Spots List | V-Trip Japan

Okunakayama Kogen Ski Area

This ski area spreads across Mount Nishidake at an elevation of $1,018text{ m}$. It boasts abundant snowfall and dry, light powder snow. From the summit, you can overlook the white, glittering mountain ranges of Mount Hakkoda and Mount Hayachine. Courses range from those safe for beginners to those satisfying for advanced skiers. Night skiing slopes are also fully equipped. It is family-friendly, offering fun at a reasonable price. The advanced Tree Run Area is also highly regarded.

Iwate
Sightseeing
Activities
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Goshono Jomon Park

Goshono Jomon Park, located in Ichinohe Town, Iwate Prefecture, is registered as a World Heritage Site as part of the "Jomon Prehistoric Sites in Hokkaido and Northern Tohoku."Here, visitors can see the remains of a settlement from the Jomon Period, dating back approximately $4,000text{ to } 4,500text{ years}$. The sight of reconstructed pit dwellings and raised-floor pillar buildings standing side-by-side helps visualize the lives of the people of that time. At the museum within the park, you can learn about the mysterious Jomon culture through excavated artifacts such as earthenware and dogū (clay figures). It is a place where you...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Hashino Iron Mining and Smelting Site

The Hashino Iron Mining and Smelting Site in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, is a historically significant location globally recognized as part of the World Heritage Site, "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution."This heritage site symbolizes the era when Japan rapidly pursued modernization by adopting Western technology. The remains of the blast furnace that successfully achieved continuous operation using Western-style technology for the first time in Japan are preserved exactly as they were, deep in the forest.By exploring this valuable collection of historic sites—including the blast furnaces, mining sites, and transportation routes—that illustrate the entire process of iron production, visitors can...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn

Iwate

Kamaishi Unosumai Memorial Stadium

The Kamaishi Unosumai Recovery Memorial Stadium is a ballgame-specific stadium located in Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture.It was constructed in the Unosumai district, which was damaged by the Great East Japan Earthquake, serving as a symbol of recovery from the disaster. In $2019$, it was one of the venues for the Rugby World Cup in Japan, drawing attention from around the world.The stadium is located on a hilltop that conveys the lessons of the tsunami, and spectators can overlook the surrounding mountains and the rebuilt cityscape from the stands. It is currently used as the home ground for the local rugby...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Kamaishi City

Kamaishi City, Iwate Prefecture, is a port town along the Sanriku Coast with a history of thriving as the "Town of Iron and Rugby."The main tourist attraction is the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium (Kamaishi Unosumai Fukkō Stadium), which hosted the $2019$ Rugby World Cup. As a rugby holy ground, it strongly appeals to sports fans. Visitors can also enjoy the magnificent scenery of the Sanriku Coast, feeling the grandeur of the rias coast and the particularly beautiful Tōni Bay.Furthermore, Kamaishi is a hub for the "history of iron," with historical sites that convey its contributions to the development of modern...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Kuzumaki Town

Kuzumaki Town, located in northern Iwate Prefecture, is known as the "Town of Milk, Wine, and Clean Energy," where livestock farming and dairy farming thrive.Its specialty products include milk from cows raised on the cool highlands, as well as high-quality wine and yogurt made from that milk. At Kuzumaki Kogen Farm, visitors can enjoy cow milking experiences, horseback riding, and barbecues.Another characteristic feature is the magnificent view of wind turbines lined up for wind power generation. It is a place where you can enjoy clean air and delicious gourmet food unique to a farm setting.

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Activities
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Kosode Ama Center

Kosode Coast is a shoreline characterized by cliffs and copper-colored reefs.Here, visitors can watch demonstrations of free-diving fishing by the "Northernmost Ama (Sea Divers)," who became famous through the drama "Amachan."

Iwate
Sightseeing
Activities
Summer

Iwate

Kuji City

Kuji City, Iwate Prefecture, is a town in the northern Sanriku Coast known for its rustic charm, having been the setting for an NHK serial TV novel.Its greatest appeal is that it is the only place in Japan where women called the "Northernmost Ama (Sea Divers)" are active. In summer, visitors can observe demonstrations at Kosode Coast where the Ama, in traditional diving attire, dive into the sea to catch sea urchins (uni) and abalone (awabi). This is a valuable experience to encounter traditional Japanese fishing culture.Kuji is also famous as a source of amber, and at the Kuji Amber...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Activities
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Akkadō Cave

Akkadō Cave, located in the northern part of the Kitakami Mountains, is on a massive scale, boasting a total length of $23.7text{ km}$—the longest in Japan. The dungeon-like labyrinth's entire scope is still unknown. It is truly a museum of stalactites, featuring almost every type of speleothem (cave formations).

