is the capital

city A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

Iwate Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku region of Honshu. It is the second-largest Japanese prefecture at , with a population of 1,210,534 (as of October 1, 2020). Iwate Prefecture borders Aomori Prefecture to the north, Akita Prefectur ...

located in the Tōhoku region of northern

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. On 1 February 2021, the city had an estimated population of 290,700 in 132,719 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is .

Geography

Morioka is located in the in central Iwate Prefecture, at the

confluence In geography, a confluence (also: ''conflux'') occurs where two or more flowing bodies of water join to form a single channel. A confluence can occur in several configurations: at the point where a tributary joins a larger river (main stem); o ...

of three rivers, the Kitakami, the

Shizukuishi is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 16,263 in 6354 households, and a population density of 27 persons per km². The total area of the town is . Geography Shizukuishi is located in the Ōu Mou ...

and the Nakatsu. The Kitakami River is the second largest river on the Pacific side of Japan (after the Tone River) and the longest in the Tōhoku region. It runs through the city from north to south and has a number of dams within the city boundaries, including the Shijūshida Dam and Gandō Dam. An active volcano, Mount Iwate, dominates the view to the northwest of the city. Mount Himekami is to the north and Mount Hayachine can sometimes be seen to the southeast.

Surrounding municipalities

Iwate Prefecture *

Hanamaki is a Cities of Japan, city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 94,691, and a population density of 100 persons per km², in 37,773 households. The total area of the city is . Hanamaki is famous as the birthplace ...

* Hachimantai *

Takizawa is a city located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. , the city had an estimated population of 55,325 in 23,270 households, and a population density of 300 persons per km2. The total area of the city is . Geography Takizawa is located in central Iwat ...

* Miyako *

* Kuzumaki * Shiwa * Yahaba *

Iwaizumi is a town located in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. , the town had an estimated population of 8,987, and a population density of 9.1 persons per km² in 4366 households. The total area of the town is . Geography Iwaizumi is in the Kitakami Mountai ...

Demographics

Per Japanese census data, the population of Morioka peaked at around the year 2000 and has slightly declined since.

Climate

Morioka has a cold, humid continental climate ( Köppen ''Dfa'') characterized by warm, short summers and long, cold winters with heavy snowfall. The average annual temperature in Morioka is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are at their highest on average in August, at around , and lowest on average in January, at around .

History

171103 Morioka Castle Morioka Iwate pref Japan20s3

The area of present-day Morioka has been continuously inhabited since the

Japanese Paleolithic The is the period of human inhabitation in Japan predating the development of pottery, generally before 10,000 BC. The starting dates commonly given to this period are from around 40,000 BC; although any date of human presence before 35,000 BC ...

period. Numerous Jōmon, Yayoi and

Kofun period The is an era in the history of Japan from about 300 to 538 AD (the date of the introduction of Buddhism), following the Yayoi period. The Kofun and the subsequent Asuka periods are sometimes collectively called the Yamato period. This period is ...

tombs and remains have been found. The

Emishi The (also called Ebisu and Ezo), written with Chinese characters that literally mean "shrimp barbarians," constituted an ancient ethnic group of people who lived in parts of Honshū, especially in the Tōhoku region, referred to as in contemp ...

inhabited the area into the Heian period. During the Enryaku era of the Heian period, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, was ordered north to

Shiwa Castle was an early Heian period ''jōsaku''-style Japanese castle located in what is now part of the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of far northern Honshu, Japan. The site was proclaimed a Monuments of Japan, National Historic S ...

in 803 AD, as a military center to extend the domination of the Yamato dynasty over

Mutsu Province was an old province of Japan in the area of Fukushima, Miyagi, Iwate and Aomori Prefectures and the municipalities of Kazuno and Kosaka in Akita Prefecture. Mutsu Province is also known as or . The term is often used to refer to the comb ...

. The area was later ruled by the Abe clan until their destruction during the

Former Nine Years War The , also known in English as the Former Nine Years' War or the Early Nine Years' War, was fought between the Imperial Court and the Abe clan in Mutsu Province, in Northeast Japan, from 1051 to 1063. It resulted in Imperial Court victory and t ...

at the hands of the Minamoto and Kiyohara clans. The Kiyohara were in turn defeated in the Gosannen War and the area came under the control of the

Ōshū Fujiwara Clan The Northern Fujiwara (奥州藤原氏 ''Ōshū Fujiwara-shi'') were a Japanese noble family that ruled the Tōhoku region (the northeast of Honshū) of Japan during the 12th century as their own realm.

based in Hiraizumi, to the south of Morioka. After the Ōshū Fujiwara were destroyed by Minamoto no Yoritomo at the start of the

Kamakura period The is a period of Japanese history that marks the governance by the Kamakura shogunate, officially established in 1192 in Kamakura by the first ''shōgun'' Minamoto no Yoritomo after the conclusion of the Genpei War, which saw the struggle betwee ...

