Art Hotel Morioka (Morioka, Japan)

Just a 7-minutes walk from Morioka Station—ideal for sightseeing or business! Morioka City has a uniquely beautiful landscape, with rows of buildings set against the backdrop of Mt. Iwate and the Kitakami River. ART HOTEL Morioka—located just 7 minutes on foot from JR Morioka Station’s East Gate—is conveniently located for exploring the sights and shopping in Morioka City and the rest of Iwate Prefecture. The city’s streets are lined with buildings that date back to the Showa and Meiji eras, with the most notable being the Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building. Designed by the architect Tatsuno Kingo, who also designed the Marunouchi building of Tokyo Station, the bank is open to visitors looking to view its unique interior. The ruins of Morioka Castle are an excellent destination when the cherry blossoms are in season. Morioka City’s main sightseeing destinations can be easily accessed via the DenDen Mushi loop bus. The city boasts numerous locations related to the Japanese writers Kenji Miyazawa and Takuboku Ishikawa, which are often the main destinations for visitors to Morioka. Just a 5-minute walk from the hotel lies Ihatov Avenue Zaimokucho—a shopping area with numerous monuments commemorating Miyazawa’s works—and the Takuboku Newlywed House where Takuboku Ishikawa and his wife lived. The head office of Kogensha, the company that published Miyazawa’s collection of fairy tales entitled The Restaurant with Many Orders, is another popular destination, with an appealing air of the past. Come and experience the calm, relaxing charm of Morioka!