Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Tōhoku Region, Japan

🇯🇵 Morioka (盛岡市) is the capital city of Iwate Prefecture located in the Tōhoku region of northern Japan. The total area of the city is 886.47 square km (342.27 sq mi).

History The area of present-day Morioka has been continuously inhabited since the Japanese Paleolithic period. Numerous Jōmon, Yayoi and Kofun period tombs and remains have been found. The Emishi inhabited the area into the Heian period. During the Enryaku era of the Heian period, Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, was ordered north to Shiwa Castle in 803 AD, as a military centre to extend the domination of the Yamato dynasty over Mutsu Province. The area was later ruled by the Abe clan until their destruction during the Former Nine Years War at the hands of the Minamoto and Kiyohara clans. The Kiyohara were in turn defeated in the Gosannen War and the area came under the control of the Ōshū Fujiwara Clan based in Hiraizumi, to the south of Morioka. After the Ōshū Fujiwara were destroyed by Minamoto no Yoritomo at the start of the Kamakura period, the area was disputed by several samurai clans until the Nanbu clan, based in Sannohe to the north, expanded their territory during the Sengoku period and built Kozukata Castle in 1592.

Following the Battle of Sekigahara and the formal recognition of Morioka Domain under the Tokugawa shogunate, Kozukata Castle was renamed Morioka Castle. Its name was changed from 森岡 to 盛岡 (both read as "Morioka") During the Boshin War of the Meiji Restoration, Morioka Domain was a key member of the pro-Tokugawa Ōuetsu Reppan Dōmei.

After the start of the Meiji period, former Morioka Domain became Morioka Prefecture in 1870, and part of Iwate Prefecture from 1872. With the establishment of the modern municipality system on April 1, 1889, the city of Morioka was established as the capital of Iwate Prefecture. The city was connected by train to Tokyo in 1890. The city emerged from World War II with very little damage, having been subject to only two minor air raids during the war.

On January 10, 2006, the village of Tamayama was merged into Morioka. Morioka was proclaimed a core city in 2008, with increased local autonomy.

During the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake, Morioka was hit by a 6.1 earthquake, and numerous aftershocks, but with little damage other than extensive power outages.

Geography Morioka is located in the Kitakami Basin  in central Iwate Prefecture, at the confluence of three rivers, the Kitakami, the Shizukuishi and the Nakatsu. The Kitakami River is the second largest river on the Pacific side of Japan (after the Tone River) and the longest in the Tōhoku region. It runs through the city from north to south and has a number of dams within the city boundaries, including the Shijūshida Dam and Gandō Dam. An active volcano, Mount Iwate, dominates the view to the north-west of the city. Mount Himekami is to the north and Mount Hayachine can sometimes be seen to the southeast.

Surrounding municipalities Iwate Prefecture: • Hanamaki • Hachimantai • Takizawa • Miyako • Shizukuishi • Kuzumaki • Shiwa • Yahaba • Iwaizumi.

Colleges and university • Iwate University • Iwate Medical University.

Transport: Rail East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Shinkansen • Morioka Station.

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tōhoku Main Line • Iwate-Iioka - Senbokuchō - Morioka.

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Tazawako Line (Akita Shinkansen) • Morioka.

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Yamada Line • Morioka - Kamimorioka - Yamagishi - Kamiyonai.

East Japan Railway Company (JR East) - Hanawa Line • Morioka - Kōma.

Iwate Ginga Railway Line • Morioka – Aoyama – Kuriyagawa – Shibutami – Kōma.

Transport: Road • Tōhoku Expressway – Morioka-Minami IC, Morioka IC • National Route 4 • National Route 46 • National Route 106 • National Route 281 • National Route 282 • National Route 396 • National Route 455 • National Route 456.

Local attractions • The Iwate Museum of Art in Morioka displays works by three notable local artists, Tetsugoro Yorozu, Shunsuke Matsumoto and Yasutake Funakoshi, as well as holding exhibitions on national and international themes. • Rock-Breaking Cherry Tree - designated a natural monument of Japan. • Iwate Prefectural Museum • Site of Morioka Castle, National Historic Site • Shiwa Castle ruins, National Historic Site • Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building, Important Cultural Property.

Sports venues • Iwate Morioka Stadium • Morioka Racecourse • Morioka Takaya Arena.