Iwate
Sightseeing
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Iwaizumi Town

Iwaizumi Town, Iwate Prefecture, is a town attractive for its dynamic underground mysteries and vast nature.The main tourist spot is Ryūsendō Cave, one of the Three Great Limestone Caves of Japan. The transparency of the underground lake is high, and the surface, illuminated to glow with a vivid "Dragon Blue," is breathtakingly beautiful. Exploring the underground lake offers a mystical experience, as if stepping into an otherworldly realm.Furthermore, the coast features the cliffs of the Sanriku Coast, preserving rich nature. Visitors can also enjoy local gourmet foods such as Iwaizumi's fresh milk and landlocked salmon (yamame) raised in the clear...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Miyako City

Miyako City, Iwate Prefecture, is a port town blessed with the magnificent nature of the Sanriku Coast and fresh seafood.The most famous scenic spot is Jōdogahama, designated as a National Place of Scenic Beauty. The contrast between the sharp white rocks, the green pines, and the cobalt blue sea is praised as being as beautiful as Pure Land Paradise. A mystical experience of touring the Blue Grotto in a small boat (Sappa Boat) on the highly transparent sea is very popular.The fresh seafood landed at Miyako Port is exceptional. You can enjoy seasonal delicacies, especially sea urchin (uni), abalone (awabi),...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Honedera-mura Manor Site

The Honedera-mura Manor Site is an extremely valuable historical heritage where the rural landscape and patterns of land use from the medieval period (Kamakura Period) have been preserved exactly as they were until the present day. It has been selected as a National Important Cultural Landscape.The most significant feature of this site is that the paddy field divisions, reservoirs (tameike), and land boundaries (jiwari) established in the $12text{th century}$ are still reflected in the shapes of the current farmlands and settlements.Here, visitors can quietly feel the appearance of Japan from approximately $800text{ years ago}$, not just as a historical site,...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Mount Kurikoma

Mount Kurikoma is a volcano with an elevation of $1,627text{ m}$, spanning Iwate, Akita, and Miyagi Prefectures.It is famous for the beauty of its autumn foliage, which is also known as the "Carpet of the Gods." The spectacular view of the entire mountain turning red and yellow, particularly from late September to early October, is breathtaking. In early summer, it becomes a treasure trove of alpine plants, and visitors can enjoy the fresh greenery.Various hiking trails are well-maintained, and since it is relatively easy to climb, it is beloved by many hikers, from beginners to veterans. The surrounding area also...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Ichinoseki Onsen Village

Ichinoseki Onsen Village is the collective name for several hot springs scattered throughout Ichinoseki City, Iwate Prefecture, forming a hot spring area surrounded by rich nature and history.Major hot springs include Genbikei Onsen, located near the dynamically beautiful Genbikei Gorge; Sukawa Onsen (near the Mount Kurikoma trailhead), which retains the atmosphere of a hot spring cure resort (tōji-ba); and Ichinoseki Onsen, known for its gentle, alkaline water.Sukawa Onsen is particularly notable for its highly acidic sulfur spring water and has been favored by therapeutic visitors (tōji-kyaku) since ancient times. Its good access to Mount Kurikoma also makes it a base...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Accommodation
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Ichinoseki City

Ichinoseki City, located in southern Iwate Prefecture, is an area where spectacular natural scenery and historical traditions coexist.In the northeastern part of the city is Genbikei Gorge, a national scenic spot featuring dynamic rapids and unique rock formations, famous for the "Kakkō Dango," or "flying dumplings." At Geibikei Gorge, which features cliffs stretching for about $2text{ km}$, river cruising (funakudari) while listening to the boatman's boat song (funauta) is popular.Furthermore, it serves as a base for mountaineering, with the trailhead for Mount Kurikoma, where visitors can enjoy autumn leaves and trekking. The southwestern part of the city is also close...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Esashi Fujiwara Heritage Park

This is a magnificent theme park that recreates the architecture of the Heian Period, when the Four Generations of Fujiwara enjoyed their golden age. It is used for filming dramas and movies, and visitors can even observe actual filming sessions when they are open to the public. You can learn about history through hands-on experiences, such as listening to Esashi's storytellers, trying Warrior experiences like armor fitting and bow and arrow practice, and dressing up in period costumes.

