Things to do in Iwate

Iwate Prefecture has 154 places to visit, including 51 temples and 43 shrines. Kunohe Castle and Shōbō-ji Temple are among the many sites for those interested in history and culture.

Ōfunato City Museum

Ōfunato City Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

This museum in Ofunato City showcases local nature, culture, and tsunami history.

Yahaba Town Museum of History and Folklore

Yahaba Town Museum of History and Folklore

IWATE · MUSEUM

Explore Yahaba's history, from ancient artifacts to a traditional magariya house.

Onikoshi Sōzen Shrine

Onikoshi Sōzen Shrine

IWATE · SHRINE

Onikoshi Sōzen Shrine marks the start of a horse procession, honoring a horse and local traditio...

Kunohe Castle

Kunohe Castle

IWATE · CASTLE

Explore Kunohe Castle, a National Historic Site with Tohoku's oldest stone wall, for a glimpse i...

Takatamatsubara Memorial Park

Takatamatsubara Memorial Park

A memorial park in Rikuzentakata, preserving earthquake remains and honoring victims.

Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum

Iwate Tsunami Memorial Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

Learn about the 2011 tsunami and recovery at this free memorial museum.

Shōbō-ji Temple

Shōbō-ji Temple

IWATE · TEMPLE

Shōbō-ji Temple is a historic Sōtō Zen temple with Japan's largest thatched roof.

Esashi-Fujiwara Heritage Park

Esashi-Fujiwara Heritage Park

Step into Japan's past at this historical theme park, built for a TV drama.

Jōdogahama

Jōdogahama

A National Scenic Spot featuring 52-million-year-old white volcanic rocks and pine trees along t...

Tōno Folktale Museum

Tōno Folktale Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

Explore Tōno's rich folklore and history at this unique museum complex.

Todogasaki Lighthouse

Todogasaki Lighthouse

A concrete lighthouse marking the easternmost point of Honshu, offering coastal views after a sc...

Michinoku Folklore Village

Michinoku Folklore Village

IWATE · MUSEUM

Open-air museum with relocated historic buildings, showing feudal domain life.

Moguranpia

Moguranpia

Japan's only underground aquarium, rebuilt after a tsunami, offers unique marine life.

Orandajima

Orandajima

An uninhabited island in Yamada Bay featuring a public swimming beach and historical ties to a 1...

Satō Hachirō Memorial Museum

Satō Hachirō Memorial Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

Explore the life and works of poet Satō Hachirō in his wife's hometown.

Mount Nametoko

Mount Nametoko

A 860-meter peak in the Ou Mountains famous for its inclusion in the literary works of Kenji Miy...

Ichinoseki City Museum

Ichinoseki City Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

Explore Ichinoseki's history and cultural heritage, including local scholars and sword craft.

Mount Nanashigure

Mount Nanashigure

A 1,063-meter double-peaked volcano in Iwate offering historical trails and views from the 100 F...

Manpuku-ji Temple

Manpuku-ji Temple

IWATE · TEMPLE

Manpuku-ji is a historic temple housing important cultural properties, worth visiting for its st...

Mount Mitsuishi

Mount Mitsuishi

A prominent peak in the Tohoku region offering panoramic views of Mount Iwate and rare alpine fl...

Mikumano Shrine

Mikumano Shrine

IWATE · SHRINE

Mikumano Shrine is a historic shrine founded in 802, known for its unique crying sumo ritual.

Mifune Jūdan Memorial Hall

Mifune Jūdan Memorial Hall

IWATE · MUSEUM

A Kuji City museum and judo dojo, commemorating Mifune Kyuzo Judan, designed by Kisho Kurokawa.

Sangan Island

Sangan Island

An uninhabited national natural monument and bird sanctuary in Iwate, famously serving as the mo...

Fudō Falls

Fudō Falls

A scenic waterfall on the grounds of Sakuramatsu Shrine, recognized as one of Japan's top one hu...

Chūson-ji Konjikidō

Chūson-ji Konjikidō

IWATE · TEMPLE

Chūson-ji Konjikidō is a golden Buddhist hall housing mummified remains of the Fujiwara lords.

Mount Nyuto

Mount Nyuto

A scenic peak in Towada-Hachimantai National Park offering alpine marshlands and hiking trails b...

Denshōen

Denshōen

IWATE · MUSEUM

Denshōen is an open-air museum preserving Tōno's folklore and traditional architecture.

Kyara no Gosho

Kyara no Gosho

IWATE · HISTORIC SITE

Explore the reconstructed residence of the Oshu Fujiwara clan, showcasing Heian period architect...

Mount Rokkōushi

Mount Rokkōushi

A 1,294-meter peak in the Kitakami Mountains known as Tono Kofuji and featured in the famous Ton...

Kojin Toneyama Memorial Museum

Kojin Toneyama Memorial Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

This museum, once an artist's studio, showcases his works and hosts art exhibitions.

