Morioka in Iwate Prefecture is best known for Wanko soba and Nambu ironware. While some might be unaware, the city also has a large number of cafés. Because each offers a different dining experience, we have handpicked the best ones listed below for you to consider visiting when you travel to Morioka!
Morioka’s Best Cafés
- Coffee-Kan (光原社 可否館)
- Tirol (チロル)
- Tea Shop Shun (紅茶の店しゅん)
- PRINTEMPS BLANC by Kagetsudo (プランタンブラン by 花月堂)
Coffee-Kan (光原社 可否館)
In the beautiful courtyard towards the end of the Kōgensha complex, Coffee-Kan (光原社 可否館) is a retro-style café that many enjoy visiting. A cup of coffee with a plate of walnut cookies is a popular combination among customers when they need a break from exploring Morioka’s city center.
For more information, refer to our article on Kōgensha!
Tirol (チロル)
To all the cheesecake lovers, visit one of Tirol’s shops when you are in Morioka. The cheesecake maker first opened in 1967 and now offers cheesecakes in more than 20 different flavors. No matter which flavor you choose, the cake is fluffy but rich. We are sure you will fall in love with Tirol’s cheesecake. Because the cakes are so fluffy, the cutlery offered by Tirol is a spoon instead of the usual fork (´▽｀*).
The most amazing fact about Tirol’s cheesecake is wheat flour isn’t a part of the ingredients. Because the cakes are handmade, the taste is extra delicate. As there are so many flavors, it might be hard to decide which one to try first. So here is a recommendation: Morioka Tirol Yukidoke Morioka Rare Cheesecake (盛岡チロル雪どけ盛岡レアチーズケーキ). The cream cheesecake is hardened by lemon juice, giving it an exquisite lemon flavor. Compared to the shop’s cream cheesecake that melts in your mouth, it is harder, yet delicious.
If you have time, enjoy the cheesecake in Tirol’s retro-style café. Coupled with a lightly bitter and slightly sour coffee, it is a great morning or afternoon tea combination.
Note that Tirol’s cheesecake can be salty for some.
Tirol’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Tirol Ōdōri Shop (チーズケーキのチロル大通店) is open from 11:30 am to 6 pm.
- The café is a 15 to 20-minute walk from JR Morioka Station.
- If you plan to take Dendenmushi, get off at Saien Kawagoku-mae (菜園川徳前). Tirol is then a 3-minute walk.
Tea Shop Shun (紅茶の店しゅん)
To all the tea lovers, visit Tea Shop Shun. The tearoom, which opened in 1985, serves tea made from high-quality tea leaves and offers desserts that go really well with it. Tea Shop Shun has a stylish logo, which makes passersby curious about what sort of café it is. The interior space is nicely decorated and has a relaxing and homey setting.
Tea Shop Shun is particular about its tea leaves. The owner, surprised by how delicious black tea can be, often travels to India to visit the tea farms. In particular, the first flush was used to make the Darjeeling here, so it will be one of the nicest cups of black tea you will try in your life! Besides the ones that are commonly found in supermarkets, Tea Shop Shun also serves Uva and Dimbula.
Moreover, depending on the type of tea you order, the letter attached to the teapot lid differs!
Scones are among the top homemade sweets at Tea Shop Shun. While they take time to prepare because they are only baked after an order is received, what beats the freshly baked scones? Biting into a hot scone with jam and clotted cream is heaven.
Their chiffon cake is really nice too!
Tea Shop Shun’s Original Curry with Saffron Rice is another reason people visit it. Sadly, it isn’t vegetarian.
Tea Shop Shun’s Business Hours and Access Information
- Tea Shop Shun is open from 11 am to 8 pm from Thursday to Tuesday.
- From December to March, it closes at 7 pm.
- If Wednesday is a public holiday, it will open.
- The tearoom is a 3-minute walk from the bus stop, Morioka Bus Center (盛岡バスセンター).
- From Morioka-jō Castle Site Park, it is a 5-minute walk.
PRINTEMPS BLANC by Kagetsudo (プランタンブラン by 花月堂)
If you love Western confectionaries, PRINTEMPS BLANC is the best café in Morioka for you. Opened by the top Western sweets maker in town, Kagetsudō, you will never be bored of the desserts served at PRINTEMPS. The confectionery maker never runs out of ideas for creating gorgeous and incredible-tasting sweets. While you can certainly take away the confectionery from Kagetsudō, the New York-style cafe PRINTEMPS BLANC has the best setting to enjoy it.
The first thing that will catch your attention apart from the store’s decoration is the showcase filled with colorful cakes and pastries. If you are a sweet tooth, walking away without trying one would be hard. The dining area is to the left of the pastry shop.
As you can imagine, the café is popular. But you won’t need to queue, as there are plenty of seats. In addition to the normal table seats, sofa seats and seats for couples are also available. PRINTEMPS BLANC is also kid-friendly. Not only does it offer child and baby meals, high chairs, but it also and a padded play corner.
Tip: PRINTEMPS BLANC by Kagetsudō also offers soy meat savory dishes, such as pasta and curry! While in Japanese, you can refer to PRINTEMPS BLANC’s menu beforehand. Note the desserts contain gelatin.
PRINTEMPS BLANC’s Best-Selling Cakes
For takeaway, the roll cake is the top choice. It is really famous, and it ranks number one most of the year in Rakuten’s Western confectionery category. No matter which flavor you order, the sponge cake is so soft and fluffy. The flavored cream has the right sweetness level and is so creamy. The fruity ones even have large pieces of fresh fruits stuffed in the cream!
Rakuten is a Japanese online shopping platform.
Another popular cake is Basque Cheesecake (バスク風チーズケーキ), which also always stays at the top of the online shop rankings. Using the cream cheese made from 100% Hokkaidō milk, the cheesecake is so smooth that it melts in your mouth. By adding condensed milk, the moist cheesecake is of the highest quality. The lightly burnt surface adds another flavor to the phenomenal cheesecake.
PRINTEMPS BLANC by Kagetsudo’s Business Hours and Access Information
- PRINTEMPS BLANC by Kagetsudo is open from 10 am to 7 pm.
- The last order is at 6:30 pm.
- It closes on the 1st and the 3rd Wednesday of the month.
- The café is a 10-minute walk from the bus stop, Morioka Bus Center.
Discover the Must-Visit Attractions in Morioka
When you hear of Morioka, Wanko Soba and Morioka cold noodles are probably the two first things that come to mind. But the city isn’t just about food. It also has many cultural attractions, hot springs, nature and more!
So refer to our Morioka article for ideas about where to stop by when visiting Iwate Prefecture’s capital city!