Iwate
Sightseeing
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Ōshū City

Ōshū City is a town where history and culture breathe, known as the ancestral home of Fujiwara no Kiyohira, the founder of the Ōshū Fujiwara clan that flourished at the end of the Heian Period.The main tourist attraction is the theme park facility, "Esashi Fujiwara Heritage Park." The townscape of the Heian Period is faithfully reproduced here, and it is frequently used as a location for historical dramas and NHK Taiga Dramas.Ōshū City is also famous as the production center of Iwayadō Tansu (chests/dressers), a traditional craft alongside Nambu Ironware. Furthermore, Maesawa Beef, regarded as the highest quality black wagyu,...

Iwate
Area Info
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Rikuzentakata City

Rikuzentakata City is a town on the Sanriku Coast of Iwate Prefecture that has been reborn as a new tourist destination following its reconstruction after the Great East Japan Earthquake.The "Miracle Pine Tree" (Kiseki no Ipponmatsu), a single pine tree that narrowly survived as an earthquake relic, is a symbol of recovery visited by many people from both Japan and abroad. The adjacent Takata Matsubara Tsunami Reconstruction Memorial Park also houses facilities that convey the memory of the disaster.Furthermore, the restoration of Takata Matsubara, a scenic spot with beautiful white sands, is underway, and it is cherished as a peaceful...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Nishiwaga Town

Nishiwaga Town, located on the border with Akita Prefecture in Iwate, is a town characterized by rich nature, hot springs, and a unique culture born of its status as a heavy snowfall area.The main tourist attraction is the Yuda Onsen Gorge, which is steeped in the atmosphere of a secluded hot spring (hitō). Inns are scattered along the river, offering distinctive hot springs such as the historic Yukawa Onsen and Sawauchi Onsen, where the culture of hot spring cure (tōji) still remains.Kinshūko Lake, located in the center of the town, creates a particularly beautiful landscape as the fresh greenery of...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Karumai Town

Karumai Town, located in northern Iwate Prefecture, is a highland town surrounded by abundant nature.This town is known as the birthplace of Haruichi Furudate, the author of the popular volleyball manga "Haikyu!!" Places that served as models for the high school, gymnasium, and school routes appearing in the work are scattered throughout the town, making it a pilgrimage site visited by many "Haikyu!!" fans.Leveraging its cool climate, the town is known for the active production of millet and other grains as its specialty product.

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Hanamaki Onsen Village

The cluster of hot springs located in the mountains of western Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, along the Daigawa and Toyosawa River, is collectively known as the "Hanamaki 12 Hot Springs" (Hanamaki Jūnitō). This is one of the largest hot spring areas in the Tohoku region, with each hot spring resort possessing a distinct charm.Its greatest appeal is the variety of accommodation options, ranging from traditional hot spring cure inns (tōji-yado) to large resort hotels, allowing visitors to choose according to their travel purpose.Historically rich and charming hot springs are particularly popular, such as Namari Onsen, famous for its "Shira猿 no...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Accommodation
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Hanamaki City

Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, is known as the hometown of the poet and children's author, Kenji Miyazawa, and is home to many related tourist spots.Visitors can experience the worldview of his works at the Kenji Miyazawa Fairy Tale Village and the Kenji Miyazawa Memorial Museum. Furthermore, the Hanamaki Onsen Village in the southern part of the city features charming hot springs such as Ōsawa Onsen and Namari Onsen, which are popular as hot spring cure resorts (tōji-ba).Traditional culture, such as Nambu Ironware and the spectacular Deer Dance (Shishiodori) performed at the Hanamaki Festival held in August, can also be enjoyed...

Iwate
Area Info
Sightseeing
Activities
Nature
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Iwate

Kitakami Tenshōchi Park

This is one of the leading cherry blossom viewing spots in the Tohoku region, and has been selected as one of the Top $100$ Cherry Blossom Spots in Japan. A row of cherry trees stretches for about $2text{ km}$ along the left bank of the Kitakami River, drawing large crowds during the cherry blossom season. Furthermore, the red and white azaleas begin to bloom in May.

Iwate
Sightseeing
Nature
Spring

Iwate

Koiwai Farm

Koiwai Farm, spreading across Shizukuishi Town in Iwate Prefecture at the foot of Mount Iwate, is one of the oldest private comprehensive farms in Japan.In the tourist area, "Makiba-en," visitors can enjoy various activities such as interacting with sheep and cows, horseback riding, and carriage rides across the vast grounds. Exquisite local foods, including soft-serve ice cream and omelet rice (omurice) made with fresh milk and eggs, are also popular.The farm features scattered historical buildings designated as National Important Cultural Properties, and its beautiful landscape is famous as a location for dramas and films. The contrast between the solitary cherry...

Iwate
Sightseeing
Activities
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter