Incredible Iwate: For the adventurous explorer
Have you heard about Iwate Prefecture (岩手県 Iwate-ken)? Iwate Prefecture is known as the second largest prefecture in Japan. Since Iwate is one of the largest prefectures in Japan, you may find that there are a lot of interesting adventures in Iwate. If you’re a thrill-seeker like me, I will be recommending you some of the best places to go on an adventure in Iwate in this article.
To get to Iwate, you can take the JR Tohoku Shinkansen for about 2 hours from Tokyo. Iwate has two main cities, namely Hanamaki (花巻市 Hanamaki-shi) and Morioka (盛岡市 Morioka-shi). Taking the shinkansen is the fastest way to get to these two cities from Tokyo.
1. Jodogahama (浄土ヶ浜)
The view from the Odaiba Observatory (left) and inside the Blue Cave (right). (Image credit: JR Times / Kai)
Have you ever been to Iwate’s coast side? Iwate has a sawtooth-shaped coastline with beautiful sights. One of the best places where you can find yourself an amazing experience is in Jodogahama (浄土ヶ浜), which translates to “pure land beach” in English. When you get there, I would recommend doing two things: first, take a walk to the Odaiba Observatory (御台場展望台 Odaiba Tenboudai). As soon as you get there, you will find beautiful sights with a sawtooth-shaped coastline. With this stunning scenery, it is easy to see how this beach got its name!
Secondly, you can take a tour to Iwate’s very own “Blue Grotto” after enjoying the sea breeze. In case you’re unfamiliar with this name, “Blue Grotto” is actually the name of a famous cave in Italy, however, you can experience something similar right here in Jodogahama: the Blue Cave Cruise! The reason why they call it the Blue Cave is because when the sun comes into the cave, seawater starts shining in a bright, cobalt blue. For just ¥1,500 per person for a 20-minute tour, you will take the “Sappa boat” (さっぱ船 Sappa-bune)—a small boat that carries around 3–7 people—that brings you inside the cave. As soon as you get into the cave, you will notice that the seawater will start glimmering in a beautiful, bright blue and the water is so clear that you will even be able to see the seabed.
Jodogahama (浄土ヶ浜)
Address: 32 Hitachihama-cho, Miyako, Iwate, 027-0001
Nearest station: JR Miyako Station (宮古駅)
Opening hours: 8:30am–5pm (Closed in December–February)
Admission fee: Blue Cave Cruise (¥1,500)
2. Ryusendō (龍泉洞)
Walking inside Ryusendo Cave (left) and the 98m-deep Tertiary Subterrane Lake (right). (Image credit: JR Times / Kai)
Do you want to cool down during your trip? In Iwate, there is a special place where it is actually cool all year round: introducing the Ryusendō Limestone Cave (龍泉洞), one of the Three Great Limestone Caves in Japan. When the groundwater erodes limestone gradually over tens of thousands of years, it creates a limestone cave. While visitors are only allowed to enter and explore the first 700m of the cave, the total length of Ryusendō stretches to more than 5km long. When you enter this limestone cave, you will feel that it is chilly inside—the temperature inside is around 10℃ even during the summer! Furthermore, Ryusendō has another hauntingly beautiful site, known as the Tertiary Subterrane Lake (第3地底湖 Dai-san chiteiko). This underground lake within the limestone cave is 98m deep, creating a mysterious atmosphere where the temperature is maintained throughout the year in the cave.
Ryusendō (龍泉洞)
Address: 1-1 Aza Kannari, Iwaizumi, Shimohei-gun, Iwate 027-0501
Nearest station: Iwaizumi-Omoto Station (岩泉小本駅) (From Iwaizumi-Omoto Station, take the bus about 25 minutes to "Ryusendo" bus stop.)
Opening hours: 8:30am–5pm (October–April), 8:30am–6pm (May–September)
Admission fee: ¥1,100 (Adults), ¥550 (Students)
(Author’s note: You can also take the JR Bus about 2 hours to Ryusendō from JR Morioka Station.)
3. Koiwai Farm (小岩井農場)
Koiwai Farm’s tour information (left), fresh milk which was produced in the same morning (middle), adventurous forestry farm tractor ride (right). (Image credit: JR Times / Kai)
After exploring Iwate’s coastlines, let’s extend your tour into an inland area. Iwate has the mighty Mount Iwate (岩手山 Iwate-san), with an elevation of 2,038m. At the foot of Mount Iwate, there are great forests and a popular farm called Koiwai Farm (小岩井農場 Koiwainōjyō). Koiwai Farm has 3,000ha of land and one little part of their land is opened to tourists. In Koiwai Farm, there are a lot of exciting things to do and experience such as making butter, watching cows, and even an adventurous forestry farm tractor ride! When I went to Koiwai farm, I took a ride on the forestry farm tractor adventure. In this tour, you’ll get the rare chance to ride on a farm tractor with a guide and it will take you into the forest. It is a great opportunity for you to experience shinrin-yoku (森林浴), which means taking in the forest atmosphere to relax and release all travel-related fatigue. For those of you who are looking for a relaxing respite, I highly recommend going to Koiwai farm for some fresh air!
Koiwai Farm (小岩井農場)
Address: 36-1 Maruyachi, Shizukuishi-cho, Iwate-gun, Iwate 020-0507
Nearest station: JR Koiwai Station (小岩井駅) (From Koiwai Station, take a 10-minute taxi ride to Koiwai Farm.)
Opening hours: 9am–5:30pm (Last entry: 4:30 pm)
Admission fee (Entrance): ¥800 (Adult), ¥300 (Ages 5–12), Free (Kids under age of 4)
(Author's note: You can also take the Iwate-ken Kotu Bus about 35 minutes to “Koiwai-Noujyou Makibaen (小岩井農場牧園)” from JR Morioka Station.)
Closing
I have been to Iwate 3–4 times, but Iwate Prefecture never fails to show me new and amazing sights, food, and adventure at every visit. Through this article, I’ve mainly introduced some activities which I have tried personally and would strongly recommend to visitors. However, I’m sure that Iwate has even more things to discover, such as trying local food, hiking, and visiting historical sites. Since Iwate is relatively easy to access from Tokyo by taking a bullet train, I would like to recommend everyone to make a stop at Iwate and explore those amazing and mysterious places yourself.
Header image credit: JR Times / Kai
Writer’s profile:
Kai is currently studying at Rikkyo University in Ikebukuro, Tokyo. He counts driving as one of his favourite pastimes—together with his friends, they would often drive around to find the best spots to enjoy the beautiful nightscapes of Tokyo. He has travelled to 21 prefectures in Japan, and as a native who has lived in Tokyo for 19 years, he would be happy to share personal recommendations in Tokyo and beyond.
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