B-class gourmet

Introducing the charms of Morioka City, which was selected as the world's second most travel destination by the New York Times, from a local perspective [Iwate Prefecture]

On January 12, 2023, the New York Times announced its list of "52 Places to Visit in 2023," ranking Morioka City second only to London, causing excitement and delight in the local area

The article was written by Craig Mod, an American writer who has lived in Japan for 23 years, and who wanted to introduce Morioka, a place he loves

Mod describes Morioka as "a hidden gem of a city" and "a city with a great flow of energy," and introduces four spots within the city

What are the New York Times' "52 Places to Go"?

"52 Places for Travelers to Go" is published once a year and is a project that many travel enthusiasts refer to as a source of information for outbound travel

Each year, approximately 100 travel writers submit recommendations based on a different theme, from which 52 destinations are selected

The theme for 2023 is "A wonderful place a little way from the city," and Morioka, about two hours from Tokyo by Tohoku Shinkansen, has been nominated

What kind of city is Morioka? Two reasons why Modo recommends it

From the official Facebook page of the Morioka Tourism and Convention Association (Public Interest Incorporated Foundation)

It is a core city with a population of approximately 285,000 located at the northern end of the Kitakami Basin. It is surrounded by mountains such as Mt. Iwate, and is a city rich in water and greenery with many rivers of the Kitakami River system flowing through it

It is also known as a city of kindness, and Modo says, "Everyone in Morioka was kind."

He then lists the following two reasons why he recommends Morioka as a travel destination:

A building in the city that combines the beauty of Western and Eastern architecture

From the Iwate Bank Red Brick Building official website

One of the old Western-style buildings in the city, the red brick Former Iwate Bank Head Office, was designed by Tatsuno Kingo, who also designed Tokyo Station, and has a similar atmosphere

Morioka's ground is strong, and many historical buildings survived the Great East Japan Earthquake. Many buildings and old townscapes from the Edo period onwards remain, making it a great place to stroll around the city, full of retro atmosphere

Iwate Bank Red Brick Museum <Information>

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A winding river and the ruins of an old castle have been turned into a park

From the official Morioka Castle Ruins Park website

The Kitakami River, Shizukuishi River, and Nakatsu River, which was selected as one of the "100 Famous Waters of the Heisei Era," flow through the city, and in these clear streams you can fish for sweetfish and salmon swim upstream

Morioka Castle is also known as "Kozukata Castle" and is the site of the Nanbu clan's castle, with its magnificent stone walls remaining. Morioka Castle Ruins Park is a popular spot for viewing cherry blossoms and autumn leaves, and is a place of relaxation for local residents

The famous tanka poem by Ishikawa Takuboku, which he read while lying down on the castle ruins and looking up at the sky, is as follows:

"Lying on the grass of the castle in the distance, my fifteen hearts are absorbed into the sky"

Morioka Castle Ruins Park <Information>

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Four spots recommended by Modo

This is a restaurant he visited and recommended as one of his favorites

Nagasawa Coffee

From the official Nagasawa COFFEE website

Morioka, which has been introduced as a city with many coffee lovers, is home to many coffee shops filled with the aroma of home-roasted coffee, as well as long-established coffee shops with unique atmospheres

Nagasawa Coffee is one of them, and there is a constant stream of customers looking for delicious coffee

Nagasawa COFFEE＜Information＞

  • Facility name: Nagasawa COFFEE
  • Location: 1-11-23 Ueda, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
  • Phone number: 019-681-6868
  • URL: Nagasawa COFFEE official website

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Azumaya Wankosoba

This soba is served in a bowl and you compete to see how many you can eat while shouting, "Hai, dondon! Hai, janjan!" (Here we go!), making it feel like a game

There are theories that wankosoba originated in Morioka and Hanamaki, and there are wankosoba restaurants in both cities. In Morioka, you can enjoy it at the following restaurants

  • Azumaya: Main store, Annex, Station front store
  • Hatsukoma: Main store and Morioka Interchange store
  • Chokurian

How to enjoy Wankosoba

From the Azumaya official website

Each store has its own style, but the general procedure is as follows:

  1. The waiter stands next to the customer and, after the start, gives a call and pours soba noodles into the customer's bowl
  2. After the customer finishes eating, the waiter continues to pour more soba noodles into the bowl
  3. The meal ends when the customer closes the lid before the waiter pours the soba noodles into the bowl

