If you visit Ichinoseki in June or July, ensure Michinoku Hydrangea Garden (みちのくあじさい園) is on your itinerary. On the garden’s vast land of around 150,000㎡, 40,000 hydrangeas of 400 types are growing in the cedar forest. When the flowers reach full bloom, countless hydrangeas will cover the slope of the mountain, making it the best […]
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Want to appreciate the picturesque 2km gorge with cliff walls of more than 100 meters high on both riverbanks, and all you need to do is relax on a boat? Geibikei Gorge (猊鼻渓) in Iwate Prefecture is the perfect place for you! Adding to this unforgettable experience is the traditional Japanese ballad that your boatman
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Ichinoseki (一関市) is the southmost city in Iwate Prefecture. Having a wealth of beautiful natural landscapes, it is the perfect destination for a weekend getaway from the big city’s hustle and bustle. If you are a foodie, Ichinoseki should also be of your interest. The city also has a unique mochi culture, meaning you will
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Shōeidō (松栄堂) is Ichinoseki‘s representative traditional confectionary maker, established in 1903. It is very good at creating gorgeously shaped sweets made from local ingredients, reflecting the local cultures and current seasons. Traditionally, the mochi rice cake can be found in all seasonal events in Ichinoseki. This is why the local traditional sweets makers, such as
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While rice cakes can easily be found across Japan, the mochi in Ichinoseki really stands out! When you visit the city, you will have your first mochi cuisine. The rice cake there isn’t just eaten as a dessert, but as a main dish too! So, if you ever visit Ichinoseki, check out the restaurants that
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Since ancient times, Ichinoseki has been blessed with abundant water and rice cultivation from the Ou and Kitakami mountains. Using the area’s high-quality rice and water, Sekinoichi Sake Brewery (世嬉の一酒造株式会社) was founded in 1919. It is a brewery that is good at using ingredients that don’t seem to go well with beer at first glance.
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Genbikei Gorge (厳美渓) is one of the two most stunning nature spots in Iwate Prefecture. Like most nature spots in Japan, it offers picturesque autumn foliage views. In winter, it is a snowy wonderland! But the most eye-catching thing about Genbikei Gorge has to be the Dango rice cake that flies between the gorge’s steep cliffs!
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If you are interested in visiting Japanese architecture constructed from the end of the 19th century to the early 20th century, visit the Senmaya Sake no Kura Community Facility (千厩酒のくら交流施設) in Ichinoseki City. Many buildings completed around that time incorporated Western elements into the existing Japanese design. The community facility renovated from a former sake
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Yūgendō (幽玄洞) in Ichinoseki is said to be the oldest limestone cave in Japan. The cave was determined to be 50 meters below water 350 million years ago. Thus, in addition to stalagmites, fossils such as trilobites and crinoids can also be seen in the 500-meter-long cave. At the cave’s far end is the emerald-green
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Mt. Murone (室根山) is Ichinoseki‘s perfect spot to enjoy nature and a range of outdoor activities. Besides hiking trails, lookouts, and camping sites, it has an astronomical observatory. The mountain has a height of 895 meters. On a clear day, you can enjoy a 360-degree panoramic mountainous and ocean view from the summit.
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