Morioka is the prefectural capital of Iwate Prefecture. Part of Morioka is known for castle site and traditional townhouses. Here are some pictures I took while my short trip to Iwate.
Iwate Bank: a symbolic architecture of the city that was built in 1911, and surprisingly, is still active, providing financial services to local people.
Right: the statue of Acala Naatha
This red main gate is listed as one the important cultural property.
Unique wood sculptures representing Oriental Zodiac were found near architraves.
Later we dropped by Plaza Odette, a local tourist bureau. There we saw horse's costume used at Chagu Chagu Umakko, a traditional festival in Iwate, where horses decorated with colorful clothes and bells march in the streets. The festival is designated as one of Morioka's intangible folklore cultural assets.
It is said to have started as a means to reward the horses that worked hard during rice cropping.
Japanese dolls in the motif of Sansa Odori, a traditional four-day dancing festival in Morioka. Sansa Odori is connected to Iwate's toponym. Once upon a time, a demon used to loot the village around Morioka Castle. The peasants asked the god in Mitsuishi Shrine for help. The god punished the devil and as a evidence of obedience, he made the devil leave its handprints on the rock in the shrine. Thus the place-name Iwate (Iwa=rock, te=hand) was born. Seeing the demon expelled, the peasants danced happily around the rock singing "Sansa".
A replica of a float called "Morioka Dashi" which parades through the city during fall festival "Morioka Hachimangu Matsuri". The parade is also designated as Morioka's intangible cultural asset. Hachiman is a deity of military arts (something like Ares/Mars/Thor/Vaisvarana), and Hachimangu is where Hachiman is enshrined. There are Hachimangus nationwide, there is one in our neighborhood, too.
I also took pictures of Morioka Hachimangu...actually, those of Gokoku Jinja shrine of Iwate on Hachimangu's property. Gokoku Jinja enshrines the fallen Iwate natives.
Iwate Bank: a symbolic architecture of the city that was built in 1911, and surprisingly, is still active, providing financial services to local people.
Gozaku/Moriku Shoten: a general store founded in 1816. It is still active, and I saw a clerk displaying bamboo baskets and broomsticks just before opening hour. Its clay tile roofing and lattice doors add a rustic and historic atmosphere
The local fire department still preserves an old fashioned guardhouse.
There were business establishments that were not mentioned in the travel guide, but equally quaint.
Chofukuin/Inari Jinja: a mixture of temple (Buddhism) and shrine (Shintoism). The concept of such religious melting pot can be found as far back as in 8th Century (in case of Japan). I consider this approach very Japonesque; seeking for common ground among different ideas and principles. Some (especially monotheists) might regard it as sloppy or irresponsible, but I personally view this group-oriented approach as part of Japanese virtue.
Chofukuin was built in early Edo Period.
Left: the statue of Ragaraja
Unique wood sculptures representing Oriental Zodiac were found near architraves.
Later we dropped by Plaza Odette, a local tourist bureau. There we saw horse's costume used at Chagu Chagu Umakko, a traditional festival in Iwate, where horses decorated with colorful clothes and bells march in the streets. The festival is designated as one of Morioka's intangible folklore cultural assets.
It is said to have started as a means to reward the horses that worked hard during rice cropping.
Japanese dolls in the motif of Sansa Odori, a traditional four-day dancing festival in Morioka. Sansa Odori is connected to Iwate's toponym. Once upon a time, a demon used to loot the village around Morioka Castle. The peasants asked the god in Mitsuishi Shrine for help. The god punished the devil and as a evidence of obedience, he made the devil leave its handprints on the rock in the shrine. Thus the place-name Iwate (Iwa=rock, te=hand) was born. Seeing the demon expelled, the peasants danced happily around the rock singing "Sansa".
A replica of a float called "Morioka Dashi" which parades through the city during fall festival "Morioka Hachimangu Matsuri". The parade is also designated as Morioka's intangible cultural asset. Hachiman is a deity of military arts (something like Ares/Mars/Thor/Vaisvarana), and Hachimangu is where Hachiman is enshrined. There are Hachimangus nationwide, there is one in our neighborhood, too.
I also took pictures of Morioka Hachimangu...actually, those of Gokoku Jinja shrine of Iwate on Hachimangu's property. Gokoku Jinja enshrines the fallen Iwate natives.
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