, the area was disputed by several samurai clans until the Nanbu clan, based in Sannohe to the north, expanded their territory during the Sengoku period and built Kozukata Castle in 1592. Following the

Battle of Sekigahara The Battle of Sekigahara (Shinjitai: ; Kyūjitai: , Hepburn romanization: ''Sekigahara no Tatakai'') was a decisive battle on October 21, 1600 (Keichō 5, 15th day of the 9th month) in what is now Gifu prefecture, Japan, at the end of ...

and the formal recognition of Morioka Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, Kozukata Castle was renamed

Morioka Castle is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. On 1 February 2021, the city had an estimated population of 290,700 in 132,719 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . ...

. Its name was changed from to (both read as "Morioka") During the

Boshin War The , sometimes known as the Japanese Revolution or Japanese Civil War, was a civil war in Japan fought from 1868 to 1869 between forces of the ruling Tokugawa shogunate and a clique seeking to seize political power in the name of the Imperi ...

of the Meiji Restoration, Morioka Domain was a key member of the pro-Tokugawa '' Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei.'' After the start of the Meiji period, former Morioka Domain became Morioka Prefecture in 1870, and part of Iwate Prefecture from 1872. With the establishment of the modern municipality system on April 1, 1889, the city of Morioka was established as the capital of Iwate Prefecture. The city was connected by train to Tokyo in 1890. The city emerged from World War II with very little damage, having been subject to only two minor air raids during the war. On January 10, 2006, the village of Tamayama was merged into Morioka. Morioka was proclaimed a core city in 2008, with increased local autonomy. During the

2011 Tōhoku earthquake Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number), the natural number following 10 and preceding 12 * one of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011, or any year ending in 11 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *''El ...

, Morioka was hit by a 6.1 earthquake, and numerous aftershocks, but with little damage other than extensive power outages.

Government

Morioka has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 38 members. Morioka contributes ten seats to the Iwate Prefectural legislature. In terms of national politics, the town is part of

Iwate 1st district is a single-member constituency of the House of Representatives in the Diet of Japan. It is located in central Iwate and consists of the prefectural capital Morioka city and the two remaining towns in Shiwa district. Before 2017, it covered o ...

of the

lower house A lower house is one of two Debate chamber, chambers of a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the upper house. Despite its official position "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has co ...

of the

Diet of Japan The is the national legislature of Japan. It is composed of a lower house, called the House of Representatives (, ''Shūgiin''), and an upper house, the House of Councillors (, '' Sangiin''). Both houses are directly elected under a paralle ...

Education

Colleges and university

* Iwate University *

Iwate Medical University is a private university in Morioka, Iwate, Japan. History The institution has its origins in a private medical school founded in 1901. The school was closed in 1912 and later re-established in 1928 as Iwate Medical College. In 1947 the col ...

High schools

Morioka has eight public high schools operated by the Iwate Prefectural Board of Education. *

Morioka First High School , often abbreviated as , is a public, coeducational, university preparatory high school in Morioka city, Iwate, Japan. Founded in 1880, Morioka Ichikō is the second oldest high school in Iwate prefecture and one of the oldest in Japan. As of Ma ...

* Morioka Second High School *

Morioka Third High School The , commonly referred to as Morioka Third High School or San-Kō, is located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. It is the third oldest public high school in the city, founded in 1963. It has a student body of approximately 1,000 students. Th ...

* Morioka Fourth High School * Morioka South High School * Morioka Agricultural High School * Morioka Industrial High School * Morioka Commercial High School There is also one public high school operated by the city government and ten private high schools

Transportation

Railway

East Japan Railway Company The is a major passenger railway company in Japan and is the largest of the seven Japan Railways Group companies. The company name is officially abbreviated as JR-EAST or JR East in English, and as in Japanese. The company's headquarters are ...

(JR East) - Tōhoku Shinkansen * Morioka Station JR logo (east)

(JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line * - - Morioka JR logo (east)

(JR East) -

Tazawako Line The is a railway line operated by East Japan Railway Company (JR East) connecting Morioka Station in Morioka, Iwate and Ōmagari Station in Daisen, Akita, Japan. Akita Shinkansen '' Komachi'' trains travel over the line, which was regauged ...

