Culture
2°
Iwate
Cultural discoveries from Hiraizumi to Morioka
Top Attractions in Iwate
Around Iwate
Iwate Top 10
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![A Guide to Tono City and Hanamaki City]( "A Guide to Tono City and Hanamaki City")
1A Guide to Tono City and Hanamaki City
Culture -
![Autumn Road Trip in Iwate, the "Last Frontier of Japan"]( "Autumn Road Trip in Iwate, the "Last Frontier of Japan"")
2Autumn Road Trip in Iwate, the "Last Frontier of Japan"
Tono -
![Iwate: Food Guide]( "Iwate: Food Guide")
3Iwate: Food Guide
Food -
![Seaweed and Sightseeing in Iwate]( "Seaweed and Sightseeing in Iwate")
4Seaweed and Sightseeing in Iwate
Culture -
![Iwate’s Greatest Charm is …]( "Iwate’s Greatest Charm is …")
5Iwate’s Greatest Charm is …
Culture -
![Mt Megami and Shiraito Falls]( "Mt Megami and Shiraito Falls")
6Mt Megami and Shiraito Falls
Activities -
![Takuboku Ishikawa and the Honeymoon House]( "Takuboku Ishikawa and the Honeymoon House")
7Takuboku Ishikawa and the Honeymoon House
Morioka -
![The Seven Wonders of Tainaisan Shrine]( "The Seven Wonders of Tainaisan Shrine")
8The Seven Wonders of Tainaisan Shrine
Hanamaki -
![Resilience and Hope]( "Resilience and Hope")
9Resilience and Hope
Culture -
![Mt. Eboshi in Fall]( "Mt. Eboshi in Fall")
10Mt. Eboshi in Fall
Activities
![Autumn Road Trip in Iwate, the "Last Frontier of Japan"](https://a0.cdn.japantravel.com/photo/66432-224468/90x60!/iwate-autumn-road-trip-in-iwate-the-last-frontier-of-japan-224468.jpg "Autumn Road Trip in Iwate, the "Last Frontier of Japan"")
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![The Great Wanko Soba Food Challenge]( "The Great Wanko Soba Food Challenge")
1The Great Wanko Soba Food Challenge
Morioka -
![Kitakami River Rubber Boat Race]( "Kitakami River Rubber Boat Race")
2Kitakami River Rubber Boat Race
Morioka -
![Iwate: Food Guide]( "Iwate: Food Guide")
3Iwate: Food Guide
Food -
![Shizukuishi Winter Festa]( "Shizukuishi Winter Festa")
4Shizukuishi Winter Festa
Activities -
![Morioka's Sansa Odori]( "Morioka's Sansa Odori")
5Morioka's Sansa Odori
Morioka -
![Kitakami Tenshochi Sakura Festival]( "Kitakami Tenshochi Sakura Festival")
6Kitakami Tenshochi Sakura Festival
Kitakami -
![Hiking Mount Iwate]( "Hiking Mount Iwate")
7Hiking Mount Iwate
Activities -
![Daito-Ohara Water Throwing Festival]( "Daito-Ohara Water Throwing Festival")
8Daito-Ohara Water Throwing Festival
Ichinoseki -
![The Genuine ‘Nanbu Tekki’ Kettle]( "The Genuine ‘Nanbu Tekki’ Kettle")
9The Genuine ‘Nanbu Tekki’ Kettle
Morioka -
![Japan Mochi Festival]( "Japan Mochi Festival")
10Japan Mochi Festival
Ichinoseki
Upcoming Iwate Events
Culture
Osawa Onsen Konsei Festival 2026
Golden Week in Iwate Prefecture brings with it one of Japan's more unusual and fascinating cultural events, the Osawa Kons..
Activities
Kitakami Tenshochi Sakura Festival 2026
Each year from around mid April to early-May, Iwate's Kitakami Tenshochi Park is home to a cherry blossom festival that celebrates..
Culture
Dolls That Color the Seasons 2026
A new special exhibition at the Morioka History and Culture Museum invites visitors to explore how traditional dolls have long reflected..
Where to eat in Iwate
Japanese
The Great Wanko Soba Food Challenge
Amber MezbourianWanko soba represents Iwate’s most famous (and possibly only) food challenge. The aim is to consume as many small bowls of noo..
Japanese
Iwate: Food Guide
Japan TravelIwate is renowned for its top quality dairy products, beef, seafood, and noodle dishes.
Food
Flying Dango in Iwate
Tom RoseveareWitness the 'flying dango' over Gembikei Gorge, delivered by Kakko-ya.
Places to stay in Iwate
Western
Hot Spring Experience in Dai Onsen
Malcome LarcensPamper yourself in the hot springs of Dai onsen, Hanamaki.
Onsen
Osawa Onsen, Hanamaki
Aric DenfieldOsawa Onsen, in the verdant hills of Iwate, is more than just a hot spring hotel, it's a retreat and a snapshot of Japan from..
Accommodation
Hotel Metropolitan Morioka
Bridget YeSituated in the heart of Morioka, at the source of the city’s animated pulse, is Hotel Metropolitan Morioka.
Latest Iwate Reports
Culture
A Guide to Tono City and Hanamaki City
Veronica CarnevaleTono City and Hanamaki City in Iwate Prefecture act as gateways to different worlds—showcasing traditional customs, folktales,..
Culture
Seaweed and Sightseeing in Iwate
Veronica CarnevaleIwate is Japan’s second largest prefecture area-wise and is located in the country’s northeastern Tohoku region. In this massi..
Activities
Mt Megami and Shiraito Falls
Malcome LarcensMt Megami is a medium size mountain in Nishiwaga, Iwate. The view from the top is average but the waterfalls around it make it a..