About Hanamaki
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What is Hanamaki City?
Hanamaki City is located on the fertile Kitakami Plain, with the Ou Mountains to the west and the Kitakami Highlands to the east. It is a beautiful city with natural scenery that changes with the seasons.
Nature and Scenery
In the northeast, Mt. Hayachine stands at 1,917 meters above sea level. It is a quasi-national park and is known as a treasure trove of alpine plants, and you can enjoy mountain climbing there during the peak season.
Hanamaki Onsenkyo, surrounded by the valleys of the Ou Mountains, is designated as a prefectural natural park and boasts beautiful scenery. You can enjoy fishing and viewing the autumn leaves while immersing yourself in the beauty of the nearby Kuzumaru River Stream. In winter, the icicles of Taroshi Falls are famous as a seasonal sight that foretells a good rice harvest, and you can enjoy a special view during the harsh winter.
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
You will naturally come across traditional Japanese rural landscapes, where people live in harmony with nature.
Hanamaki City is a town where people live with the changing seasons of spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Our town has beautiful scenery.
History and Festivals
History and Festivals
Hanamaki City is located almost in the center of Iwate Prefecture, and thanks to its fertile soil, people have been living here since the Paleolithic Period. Many ancient ruins and excavated items have been found as evidence of this. During the Edo Period (1596-1868), Hanamaki Castle was established as a strategic point at the southern end of the Morioka Domain, and the foundations of the town that continue to this day were built by the castle lord, Kita Matsusai. As an important military base and grain-producing region, land and sea transport also developed and the area prospered. Traces of this time can still be seen in the townscape.
You can learn about Hanamaki's history and the culture that emerged from it at cultural facilities such as the Hanamaki City Museum.
Hanamaki's charms Hanamaki
In addition, the town is home to many unique festivals, such as the Hanamaki Festival, which continues to this day as a part of its history, and the Post Town Doll Festival, which takes advantage of its history as a post town and is loved not only by locals but also by people in other areas.
In particular, the Hanamaki Festival is one tourist spot attracting many people from outside the city due to its lively nature.
Culture and Arts
Hanamaki has a variety of unique regional characteristics, including the sacred mountain Mt. Hayachine, which has been the object of mountain worship since ancient times, a roadside town connecting the coast with the plains, and a castle town on the border of a feudal domain. These have provided the foundation for the development of unique culture, art, and intellectuals.
Hayachine Kagura, which remains at the foot of Mt. Hayachine, is a very old local performing art with a tradition of over 500 years. In 2009, it was listed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), and recognized as a common heritage of humankind. Even today, it is performed at Shinto ceremonies and can be seen at events in the city.
Provided by: Rinpusha
Among the great figures with ties to Hanamaki are the well-known writers Miyazawa Kenji and Takamura Kotaro, the painter Yorozu Tetsugoro, and Nitobe Inazo, who served as Under-Secretary-General of the League of Nations. You can learn about their connections with Hanamaki, their activities, and their works at their respective memorial museums.
Food Culture
Hanamaki's food culture is also one of its attractions. First of all, Hanamaki has a large number of simple traditional foods.
Wankosoba
"Wankosoba" is a local dish that originated over 400 years ago as a way to entertain feudal lords who stopped by. Guests are served bite-sized portions of soba noodles one after another in their bowls, which they add their favorite condiments to and continue eating until they are satisfied. Every year, a competition is held, bringing together people from all over Japan who boast the biggest stomachs possible. Nowadays, it is rarely enjoyed at home, but you can experience it at four restaurants in the city.
Hittsumi
In addition, because the area has often suffered poor rice harvests due to cold weather damage, millet production is thriving, and dishes and snacks made with wheat flour have been eaten for a long time. Among them, "Hittsumi" is a soup made by "hitsumami" (pinching tightly) kneaded wheat, and can be eaten at restaurants in the city.
In addition, the agricultural, livestock and processed products produced in the region's rich natural environment are highly regarded throughout the country, and some are even distributed as brand names. When you visit, you can enjoy a food experience that brings to life the flavors of ingredients unique to Hanamaki.
