Top 5 things to do in Iwate prefecture
5 top things to do in Iwate – Pokemon train, cave lakes, breathtaking coastline and samurai history
Are you a Pokemon fan? Or want to explore Japan’s nature while keeping the kids entertained?
Iwate is within two hours of Tokyo by Shinkansen making it a perfect short trip from Tokyo. But it’s a world away with its incredible natural attractions.
You can ride Japan’s one and only Pokemon train, explore deep cave lakes and revel in the scenery. There’s so much to see and do in this picturesque prefecture, and it’s Japan’s second largest, so at least a five-day trip is recommended if you plan to cover it. Otherwise, break up the trip into smaller chunks for a fewer-day vacation.
1. Pokemon Train
The Pokemon train is one of Japan’s many ‘joyful’ trains. Even though we have not experienced any others yet, I think this will always be my favourite!
Pure fun, this train is designed for families to enjoy time together with Pikachu.
The Pokemon train runs from Ichinoseki through five other stops before arriving at Kensennuma on the coast. You can join and depart anywhere along the line however.
It’s easy to reserve your seats on the JR East website ahead of time. Exactly one month in advance, at 10am seats become available to book. The train usually only runs on weekends, but sometimes also runs on public holidays.
The full trip takes a little less than two hours one way and leaves Ichinoseki at 11:01am arriving at Kensennuma at 12:51pm. The trains in Japan are always exactly on time! You can also do the return trip.
The train is small with just two cars. One is for seating and the other an entire playroom full of multiple soft Pikachus and dress-ups for the perfect photo opportunity.
Upon arriving, you receive a scheduled time to visit the playroom and can spend around 30 minutes here taking photos and basking in the bright yellow everything!
You will also receive a stamp book and can jump off quickly and return at various stations to collect the stamps. It is just so fun and so kawaii (cute)!
More information about the Pokemon Train from JR East.
JR East Pass
Foreigners including foreign residents in Japan can purchase a JR East Pass which provides unlimited travel in the Tohoku region for five consecutive days on bullet trains and includes some Joyful trains like the Pokemon train. It is incredible value at 20,000 yen per adult and 10,000 yen per child.
2. Former Numata Family Samurai Residence, Ichinoseki
In Ichinoseki itself, only 10 minutes walk from the train station is the incredibly well preserved former Numata family samurai residence.
With 300 years of history, the home showcases life in the Edo period for this elite family and includes a gorgeous garden.
A local guide explains the home and history while escorting you through the home. All in Japanese of course! Even if your Japanese is not excellent, it’s still definitely worth the visit.
Hours: Open daily from 10am – 4pm
Admission: Free
3. Ryusendo Cave
Ryusendo Cave is one of Japan’s natural national monuments and one of the Three Great Limestone Caves of Japan.
It’s huge at over 5,000 metres in length and has impressive turquoise spring water lakes inside.
A walk through the cave takes around 30 minutes and it’s mostly cavernous so no need to worry about feeling claustrophobic at any time. It even has boardwalks inside for easy access.
The area surrounding the cave is also a magical scene with cave water shooting out into a misty stream. Green mossy rocks surround and you can even hire a fishing line and have a go at catching little river fish.
Omiyage (souvenir gift)
Stop by the gift shop and pick up some cave water sake before you leave. This sake is oishii (delicious). It will also make a wonderful gift as the bottle is so gorgeous.
Hours: 8:30 – 17:00 (Oct-Apr) and 8:30 – 18:00 (May-Sep).
Admission: 1000 yen per adult and 880 yen per elementary school child.
Address: 1-1 Aza Kannari, Iwaizumi, Iwaizumi Town, 027-0501
Access:
- By car, there is a large car park with officials helping you find a spot.
- Bus (2 hr 12 min) from JR Morioka Station Morioka-Iwaizumi (Ryusendo) Line. Get on at Morioka Station East Exit Boarding Area 1.
4. Jodogahama Beach
This little beach and surrounding area are stunning. This is one of Japan’s top 100 swimming beaches. I’d describe it more like a bay however, with large white cliffs seemingly bursting out of the turquoise water with pines growing along the top. What a scene.
