Sightseeing Spots

Mt. Komadashi

Mt. Komatashira (940m above sea level) is said to be the motif of "Nametokoyama Bear". The mountain climbing courses are the Samuzawagawa Course, which climbs from the Ota Yamaguchi area via a forest road along Samazawa, and the Namazawa Onsen Course, which starts at the Namazawa Onsen Ski Resort. There are also three Dewazawa courses that start from the end of the Dewazawa Forest Road. Whichever course you take, you can enjoy a quiet mountain journey that takes you to the original scenery of the fairy tale ``Nametoko Mountain Bear'' written by Kenji Miyazawa. Additionally, there is an outdoor activity center for learning about nature and outdoor experiences on the shores of the Toyosawa Dam lake at the foot of the mountain, and hot spring inns such as Namida Onsen and Shinmina Onsen along the Toyosawa River.

Three-faced camellia

This giant camellia tree is located in the grounds of Kumano Shrine in Suesaki Town.It is 17 meters tall, 8 meters in circumference at the base, and is the largest and oldest tree in Japan, approximately 1,400 years old. At that time, there were camellias on the east, south, and west sides of the shrine, which is why it got its name, but now only the east side remains and is designated as a natural monument by the prefecture.

goishi coast

The Goishi Coast stretches for approximately 6km at the tip of the Suesaki Peninsula, which juts out to the south of Ofunato Bay, and has been designated as a national scenic spot and natural monument. In addition, Goishi Beach has been designated as one of the top 100 beaches in Japan with white sand and green pine trees. Furthermore, the sound emitted from the Thunder Rocks within it has been designated as one of Japan's ``100 Best Soundscapes of Japan to Preserve.'' The climate is warm, and the pine forest is full of blooming hyacinths, Japanese lilies, and daisies. There are also facilities in the surrounding area, such as the City Museum, the World Camellia Museum, Go Stone, and a campground.

Morioka City Protected Garden “Ichinokura House”

"Ichinokura House" was designated as a protected garden in 1971 based on the Morioka City Natural Environment and Historic Environment Conservation Ordinance. This garden and building have a long history, having been built in the late Meiji period by Morioka-born politician Hiroshi Abe (member of the House of Peers and governor of Tokyo). It was later transferred to Mr. Ichinokura and acquired by Morioka City in 1992, and even today it still gives us a glimpse of the past. In addition, the Ichinokura residence, which is located in Abedate, which has deep ties to the Oshu Fujiwara clan, has Chusonji lotus plants divided, and you can enjoy beautiful lotuses from late July to early August.

summer insect mountain

Natsumushiyama, at an altitude of 717m overlooking the ocean, is the northernmost spot for Japanese deer. There is a road leading up to the top of the mountain, and along the way, you can see not only the intricate coastline but also Ofunato and Mt. Kinka, and the view is so good that a fantastic scene unfolds during the fishing season. Surrounded by nature, you can enjoy a relaxing resort feeling.

Former Morioka High School of Agriculture and Forestry (Agricultural Education Museum attached to Iwate University Faculty of Agriculture)

Kenji Miyazawa also studied at the former Morioka High School of Agriculture and Forestry, which opened in 1908 as Japan's first high school of agriculture and forestry. It is currently open to the public as an educational museum displaying many materials related to Kenji. There is a botanical garden within the Faculty of Agriculture, which is a popular place for residents to relax. The European-style school building has been designated as a national important cultural property.

16 Arhats

The 21 stone statues that remain on the grounds of Souryuji Temple were built to commemorate the victims of the famine that occurred during the Nanbu domain era. It was started in 1837 and completed in 1849, thirteen years later. It took over half a year just to transport the rock from the neighboring town of Yahaba, where it was cut, to this location. In addition, the statues were carved by craftsmen employed by the domain, and stone statues made by local stonemasons are rare in Japan.

Kunimiyama Abandoned Temple Ruins

The ruins of an ancient mountain temple that flourished about 1,200 years ago. The ``bronze dragon head'' and the foundation stones of the hall convey the image of the time when it was at its peak.

Ezuriko Tumulus Group

A group of ancient tombs built from the late 7th century to the early 8th century. There are approximately 120 round tombs with diameters of 6 to 15 meters, and many magatama beads, kiriko beads, warabi-te swords, straight swords, horse harnesses, etc. have been unearthed. Among them, the gold-layered glass beads are valuable excavated items of which there are only a few examples in Japan, leading to speculation that there was trade with the continent.

Sanriku Daiosugi

Located within the grounds of Hachiman Shrine, the Daio cedar tree, which measures 11.6 meters in circumference, 4.5 meters in diameter, and approximately 25 meters in height, is estimated to be over 7,000 years old and is a living witness to the establishment and history of the Ekiki area. It is carefully protected as a symbol of the district.

Horotai’s village “Charcoal House”

Recommended for green tourists who love nature. It is a multi-purpose facility that can be used for experiential learning such as charcoal making, training, etc., and accommodation is also available.

Kabayama Ruins (Kabayama Historical Plaza)

It is the remains of a Jomon period village where the remains of approximately 30 stone structures were discovered during excavations in 1951. The cave dwelling has been restored and is now on display outdoors.