Tenshōchi

Tenshōchi

Tenshochi is a vast park in Kitakami, famous for its 10,000 cherry trees and azaleas.

Kitakami City Museum

Kitakami City Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

Kitakami City Museum: a local history museum with a folk village next door, worth a visit.

Mount Nanshō

Mount Nanshō

A 848-meter peak featuring a historic shrine and unique volcanic rock formations, famously featu...

Nanbu Shrine, Tono

Nanbu Shrine, Tono

IWATE · SHRINE

Visit Nanbu Shrine, founded in 1882, to honor the Tono Nanbu family and experience unique festiv...

Unedori-sama

Unedori-sama

IWATE · SHRINE

Unedori-sama is a matchmaking shrine founded in the Edo period, easily accessible from Tono Stat...

Kuriyagawa Palisade

Kuriyagawa Palisade

IWATE · CASTLE

Explore the historical site of Kuriyagawa Palisade, a pivotal battleground from the Former Nine...

Dai Onsen

Dai Onsen

A historic hot spring village in a river valley featuring traditional wooden inns and therapeuti...

Kisshō-ji

Kisshō-ji

IWATE · TEMPLE

Kisshō-ji is a historic Jōdo-shū temple, part of a Kannon pilgrimage, founded in 1665.

Hōon-ji Temple

Hōon-ji Temple

IWATE · TEMPLE

A historic Zen temple in Morioka featuring a renowned collection of five hundred unique Arhat st...

Geto Onsen

Geto Onsen

A historic hot spring resort on Mount Yakeishi featuring rare natural lime formations and baths...

Oomiya Shrine (morioka)

Oomiya Shrine (morioka)

IWATE · SHRINE

Oomiya Shrine: ancient guardian shrine with unique cultural properties, worth visiting for histo...

Daiji-ji Temple (Morioka)

Daiji-ji Temple (Morioka)

IWATE · TEMPLE

An Obaku Zen temple in Morioka, founded in 1673, with historical burials and a unique Kannon sta...

Ōtsuchi Castle

Ōtsuchi Castle

IWATE · CASTLE

Explore the ruins of a mountain castle, a designated historical site in Iwate Prefecture.

Mount Ōshiromori

Mount Ōshiromori

A mountain in Akita featuring high-altitude moors and a trekking course established in 1961 for...

Ōkago Kirishitan Martyrdom Park

Ōkago Kirishitan Martyrdom Park

This park commemorates over 300 Christian martyrs, offering a museum and memorial hall.

Tendai-ji Temple

Tendai-ji Temple

IWATE · TEMPLE

Ancient Tendai temple founded in 728, known for its historic buildings and hydrangeas.

Ōshū City Cattle Museum

Ōshū City Cattle Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

A unique museum dedicated to cattle, showcasing their biology, history, and cultural impact.

Mount Himekami

Mount Himekami

A pyramid-shaped peak in Iwate offering 360-degree views of Mount Iwate and connections to local...

Akkadō

Akkadō

IWATE · ATTRACTION

Explore Japan's longest limestone cave, featuring stunning formations and underground lakes.

Hōtoku-ji

Hōtoku-ji

IWATE · TEMPLE

Hōtoku-ji is a historic Zen temple linked to poet Ishikawa Takuboku, offering a glimpse into his...

Mount Murone

Mount Murone

A 894-meter peak in Iwate featuring a historic shrine, an astronomical observatory, and views fr...

Yamanokami Onsen

Yamanokami Onsen

A renovated hot spring inn along the Toyosawa River offering simple thermal waters in a quiet mo...

Yamada Hachimangū

Yamada Hachimangū

IWATE · SHRINE

Yamada Hachimangu is a shrine on a hill, worth visiting for its vibrant September festival.

Iwate Prefectural Museum

Iwate Prefectural Museum

IWATE · MUSEUM

Explore Iwate's history and nature at this museum, featuring historic homes and gardens.

Jōken-ji Temple

Jōken-ji Temple

IWATE · TEMPLE

Jōken-ji Temple is a historic Zen temple known for its unique kappa statues and tranquil setting...

Nusakake Falls

Nusakake Falls

A seven-meter waterfall in a waterside park where hunters once offered cloth strips to ensure th...

Goshono Jōmon Park

Goshono Jōmon Park

IWATE · MUSEUM

Explore a large Jomon-era park with reconstructed dwellings and a museum showcasing ancient life...

Goshono Site

Goshono Site

IWATE · HISTORIC SITE

Explore a Jomon-era village with reconstructed dwellings and a museum, a World Heritage site.

Tokutan Castle

Tokutan Castle

IWATE · CASTLE

Tokutan Castle is an ancient Japanese castle ruin, a National Historic Site worth visiting for i...

Shiwa Inari Shrine

Shiwa Inari Shrine

IWATE · SHRINE

Shiwa Inari Shrine, founded in 1057, is a historic site with a sacred cedar tree.

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