Towa B&G Marine Center

Osako Exchange Activation Center Hayachine and Kenji Exhibition Hall (Cat Office)

The Hanamaki City Osako Exchange Activation Center, which opened in October 2007, consists of two buildings: the main building and the exhibition hall. The main building is a facility that can be used for social gatherings, club activities, a multipurpose hall, and events. The exhibition hall is a restored version of the former Hienuki District Office, and is said to be the model for Kenji Miyazawa's fairy tale ``The Cat's Office.'' The museum exhibits works related to Hayachine and Kenji, a reproduction of the room at the old Ishikawa Inn where Kenji regularly stayed, and molybdenum ore from Nekoyama, which is said to be the setting for Kaze no Matata Saburo.

Hanawa dyke flower irises community

A colony of iris grows densely in a vast 1.6 ha wetland in the middle of a rice field near the JR Tohoku Main Line. There are about 1,000 of them, and during the flowering season, purple and red flowers bloom like pointillism among the greenery. Although it is a member of the iris family, the local variety is the wild iris, which can be found in the wilderness of Japan. It is attracting attention as a rare colony because oddly shaped flowers often appear. A nationally designated natural monument. Flowering period: late June to early July

Taniuchi Densho Kobokan

In addition to experiencing traditional snack making, making straw and bamboo crafts, and making soba noodles, there is also a kitchen. (Reservation required)