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Iwate Prefecture (岩手県 Iwate-ken) is in the northeastern Tohoku region of the main Japanese island Honshu.
Understand
[edit]Second only to Hokkaido in having Japan's lowest population density, much of Iwate is remote and mountainous. Its early history was marked by fighting between the Japanese and the native Emishi people, thought to be related to the Ainu in Hokkaido. In the 11th century, the breakaway Northern Fujiwara clan formed their own independent realm here, ruling from Hiraizumi, the "Kyoto of the North", until crushed by Minamoto forces in 1189.
Most settlements are nestled in the fertile valley running north-south between the Ōu and Kitakami mountain ranges from Sendai to prefectural capital Morioka. The Pacific Ocean coastline is rocky with many sheer cliffs, and its towns were devastated by the 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami, with 3,056 dead or missing.
Tourism info
[edit]Visit Iwate is the prefecture's official multilingual guide site.
Cities
[edit]
- 1 Morioka — The prefectural capital.
- 2 Hachimantai — skiing, hot springs and hiking
- 3 Hanamaki — Hanamaki is most famous as the birthplace of Kenji Miyazawa and for its onsen.
- 4 Hiraizumi — once rivaled Kyoto, but now known for two temples and a poet who visited 400 years ago.
- 5 Ichinoseki
- 6 Iwaizumi — the town has Ryusendo, one of Japan's three famous caves.
- 7 Kamaishi
- 8 Miyako
- 9 Ninohe
- 10 Otsuchi
- 11 Tono — a small city famous for its folk tales.
- 12 Tanohata — is proud of Kitayamasaki Cape, seaweed and farm products.
Other destinations
[edit]- 1 Ryusendo limestone cave
— located in Iwaizumi, considered one of the three major limestone caves in Japan. It also boasts one of the largest underground lakes in Japan, with crystal-clear water. - 2 Appi Kogen — one of the best ski grounds in Tohoku, with runs for all levels.
Get in
[edit]By plane
[edit]1 Iwate Hanamaki Airport 
(花巻空港, HNA IATA), about 1 hr south of Morioka and 4 km away from Hanamaki Airport station (花巻空港駅) on the JR Tohoku Main Line, is the only airport in Iwate with scheduled service. It has domestic flights to most major Japanese cities except Tokyo, as well as international services to Shanghai and Taipei. Most travellers will find it easier and cheaper to fly to Tokyo and continue to Iwate by train.
By train
[edit]- The Tohoku Shinkansen barrels through Ichinoseki and Morioka on its way from Sendai north to Aomori.
- IGR Iwate Ginga Tetsudo It's north train of Iwate
- JR Yamada Line
- JR Hanawa Line
- JR Tazawako Line
- Sanriku Railway (Kita-Lias Line) runs between Miyako (Iwate) and Kuji.
By bus
[edit]Get around
[edit]See
[edit]
- Visit Geibikei Gorge and enjoy a ride on one of the boats and listen to the singing of your guide. Feed koi carp in warmer weather, enjoy the changing leaves in the fall and the snow in the winter. (Ichinoseki)
- Explore the remains of the former northern capital (Hiraizumi)
- Make your way through Ryusendo Cave, one of Japan's Top Three caves. (Iwaizumi)
- Search for kappa in one of the most famous kappa towns (Tono)
- Walk through art inspired by the books of Kenji Miyazawa in the Miyazawa Kenji Dowa-Mura (Hanamaki)
Do
[edit]Eat
[edit]- Azumaya (東家). Eat wanko-soba, served indefinitely before you stop.
- Pyonpyonsha (ぴょんぴょん舎). famous for Morioka Reimen (cold noodles). Many branches in Akita and other prefectures.
Drink
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