As the weather warms up, it's the perfect season to travel to Iwate Prefecture. Iwate Prefecture is made up of 33 cities, towns, and villages, each with its own unique characteristics. If you're traveling to Iwate from outside the Tohoku region...
Satomiori
As the phrase "eight million gods" suggests, there are said to be more than 150,000 shrines and temples across Japan. The number of deities enshrined there is also that many, but the most enshrined deity in Japan is...
Satomiori
Nezugaseki (also known as Nenjugaseki or Nezugaseki) was a crossing point between the Tohoku region (Emishi), which the Yamato court had not yet controlled, and the Kanto and Hokuriku regions, during the Ritsuryo period (Asuka to Heian periods).
Noheji Town in Aomori Prefecture is a port town located at the base of the Shimokita Peninsula, at the very innermost part of Mutsu Bay, between the Tsugaru and Shimokita Peninsulas. "Noheji" comes from the Ainu language, meaning "nuppet" (river flowing through a field).
When you think of Aomori Prefecture, many people think of apples, the Nebuta Festival, tuna, and the Seikan Tunnel. However, few people may associate "Dogu" with Aomori Prefecture. In fact...
Hiroyuki Oka
Fukushima Prefecture is home to seven of the "100 Famous Mountains of Japan," including Mount Bandai. Although it is the largest prefecture among the six Tohoku prefectures, most of its land is covered with untouched forests, including the Ou Mountains, Echigo Mountains, and Abukuma Highlands.
DaiwaConsilio
Aomori Prefecture is home to many historic springs, many of which are beloved by local residents for their drinking water. In the Tsugaru region in particular, spring water is called "shitsuko" (clear water) in the Tsugaru dialect.
DaiwaConsilio
The equestrian statue of Date Masamune is a symbol of Sendai, having watched over the City of Trees from Mount Aoba for many years. It was severely damaged in the March 2022 earthquake that measured a seismic intensity of 6+ in Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures.
Iwate Prefecture has the largest watershed in Tohoku and is home to the Kitakami River system, which is rich in water. Furthermore, there are many mountain forests that serve as water sources, making it an area rich in water resources. Morioka City, the prefectural capital, is particularly known for its "famous water sources.".
DaiwaConsilio
In Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, there are 12 shrines and temples dedicated to the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. Each zodiac sign has its own principal image called a "Kedegami-san" (triangle god), a unique feature of the Sendai region.
