Karumai, town in Kunohe district, Iwate prefecture, Japan
Karumai is a small town in northern Iwate Prefecture, Japan, situated in a quiet area surrounded by fields and forests. The town features narrow streets, simple wooden houses, and a slow pace where residents spend their days farming, raising livestock, and fishing.
The area around Karumai was part of the ancient Mutsu Province and later ruled by the Nambu family during the Muromachi period. In the Edo era, it belonged to the Hachinohe Domain, and the town was formally established as a village in the late 19th century before merging with neighboring settlements.
The name Karumai reflects the town's deep roots in farming and fishing traditions that shape daily life here. During local festivals and markets, residents celebrate seasonal harvests and local crafts, showing how these customs remain woven into the community's identity and rhythm.
Karumai has no train stations, so car or bus travel is the best way to explore the town and its surrounding countryside. Main roads connect it to nearby cities, and visitors should arrive with their own transportation to fully experience the farms and peaceful landscape.
Haruichi Furudate, a celebrated manga artist, is from Karumai and set many of his stories in the local landscape of the town. Fans of his work can recognize the quiet fields and houses depicted in his manga pages, giving the town a special connection to Japanese pop culture.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 60,000 contributors worldwide.
