Enjoy the early arrival of spring at Morioka Castle Ruins Park, a famous spot for plum blossoms

There are many viewpoints from which to view Mt. Iwate from Morioka city, but the most representative spot is Morioka Castle Ruins Park. Morioka Castle, which was the residence of the Nanbu clan, the lord of the Morioka domain, was developed as a park during the Edo period, and was selected as one of Japan's top 100 castles (Japan Castle Association) due to the majesty of its existing stone walls. As the name suggests, you can see a panoramic view of Mt. Iwate from the Azumaya "Bogakutei" on the west side of Ninomaru.

A variety of flowers and plants are planted in the park, and you can experience nature in all seasons, such as cherry blossoms in the spring, hydrangeas in the summer, and autumn leaves in the fall, even though you are in the city center. In addition to cherry blossoms, the park is also famous for its plum blossoms in spring, and the plum grove on the east side of the main enclosure is filled with about 100 plum blossoms, including bungoume, weeping plum, and white plum. The best time to see them is usually from late March to early April. Why not enjoy the early arrival of spring while admiring the eagle-shaped shape of Mt. Iwate and the plum blossoms?

This year, Morioka City was selected as one of the ''52 Places to Visit in 2023'' announced by the American New York Times on January 12, 2023. The article praised Morioka's convenient access, which is only a few hours away from Tokyo by Shinkansen, and its historic buildings and nature, including rivers and parks, which can be enjoyed on foot, and introduced Morioka Castle Ruins Park, Wanko Soba, coffee specialty shops, bookstores, jazz cafes, and more.

Please take a walk and enjoy Morioka, which is attracting attention from all over the world.