This site is a web media that delivers all kinds of trivia, from sightseeing and gourmet spots in the six Tohoku prefectures to local, customs, and history.
[Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture] Enjoy the view of Morioka from above! Introducing the observation deck overlooking the city and the surrounding gourmet food! (Part 2)
[Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture] Enjoy the view of Morioka from above! Introducing the observation deck overlooking the city and the surrounding gourmet food! (Part 2)
In this article, we will introduce two Morioka viewpoints: an observation deck on the top floor of a high-rise building in front of Morioka Station, and one a little way from the city center, surrounded by nature.
Marios in front of Morioka Station, the third floor is directly connected to the west exit of Morioka Station by a pedestrian deck
The free observation deck on the 20th floor (about 90 meters above ground) of Marios, which is connected to the west exit of Morioka Station by a pedestrian deck, offers a 360-degree view of Morioka city and the surrounding mountains.
From the observation deck, you can get a good view of Mt. Iwate and the tracks of the Akita Shinkansen (JR Tazawako Line), which separates from the Tohoku Shinkansen.
"Morioka in the south is the most beautiful place in Japan. Mount Iwate towers to the west, Mount Hayachine to the east, and Mount Himekami to the north. The Nakatsugawa River that flows through the castle town joins with the Kitakami River to form a rich stream. In the spring, flowers bloom in abundance, in the summer, greenery, and in the fall, autumn leaves. In the winter, the area is completely enveloped in snow like cotton wool." (From "The Story of the Mibu Gishi" by Jiro Asada)
To the east is Morioka Station and the city center, the beautiful conical mountain on the left is Mt. Himekami, and in the distance on the right you can see the faint shape of Mt. Hayachine.
From this observation room, you can see the beautiful scenery of Morioka, which is described by the protagonist Kanichiro Yoshimura in The Tale of the Mibu Gishi
The Kitakami River flows slowly to the southeast, and the "Happy Dream Circus" is currently being held in the tent at the former JR Morioka Locomotive Depot in the foreground.
The observation deck, which you can easily drop by while waiting for your Shinkansen train, is open until 6:00 p.m.
The bright and scenic Marios Observation Workspace
used to be a cafe terrace called " Sky Metro " where you could enjoy a meal while looking out at the view, but now it has been turned into a co-working space called Mario's Observation Workspace
We recommend "Restaurant Ggreet" for dining at Marios!
Restaurant Ggreet
Below the observation deck, on the 4th floor of Marios Building, is Restaurant Ggreet
In addition to offering a wide range of lunch menus and party and banquet plans, we also offer bento delivery to conference rooms within the building.
On the fourth floor, where the restaurant is located, there is an exhibition of brick walls and a model locomotive that were used at the JNR Morioka Factory.
another restaurant on the fourth floor, the Japanese restaurant Shunsai Hamanoi . However, it will be temporarily closed from August 21, 2025, and the reopening date has not yet been decided.
Azumaya Wankosoba Source: Iwate Prefecture Official Tourism Site "Iwate Travel"
Other restaurants include those inside Azumayawankosoba restaurant near the station, and Pyonpyonsha, a Morioka reimen restaurant .
Restaurant Ggreet <Information>
Facility name: Restaurant Ggreet
Address: Marios 4F, 2-9-1 Moriokaeki Nishidori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Phone number: 019-681-1990
Business hours: Monday to Saturday, public holidays, and the day before public holidays: 11:30-14:30 (last orders 14:00), 17:00-22:00 (last orders 21:00)
Closed: Sundays (if a Sunday falls on a public holiday, the restaurant will be closed on Mondays, but will be open on Sundays if there are reservations for 20 or more people)
Located about a 40-minute drive northeast of Morioka Station, Mount Tenpo, 845 meters above sea level, is lined with wind turbines and is also used as a launching and landing point for paragliding.
The paragliding mecca is windy, so there are many wind turbines for generating electricity.
The parking lot where the tour departs and arrives is at a high altitude with an open view, offering a panoramic view of the basin stretching from Mt. Iwate to the town of Orioka, and it is a beautiful observation deck where you can see the sun setting over the Ou Mountains and the sunset.
Looking towards Morioka city from Mt. Tenpo, it is clear that it is located in a basin.
However, although the parking space is large, there are no shops or toilets, and the ground is not leveled, so there are many bumps and unevenness, and there are no streetlights, so please be careful when visiting at night when it is pitch black.