( Akita Shinkansen) *Morioka JR logo (east)

(JR East) - Yamada Line *Morioka - - - JR logo (east)

(JR East) - Hanawa Line *Morioka - Igrail

Iwate Ginga Railway Line The is a railway line in Japan operated by the " third sector" publicly and privately owned operator Iwate Galaxy Railway Company. It connects Morioka Station in Morioka, Iwate to Metoki Station in Sannohe, Aomori. Formerly part of the East J ...

*Morioka – – – –

Highway

* – Morioka-Minami IC, Morioka IC * * * * * * * *

Local attractions

* The Iwate Museum of Art in Morioka displays works by three notable local artists, Tetsugoro Yorozu,

Shunsuke Matsumoto was a Japanese painter, who primarily painted in the ''Yōga'' ("Western painting") style. Matsumoto was born on April 19, 1912, in Shibuya, Tokyo, as Shunsuke Satō (佐藤俊介).Mark H. Sandler : ''The Living Artist: Matsumoto Shunsuke's Repl ...

and Yasutake Funakoshi, as well as holding exhibitions on national and international themes. *

Rock-Breaking Cherry Tree The ancient Rock-Splitting Cherry Tree in 2005 The is an approximately 400-year-old cherry tree growing out of a crack in a granite boulder in front of the district courthouse in Morioka, the capital of Iwate Prefecture in the Tōhoku region of ...

- designated a natural monument of Japan. *

Iwate Prefectural Museum opened in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan in 1980. The collection relates to the geology, natural history, archaeology, history, and folklore of Iwate Prefecture. See also * Mutsu Province * List of Historic Sites of Japan (Iwate) * List of C ...

*Site of

, National Historic Site *

ruins, National Historic Site *

Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building is a former bank building located in the city of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. The building is an example of Meiji period western style architecture in Japan, and is listed as an Important Cultural Property. The building is now used as a mu ...

, Important Cultural Property

Sports

Sports venues

Iwate Morioka Stadium is a multi-use stadium in the city of Morioka, Iwate, Japan. The stadium was completed in June 1966 to be a venue for track and field events of the 25th National Sports Festival of Japan held in 1970. It was subsequently used for a number of f ...

Morioka Racecourse is located in Morioka, Iwate, Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Iwate, Japan. The new racecourse was built in 1996 for horse racing. Notable races

Horse racing venues in Japan Sports venues in Iwate Prefecture Sport in Morioka Sports venues ...

Morioka Takaya Arena Morioka Takaya Arena is an arena in Morioka, Iwate, Japan. It is the home arena of the Iwate Big Bulls The Iwate Big Bulls are a professional basketball team that compete in the third division of the Japanese B.League. Roster ...

Sports teams

* Iwate Grulla Morioka, football team *

Iwate Big Bulls The Iwate Big Bulls are a professional basketball team that compete in the third division of the Japanese B.League. Roster Notable players * Wayne Arnold *Lawrence Blackledge *Jamal Boykin * Brian Carlwell * Tatsunori Fujie * ...

, basketball team

Religion

Temples and shrines

* Hōon-ji is a Sōtō Zen Buddhist temple which was originally built at Sannohe by the 13th lord of the Nambu clan, Nambu Moriyuki, in 1394, and brought to Morioka by the 27th lord, Nambu Toshinao. It was considered the head temple among the 280 operated by the Nambu clan. A notable feature is the Rakan-dō, built in 1735 and rebuilt in 1858. Its central statue ''Rushana butsu'' is reported to be made by Kōbō-daishi. Within the Rakan-dō are statues of the 500 ''

Rakan Rakan may refer to: In arabic, Rakan means noble. * Radekan, Qazvin, a village in Iran that is also called "Rakan" *In Japanese, the word for an Arhat In Buddhism, an ''arhat'' (Sanskrit: अर्हत्) or ''arahant'' (Pali: अर� ...

'', which were made in Kyoto and later brought to Morioka. Included are representations of

Kublai Khan Kublai ; Mongolian script: ; (23 September 1215 – 18 February 1294), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Shizu of Yuan and his regnal name Setsen Khan, was the founder of the Yuan dynasty of China and the fifth khagan-emperor of th ...

and

Marco Polo Marco Polo (, , ; 8 January 1324) was a Venetian merchant, explorer and writer who travelled through Asia along the Silk Road between 1271 and 1295. His travels are recorded in ''The Travels of Marco Polo'' (also known as ''Book of the Marv ...