The beach itself is covered in white rocks. These can be sharp so make sure you bring water shoes if you intend on swimming. Families bring their inflatables and float around in the water trying to catch little fish as they swim by.
You can also rent swan paddle boats here and take a boat trip around the coastline too. The beach itself has a bus terminal building, marine house, observation deck, toilets and Japanese restaurant.
Address: Hitachihamacho, Iwate 027-0001
Access:
- There is a car park at the top of the hill with a lovely walk to the beach through a forest.
- Bus from JR Morioka Station 2 hr 10 min) Express Bus 106 ( Morioka to Miyako/Yamada ) Get on at Morioka Station East Exit Boarding Area 7. Get off at Miyako Station.
- Bus from JR Miyako Station Miyako-Jodogahama Line Get on at Miyako Station Boarding Area 3 Get off at Oku-Jodogahama 22 min
- Taxi 15 mins from Miyako Station
5. Morioka Children’s Museum of Science
This museum was not originally on our plan of must-dos, but we had some time before our Shinkansen so gave it a go.
Typically, in Japanese fashion, the museum was fantastic. It was very hands-on and the children ran around having a blast trying out all the activities. The museum also had staff on hand to help if the children weren’t sure what to do.
The kids made robots move, played with funny mirrors, made balloons hover and rode a bike to create electricity, to name just a few. They loved it. And we loved the air-conditioning on a very hot day.
Is Iwate a city?
No, Iwate is not a city, it’s a prefecture. Iwate is the second largest of Japan’s 47 prefectures at 15,278 square kilometres. Iwate is located in the Tohoku region of Japan on the island of Honshu. A prefecture can loosely be described as a state or territory in Australia or the United States.
How to get to Iwate?
Access to Iwate is a short breeze on Japan’s fastest Shinkansen, the Hayabusa. It’s just a two and a bit hour dash from Tokyo, despite its distance of around 435km.
The Hayabusa itself is beautiful in iridescent teal and pink. The ride is smooth, seats are spacious, there is a bathroom and snack options on board. Although I suggest getting an ‘ekiben’ (station bento box) before departing and eating it on the train. Some are even in cute train-shaped boxes.
Eating on trains in Japan
It’s acceptable to eat on a Shinkansen, but not on a regular train in Japan.
Get some ‘ekiben’ (station bento) before departing to enjoy on the ride.
What is Iwate famous for?
Iwate’s coastline is dominated by rugged cliffs diving directly into the Pacific Ocean.
The inland features scenic gorges, national parks and rice paddies which comprise more than half of the cultivated land in the area. It makes for a stunning scene.
In March 2011, Iwate experienced a magnitude 9 earthquake which caused a devastating tsunami.
The area has been rebuilding ever since and even developed ingenious ways to bring back tourism, such as the Pokemon train!
Iwate is also famous for its scenic gorges: Genbikei and Geibikei Gorge. It’s possible to join a wooden boat tour for a scenic trip along Geibikei Gorge. We missed this one, but apparently the boat operator tells stories in Japanese to delight the passengers.
Where to stay in Iwate
This area has so many incredible ryokans which are absolutely worth trying out. Ryokans are like traditional inns, often with breakfast, dinner and sometimes onsen too.
In Morioka and Ichinoseki, there are many large hotels and options to stay in. There are also many ski resorts in the area also which can also be fun to visit outside of winter.
Where to stay in Geibikei
On our trip, we stayed at the ryokan, Kajiyabekkan Ramakkoro Yamaneko Yado in Geibikei. We love Japanese-style rooms. The smell of the tatami, the folding futon, and the yukatas are all part of the amazing experience we enjoy as a family.
This ryokan had incredible traditional food, but also some options the kids enjoyed too. We felt as though we were staying in the local town surrounded by local houses.
That’s our 5 things to do in Iwate. Play, have fun and be curious.
Watch our short trip from Tokyo – 5 top things to do in Iwate video