At Azumaya and Hatsukoma, bowls are counted by stacking them in front of the customers, but at the long-established Naorian, they count them with matchsticks

You can throw away the soba soup without drinking it, and about 15 bowls make up one bowl of soba noodles, and if you eat more than 100 bowls you will receive a certificate

When you're full and about to close the lid, the waiter will quickly try to put more soba in, and the atmosphere becomes lively with this negotiation

Wankosoba is served as part of a course, and the price ranges from 3,000 to 5,500 yen depending on the condiments and palate cleansers

Higashiya＜Information＞

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BOOKNERD

"BOOKNERD," which means "book nerd," is a popular independent bookstore that also sells miscellaneous goods and original T-shirts

The small shop is lined with around 500 books, including new and used Western and Japanese books, selected by the owner, whom Modo describes as "hardworking despite being young." The books include literature, essays, picture books, photo books, magazines, and zines (self-published books)

The area around Konyacho, where the bookstore is located, has many streets that exude the atmosphere of old Morioka. In addition to Azumaya, which is mentioned above, there are also many unique restaurants and bars selling sake and wine, so you can enjoy strolling around while choosing a book

Booknerd <Information>

  • Facility name: BOOKNERD
  • Address: 6-27 Konyacho, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
  • Phone number: 019-677-8081
  • URL: BOOKNERD official website

Google Map

Johnny of Kaiun Bridge

From the official website of Kaiunbashi Johnny

Rikuzentakata Johnny, known as a jazz cafe in Sanriku, moved to the foot of Kaiunbashi Bridge in 2001 and became Kaiunbashi Johnny, attracting fans from all over the country

The owner, Mr. Terui, who has great respect for New York-based jazz pianist Toshiko Akiyoshi, opened the "Toshiko Akiyoshi Jazz Museum" inside the Morioka Bus Center, which was renovated in October 2022

Johnny was closed to allow for the opening of the adjacent cafe bar West38, but after being introduced to it by Modo, the shop is now open every Tuesday and Wednesday

Johnny of Kaiunbashi <Information>

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What are Morioka's three great noodles?

It is a general term for three noodle dishes: Morioka Reimen, Morioka Jajamen, and Wankosoba

Morioka cold noodles

This noodle dish is served at yakiniku restaurants, and the noodles are made from wheat flour and starch, giving them a firm, chewy texture

The beef bone broth is deliciously sweet and flavorful, and is garnished with boiled eggs, slices of boiled beef, and fruits such as watermelon, pear, and apple

The spiciness of Morioka Reimen comes mainly from the radish kimchi known as kakuteki, and many locals order the spiciness as a separate dish rather than adding it to the dish from the start

First, you can enjoy the plain beef bone soup, and then change the flavor to suit your preferred spiciness

In Morioka, you can order just cold noodles at yakiniku restaurants, so please feel free to do so

Morioka Jajamen

This noodle dish is unique to Morioka and is said to have originated from the famous "Pairon", and each local resident has their own favorite restaurant

It's a simple noodle dish made with chewy, flat wheat flour noodles topped with each store's special meat miso, cucumber, and green onions, and garnished with pickled ginger, but there is a little etiquette to follow when eating it, as follows

  1. First mix everything together and then eat while mixing the meat miso into the noodles
  2. After eating the noodles, crack an egg into the bowl, mix it, and pour in the "Chi Tan Tan" (Chi Tan: boiled water)
  3. Meat and miso are added to the beaten egg soup, so mix well and enjoy the soup

Locally, the proper way to eat jajangmyeon is to order cheetang as well, but there are no other rules

Chitan

Vinegar, soy sauce, and other condiments are placed on the table, allowing you to customize the flavor to your liking. Some restaurants also have meat miso on the table, which you can add as you like

By the way, it is often mistaken for the Chinese noodle dish "Zhajiangmen," but please note that it is a completely different dish

summary

Morioka has many other attractions in addition to those introduced by Modo, but until now I had the impression that it was a bit dull

However, it has been introduced as a "must-visit" destination in the United States, surpassing the many major cities and famous tourist destinations in Japan, and is attracting attention nationwide

In the compact city of Morioka, recommended gourmet restaurants and tourist spots can be easily reached on foot from Morioka Station, and you can also enjoy a more in-depth sightseeing experience by using the one-day pass for the city's circular bus, "Den-Den-Mushi."

Be sure to visit "Little Kyoto of Michinoku," which is attracting attention among inbound tourists!

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