. It is an active Zen training temple for monks. * Mitsuishi Jinja is a

Shinto shrine A is a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more ''kami'', the deities of the Shinto religion. Overview Structurally, a Shinto shrine typically comprises several buildings. The '' honden''Also called (本殿, meani ...

which has three large rocks on the grounds with shackles around them to represent the story of 'Oni no tegata', which is a legend explaining the origin of the name of Iwate prefecture. According to the legend, there was once an ''Oni'' or demon who often tormented and harassed the local people. When the people prayed to the spirit of Mitsuishi for protection, the demon was immediately shackled to the rocks and made to promise never to trouble the people again. As a sign of this promise, the demon left a handprint on one of the rocks, thus giving rise to the name Iwate, literally meaning "rock hand". *

Morioka Hachiman Shrine is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. On 1 February 2021, the city had an estimated population of 290,700 in 132,719 households, and a population density of . The total area of the city is . G ...

* Sakurayama is a

20 feet above (6 meters) featuring a massive rock.

Cuisine

Morioka attracts tourists with local noodles such as ''jajamen'', '' reimen,'' and ''

wanko soba is a style of Japanese soba noodles originating from Iwate Prefecture in Japan, particularly Morioka and Hanamaki. It consists of a small serving of soba noodles in small bowls. In this soba experience, customers quickly eat their soba noodles ...

.'' Brewing is also a thriving industry of the city. ''Nambu Senbei,'' a type of rice cracker, is considered a local specialty. File:じゃじゃ麺.jpg,

Morioka Jajamen Morioka Jajamen () is a local cuisine of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. It is one of the Three Great Noodles of Morioka, along with Morioka Reimen and Wanko soba. It is based on Zhajiangmian from China. History Before World War II Takashina Kansh ...

File:Morioka_Reimen2.jpg,

Morioka Reimen Morioka Reimen () is a local cuisine of Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. It is a cold noodle dish and one of the Three Great Noodles of Morioka, along with Morioka Jajamen and Wanko soba. It is known for its chewy noodles, rich chilled broth, and toppin ...

File:Wanko_soba.jpg,

Wanko soba is a style of Japanese soba noodles originating from Iwate Prefecture in Japan, particularly Morioka and Hanamaki. It consists of a small serving of soba noodles in small bowls. In this soba experience, customers quickly eat their soba noodles ...

Media

Iwate Asahi Television , also known as IAT, is a Japanese broadcast network affiliated with the ANN. Their headquarters are located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. History A license to operate a fourth television station in Iwate Prefecture was established on 19 June 1995 ...

Iwate Broadcasting Company , also known as IBC, is a Japanese television and radio station affiliated with the Japan News Network (JNN). Their headquarters are located in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture. Network * TV: Japan News Network (JNN) * RADIO: Japan Radio Network (JRN ...

Iwate Menkoi Television is a TV station affiliated with Fuji News Network (FNN) and Fuji Network System (FNS) in Morioka, Iwate. The station functions as a default FNN affiliate for neighboring Aomori Prefecture, which does not have a Fuji Television-affiliated sta ...

Iwate Nippo is a Japanese regional daily newspaper published mainly in Iwate prefecture. The company is based in Morioka is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. On 1 February 2021, the city had an estima ...

* Television Iwate

International relations

* Victoria, British Columbia, Canada (sister city since 1985)

Notable persons

* Hara Takashi, former Prime Minister of Japan * Takuboku Ishikawa, poet *

Takuya Kawamura is a Japanese professional basketball guard currently signed to the SeaHorses Mikawa. In 2005, he skipped college and started playing professional basketball, following Kazuo Nakamura's advice. In 2009, he decided to leave the Japan Basketball L ...

, professional basketball player * Yusei Kikuchi, professional baseball player * Yōko Mihara, actress *

Milano Collection A.T. , is a Japanese color commentator and retired professional wrestler, better known by his ring name . As Milano, Sawafuji adopted the gimmick of an Italian fashion aficionado/supermodel, reflected in his ring attire. Milano is also known for walkin ...

, professional wrestler * Taka Michinoku, professional wrestler * The Great Sasuke, professional wrestler * Inazō Nitobe, author, educator, diplomat, and politician during the Meiji period and Taishō period * Mitsuo Ogasawara, footballer *

Takatō Ōshima Takatō may refer to: *Takatō, Nagano, former town in Nagano Prefecture that was merged into the expanded city of Ina in 2006 *Takatō Domain, feudal domain with its capital at that town * Takatō Castle, home of the lords of the domain **Siege of ...

, engineer - made the first Western-style cannon in Japan * Mikoi Sasaki, actress * Mitsumasa Yonai, former Prime Minister of Japan *

Nishikigi Tetsuya is a Japanese professional sumo wrestler from Morioka. He made his debut in March 2006 and wrestles for Isenoumi stable. His highest rank has been ''Maegashira'' 2 and he has won championships at ''Jūryō'' and ''Makushita'' level. Early life ...

, sumo wrestler

References

External links

*
Official Website
{{Authority control Cities in Iwate Prefecture