"Yabukawa Soba" made with locally grown buckwheat flour and featuring a rich aroma
Yabukawa Soba, located along the national highway
Yabukawa Soba is located about 15 minutes' drive along the national route towards Iwato Lake, which is famous for ice fishing for smelt
If you want to enjoy the aroma of locally grown soba noodles, we recommend Zaru Soba.
Yabukawa, located at a high altitude, is the coldest area in Honshu, with temperatures reaching minus 25 degrees Celsius in the middle of winter. the lowest temperature is reported as Morioka City , the temperature in Yabukawa is reported as the temperature in Morioka.
The spacious restaurant is always full during the new soba season.
serves nihachi soba noodles made with buckwheat flour that they cultivate themselves
Yabukawa Soba Menu
The strong aroma of buckwheat noodles goes well with the sweet dashi-flavored broth, and the "pheasant soba" made with pheasant meat is particularly popular on the menu.
The soba noodles are so delicious that even locals come to buy them, and can be purchased fresh, dried, or via mail order.
Yabukawa Soba ＜Information＞
Facility name: Yabukawa Soba
Address: 596 Yabukawa Toyama, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
From Apple Road you can see the whole of Morioka city and Mt. Iwate
This is not an observation deck, but a road that runs through apple orchards on a hill in the southeastern suburbs of Morioka City, and is known as a famous spot for viewing the night view of Morioka City while driving.
Night view of Morioka city from the same location as the image above
Mt. located south of Morioka city . Because it passes through high ground, you can get a good view of Morioka city through the gaps in the trees.
The driving course is hilly, and beyond Morioka city you can enjoy views of Mt. Iwate and, if the weather is good, Mt. Akita Komagatake.
However, since there are almost no houses or streetlights, you need to be careful when driving if you want to enjoy the night view.
A sign indicating road closure due to disaster, but there is a detour so you can enjoy the scenery
In addition, heavy rain in August last year (2024) caused part of the road embankment to collapse, and as of September 5, 2025, that section of the road is still closed to traffic.
Near the road closure point, there is a shortcut that leads to National Route 396, which runs parallel to and underneath the farm road, so please use that until the road reopens.
Official name of the road: Farm road Minami Nakano Line
Location: Higashi-Aniwa Tsumagamori, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Google Map
The most popular udon restaurant in Morioka, the noodle capital, is "Udon Kobo Katatsumuri."
The large parking lot is full even before lunch on weekdays.
After enjoying a drive down Apple Road, we recommend a meal at a popular udon restaurant along National Route 396 that specializes in freshly made, freshly cut, and freshly boiled udon noodles.
Snail Menu
You can enjoy the marriage of thick, chewy yet springy Sanuki udon-style noodles with the delicious Osaka-style broth.
Chicken tempura curry udon, the hot curry soup with dashi stock is delicious!
The most popular dish is the Chicken Tempura Curry Udon , where the udon noodles are coated in a spicy yet rich curry soup with a strong dashi flavor, and the large chicken tempura is made from chicken thigh meat that is thoroughly seasoned with ginger and soy sauce.
This is a small size of "Yokubari Udon" and the tempura is large so it's very satisfying!
, the restaurant's popular signature dish is the Yokubari Udon a bukkake udon topped with grated yam and wakame seaweed, which also comes with egg tempura and chikuwa tempura
The super popular "Kamonanban Udon" is a September-only menu item
The limited-edition monthly menu is also popular. On the day we visited, Kamo Nanban Udon , but many customers ordered it from the time they opened at 11:00, and by noon there was only one left.
Even on weekdays, the parking lot, which can accommodate over 10 cars, is always full, and it is an extremely popular restaurant that is constantly packed with customers from the time it opens at 11:00.
Udon Factory Katatsumuri ＜Information＞
Facility name: Udon Factory Katatsumuri
Address: 2-17-15 Kado, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture
Morioka's beautiful cityscape, blessed with nature and where you can feel the changing seasons, can be seen from a little above, giving it a different feel than usual.
If you visit Morioka, be sure to take in the beautiful cityscape of "prosperous Oka" from one of the observation decks introduced above.
I am a former Edo guy who loves Morioka, loves the six prefectures of Tohoku, and loves history, gourmet food, travel, sports, alcohol, and singing. We'll introduce you to some interesting, delicious, and good things about Tohoku!
