MAR. 2006

No.52

LIVING GUIDE MORIOKA
MORIOKA INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS ASSOCIATION
e-mail moriintl@eins.rnac.ne.jp
MORIOKA CITY HALL 6F, 12-2 UCHIMARU, MORIOKA 020-8530
http://www.e-morioka.com/~moriintl/top.html
TEL 019-626-7524

Tamayama-ku

New Morioka started on January 10, 2006,

people have long worshipped the mountain. It has

when Tamayama Village was merged intoa climbing route that takes you to the top by about

the City of Morioka. The expanded Morioka has a

90-minute slow climbing. Enjoy the alpine plants

population of more than 300,000 and an area ofand refreshing air.

886.47 square kilometers, which makes Morioka● Ishikawa Takuboku Kinenkan

the second largest of the prefectural capitals in the(Memorial Museum)

Tohoku Region, next to Akita City. In Tamayama-ku

Ishikawa Takuboku is a well-known poet from(former Tamayama Village) you can relax yourself

Tamayama Village. The memorial museum

in the beautiful nature. Why don't you visit

houses about 300 items from his life, including

Tamayama?

his autograph notebooks, photographs, personal
effects and an organ that he used while he worked【Transportation to Tamayama-ku (to the Ishikawa

as a substitute teacher at the local elementaryTakuboku Museum)】school.

● Bus: About 40 minutes from the bus terminal in※ For more information, contact Ishikawa

front of Morioka Station by Iwate Kempoku Bus.

Takuboku Kinenkan at 019-683-2315 or visit the● Taxi: About 30 minutes from Morioka Station.

website: http://www.echna.ne.jp/˜takuboku/● Train: 16 minutes from Morioka Station toShibutami Station + 5 minutes by taxi /10 minutesby bike (Bike rental is available.) /30 minutes onfoot.
【Tourist Attractions】● Lake Gando (Gando-ko)
Gando-ko is known as one of the most beautiful
lakes in Japan. In the white birch woods by the lake
you will see ﬂowers of each season. You can also
enjoy wakasagi (smelt ﬁsh) ﬁshing on the frozen
lake in winter, as well as camping, tennis or picnic
in summer. A sense of oneness with Mother Nature
will be felt when you walk along the eight-kilometer
trail around the lake.
＊ Gando-ko Kazoku Ryoko Mura:(phone) 019-681-5235(Open: May 1 〜 Oct.31)● Mt.Himekami
Mt.Himekami, 1123.8 meters high, is a beautiful
mountain appearing as if facing Mt.Iwate. Local＊ Who is Ishikawa Takuboku?
Takuboku was born at a village that is now
Tamayama-ku, Morioka City, in 1886. He pursued
a literature career since he was a student ofMorioka Middle School (Now Morioka Daiichi
High School). Although he went to Tokyo forstudying literature, he got sick and returned
home. A collection of his poems titled "Akogare"
was published in 1905. After working at his oldelementary school as a substitute teacher, hewent to Hokkaido and worked as a newspaper
reporter. In 1910 a book of his tanka poems titled"Ichiaku-no Suna" was published. He was praisedfor his works based on his actual life. Living awayfrom Iwate, he missed his hometown all throughhis life. Takuboku died in
1012 when he was asyoung as 26. Another bookof his tanka poems titled"Kanashiki Gangu" waspublished soon after hisdeath.

● Yuto Land Himekami
Yuto Land Himekami, a multi-purpose facility withaccommodation, has hot spring baths (outdoorone, sauna and more), meeting rooms, a foodprocessing facility where visitors can experiencefood processing using the ice cream and other local
specialties, a farmers' market and a restaurant oflocal foods. The hot spring baths are available from10:00am to 10:00pm.
＊ Yuto Land Himekami: (phone) 019-683-3215● Shibutami Koen (Park)The park is located by the Kitakami River and has amonument inscribed with a tanka poem of Ishikawa
Takuboku. It's the monument of Takuboku built
ﬁrst in Japan. From Shibutami Koen you can seeMt. Iwate in the west, and Mt. Himekami in theeast.
● Makihori Shrine
With a history of over 500 years, the shrine isknown as the deity of marriage and easy, safe
childbirth.
● Jokoji Temple
Takuboku was born in this temple. Some of therooms used by his family have been preservedfor visitors. In the precincts there is a monument
inscribed with the poem about his birth.
● Hotokuji Temple
Takuboku lived in this Hotokuji Temple when hewas 2 to 10 years old. In its precincts facing Mt.
Iwate there is a monument inscribed with his tanka
depicting the temple.

【Local Specialties】● Yabukawa Soba
Soba is buckwheat noodle. The soba grown in theYabukawa area, which is known for its coolest
climate in the main island of Japan, is superior inboth quality and taste. There are many people whocome to Yabukawa from distant parts of Japan justto taste Yabukawa Soba.
＊ Ofﬁce of Yabukawa Soba: (phone) 019-681-5117● Princess Bell Ice CreamRich in milk fat, Princess Bell Ice Cream ismoderately sweet and refreshing. It comes in four
ﬂ avors: vanilla, strawberry, sesame and blacksoybeans.
＊ "Kobo Suzuran" at
Yuto Land Himekami(phone) 019-683-3215
アイスアイス＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊For more information on the locations of thefacilities and the details about the specialties,
contact (in Japanese, please):■ Morioka-shi Kanko-ka (Tourism Department ofMorioka City) at 019-651-4111
Or■ Morioka-shi Tamayama Sogo Jimusho Sangyo
Shinko-ka (Industry Development Department ofMorioka Tamayama Ofﬁce) at 019-651-4111

Kafun-sho (Hay Fever)Have you heard of the word
"kafun-sho" or hay fever? It is adisease with such allergic
symptoms as sneezing, sniffles
and bloodshot eyes that are causedby the pollens of cedar or cypress
trees. It is said that about 20 percent of Japanese people are suffering from kafun-sho. They need
to wear a mask when snow has gone and it gets warmer, even if they don’t have a cold. You are notimmune even if you have never had the symptoms so far. It o�en happens that someone who had
never had any symptoms of kafun-sho until last year develops symptoms like sneezing or itchy eyes
this year. If you feel one of those symptoms, go to a doctor or a pharmacist. Pharmacies o�en have asection for kafun-sho. It would also be a good idea to ask someone who is allergic to pollens how todeal with the disease.