Morioka, Capital city in Iwate Prefecture, Japan
Morioka is a prefectural capital in Iwate, northern Japan, situated where three rivers meet. Mountains surround the city on all sides, forming a natural boundary to the wider region.
The Nambu clan built a castle here during feudal times and administered the region for several centuries. The fortress served as a military center and helped control the northern territories.
The Sansa Festival in August brings thousands of taiko drummers and dancers into the streets, performing traditional rhythms and movements. The performance is often accompanied by spectators clapping and singing along from the sidewalks.
The Tohoku Shinkansen line connects the city to Tokyo in under three hours, making it a key transport hub for the north. Local trains and buses serve surrounding areas and smaller towns throughout the prefecture.
Local cuisine offers wanko soba, where servers refill small bowls of noodles until diners signal they cannot eat more. Some visitors manage over a hundred bowls during a single sitting.
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