled craftsman is making a mold. He employs a tool called an ushi that’s placed inside a mold made from a brick-like material to make a casting mold that’s the same size as the kettle he wants to produce. The artisanship shines through.
In the picture on the right a craftsman is making a pattern. He manually presses designs into the clay mold before it dries out. It’s a painstaking process to create just a single Nambu ironware piece.

More objet d'art, Nambu ironware will win your heart

After touring the factory, head over to the exhibition gallery, where you’ll find a diorama featuring Nambu ironware and festivals in Morioka, and more.

The gift shop offers a wide range of Nambu ironware products, some in typically subdued colors and others cast in a more modern light. I want to make these traditional pieces crafted by skilled artisans a part of my everyday life.

自然の恵みを安心して味わえる至福のカフェ

盛岡・岩手の小麦や牛乳など自然の恵みたっぷりの極上食材から作る、自家製スイーツとパンを提供しています。岩手県産小麦「ゆきちから」をブレンドした食パンやスコーンなどさまざまなパンが並び、美味しそうな香りでいっぱいです♪

パン屋さんこだわりのスイーツも見逃せません

店内には喫茶スペースもあり、早朝営業しているのでモーニングを目的に来るお客さんも多いそうです。それでは人気のスイーツをいただきます。

フレンチトーストは、カリッと焼きあがったフランスパンとベリーソースが絶妙！パン屋さんならではの完成度で幸せです。

食べると口の中でとろけるように消えてしまう、リコッタチーズのスフレパンケーキです。こだわりの生乳から作られた生クリームをたっぷり添えて。コーヒーや紅茶と一緒にいただきましょう。

化学肥料や農薬を使わない岩手の野草だけを食べて育った地元の山地酪農牛乳を使った銀河堂プリン。濃厚でまろやかな口あたりでおみやげにもおすすめです。

• 南部鉄器の急須で出されるお茶は最後までアツアツでいただけます。保温性は抜群です。
  
  

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