Morioka, where I live, is known for its seasonal scenery and abundance of food.
In spring, the “Ishiwarizakura” (Edohigan) tree, which is said to be 380 years old, delights the eyes of passersby. When you visit here, you can feel the great power that breaks through rocks rather than stones and stretches towards the sky, and the breath of flowers that bloom all at once, as if they were looking forward to spring. Drinking local sake made by Nambu chief brewer while looking at the scenery is something special. As a side dish, we recommend wild vegetables such as cod sprouts and autumn leaf umbrellas.
In the summer, the “Morioka Sansa Odori” is a must-see event, where a parade festival with the world’s largest taiko drum sound that sounds like an earth-shaking sound is held. You’ll definitely fall in love with the way they dance gracefully while playing the drums, as well as the Miss Sansa and Miss Taiko that are chosen every year. In the summer, we recommend the morning-picked Sanriku “hoya” and “sea urchin,” which are called the pineapples of the sea. Please enjoy the sashimi first.
In autumn, the best thing to do is to see the salmon run up the Nakatsugawa River. It is rare to see it in the prefectural capital, and you can see it from the top of the bridge. The distance from the river mouth is 200 km, the longest in Japan, and when the salmon return to this area covered in scars, they muster up their last strength to spawn. When I encountered this, I was simply moved. Around this time, wild mushrooms such as maitake and matsutake are recommended for mountain foods, and saury fish and dried bonito are recommended for seafood. There are various ways to prepare it, such as tempura, dipping, grilling, and sashimi, but it is sure to go well with sake such as hiyaoroshi.
In winter, how about the “Morioka Snow Lights” which is held in the center of Morioka city centering around Morioka Castle Ruins Park (formerly Iwate Park), although its history is still young? The flames of candles are lit on the snow objects, and the area is surrounded by a fantastic light against the backdrop of stone walls stacked in various ways, enveloping you in a way that will make you forget how cold it is. To describe it in one word, that warmth is like the warmth of a sunny day on a spring day. In such a case, we recommend seafood hotpot from Sanriku. There are plenty of ingredients such as donko, cod, monkfish, and oysters. How about some warm Junmai sake for that dish?
The charm of Morioka is that you can enjoy the seasonal scenery and festivals, as well as the fresh ingredients picked in the morning.
Iwate Hotel and Resort Co., Ltd. operates Appi Kogen ski resort, golf course, ranch, facilities such as Appi Grand Hotel Annex and hot springs, facilities such as Maple Country Club, Morioka Grand Hotel Annex, Cafe Porte Vonheur, and Sanriku Iso. It consists of dishes such as Oni no Te.
Sanriku Fifty Collection Oni no Te is adjacent to Morioka City’s government offices and Iwate Medical University, and is within a 3-minute walk from all the scenery and festivals mentioned in 4 above. We offer local sake from Nanbu chief brewers and local Iwate cuisine made with fresh mountain, village, and seafood ingredients to customers both inside and outside the prefecture.
First of all, please give it to me.
I will continue to collect information on a daily basis so that customers visiting Morioka can learn about the wonders of Iwate through local food and local sake, and I will work hard to make them say they will come back to Iwate again. I would like to increase the number of Iwate fans as much as possible. I also hope that I can help in some small way so that Hiraizumi in Iwate can become the world’s Hiraizumi.