Hello, I am k in the Public Relations Department.
Incredible news arrived on January 12th of this year. Believe it or not, Morioka was listed second after London on The New York Times' list of "52 Places to Go in 2023.! As a Morioka resident, it was the most surprising news in recent years. Since then, we have seen many foreign tourists in Morioka.
The New York Times introduced the charm of Morioka City as "a pearl of a city that lies a few hours north from Tokyo and downtown is eminently walkable.."
Morioka City was evaluated in the following four aspects:
- Beautiful nature, such as rivers and parks
- Meiji-era buildings that mix Western and Eastern architectural aesthetics
- Enjoyable food such as wanko soba and coffee
- A city where bookstores and jazz cafes blend together
It has been 14 years since we opened the Morioka office but many of our employees have never come to Morioka, so I am going to introduce the places and food that were picked up by The New York Times!
Beautiful nature, such as rivers and parks
The first place is "Morioka Castle Site Park". Until 2006, it was known by the nickname "Iwate Park" and known among the people of Morioka well. It is a beautiful park that has been selected as one of the 100 urban parks in Japan and one of the 100 famous castles in Japan, showing different scenery in each season. The remaining Momoyama-style stone walls are considered to be one of the three famous castles in Tohoku, along with Aizu and Shirakawa.
If you walk from west to east in Morioka Castle Site Park, you will find the "Nakatsu River" that flows through the center of Morioka. There is a promenade along the Nakatsu River and it is also used as a jogging course. In Autumn, you might be able to see salmon going up the river.
Traditional Meiji-era buildings in the center of the city
"Iwate Bank Akarenga Musium" is about a 5-minute walk from Morioka Castle site Park across the bridge over the Nakatsu River. It was designed by Kingo Tatsuno and it is the only remaining work in the Tohoku region.
Another place I love is "Nanshoso"! Nanshoso built in 1885 is designated as a "Protected Garden and Important Scenic Building" in Morioka and the garden is designated as a "Registered National Memorial". "Nanshou Room", which is on the second floor, is used as a filming location for the movie "March Comes In like a Lion" starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, and it has been a pilgrimage for fans.
Enjoyable food such as wanko soba and coffee
"Wanko Soba" is a famous originated noodle dish from Morioka city. The dish is served in a little bowl with bite-size soba noodles, and until you say "I'm stuffed", the staff will keep refilling your bowl. There are many famous shops for Wanko Soba in Morioka city, but especially The New Yor Times picked up "Azumaya".
And then, I am going to introduce "Nagasawa coffee"! The photo below is Nagasawa Coffee's most popular "Original Smile Blend." You can enjoy homemade scones and cookies with your coffee. However the coffee shop is so popular and some foods are sold out quickly if you don't go early. One day, I was able to meet the owner Mr. Nagasawa and hear about the thing that Morioka selected as the second place in "52 Places to Go in 2023" by The New York Times. He said, "I'm surprised...I didn't expect that our shop would be introduced by The New York Times at all." I recommend a cookie of this shop too.
A city where bookstores and jazz cafes blend together
The New York Times introduced these recommended places too.
"Kaiunkyou johnny":
This jazz coffee shop is famous nationally as a special store that plays Japanese jazz records.
"BOOKNERD":
It's said that this bookstore "BOOKNERD" in Konya, Morioka city means "book otaku" literally.
To close, a reporter for The New York Times expressed like this about Morioka "Though it was the most moving and impressive city, those charm have not been known at all. I felt like I found a hidden jewel." There is still a lot of charm in Morioka that only local people know like soul food. Next time, I will introduce "Nanshosou"in more detail. Stay tuned for the next information!
This article was written by "Nippon Information Co., Ltd." that develops business systems in Morioka, Nagoya, Tokyo, Osaka. This article's Japanese version is here.
reference: Iwate Tourism Association, https://visitiwate.com/