A Romantic Day Trip from Tokyo to Iwate, Japan

Last Updated on January 13, 2026

On a day in March, my mother and I took a day trip from Tokyo to Iwate, Japan. It takes a little over two hours to get from Tokyo to Morioka, Iwate, by Shinkansen. The Shinkansen is Japan’s bullet train. There are various types of trains, and it’s not only convenient for travelers but also very popular with children.

The red Shinkansen in the front is the Komachi, and the green one behind is the Hayabusa. From Tokyo to Morioka, they run coupled together. Then, at Morioka, the trains separate: the Komachi heads west to Yamagata, while the Hayabusa continues north to Aomori.

View of Mt. Fuji and snow-covered mountains from the Shinkansen — View of Mount Fuji from the Shinkansen

Iwate is home to a mountain called Mount Iwate, which is said to be visible from around Morioka Station. I was looking forward to it, but according to the weather forecast, it seems that Iwate is unfortunately cloudy. Still, I was glad we could enjoy the scenery along the way.

View from the Shinkansen of a river and town in Fukushima, with majestic snow-covered mountains towering in the background — Fukushima view from the Shinkansen window

About an hour and a half after leaving Tokyo, we started to see the mountains of Fukushima Prefecture. Fukushima Station, which we passed through, was situated on high ground, and the view from the platform looked like it would be amazing.

Tasting Morioka’s Specialty Noodles

When we arrived at Morioka Station, we stopped to try Morioka jajamen at the station. Jajamen is a specialty noodle dish from Morioka. It consists of flat noodles, topped with a special meat miso, cucumber, green onions, and other ingredients, which you mix together before eating.

By the time we got there, it was already lunchtime, and there was a long line. After waiting for about 40 minutes, we finally got a seat. Since I had never tried it locally before, I read the instructions carefully before digging in. At the end, I was served a piping-hot soup to mix with the remaining miso, which I also got to enjoy.

Because our family was waiting for us at home, this ended up being a day trip. We had to get back to the station for our return train, and the long wait made us feel a bit rushed. I wasn’t able to take a photo of the jajamen, so I’ve included the restaurant information below.

Jajamen is available in Tokyo supermarkets, but for me—since I don’t get to travel freely often—trying the real thing in Morioka was truly special. Once we have more freedom to travel, I would love to stay overnight and really enjoy the trip.

Kogen-sha building in Iwate, Japan, with white walls and classic Japanese roof tiles — Kogen-sha, originally a publishing house

As the weather forecast predicted, it was cloudy like this, and Mount Iwate was completely hidden from view. Cheering ourselves up, we went to Kōgensha, a store that sells traditional folk crafts.

Kōgensha was originally a publishing company, known for publishing the famous Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa’s “The Restaurant of Many Orders.” It moved to this area in 1937.

A Storybook Feel

The courtyard at Kōgensha was adorned with crafts, making the rainy day feel even more beautiful. After taking a look at some beautiful folk crafts from across Japan, we headed to the café we had come for.

I learned about this place from the internet and guidebooks, and it seemed to be popular as well—there were about two groups waiting outside. I was surprised that we couldn’t get in right away, even though it was a rainy weekday.

It was our second moment of feeling rushed that day, but after waiting for about 20 minutes, we finally got a seat.

Coffee in a handmade ceramic and glass cup, with stained-glass colors reflecting on the surface, creating a cozy and artistic vibe — Handmade creations with vibrant stained-glass colors

A Cozy Coffee Break

The interior of the café had a calm atmosphere, and at the counter, staffs were carefully brewing coffee. Some of the windows were made of stained glass, casting vibrant colors into the dim interior.

In Japan, water is usually served for free as soon as you sit down. The glass in the background—possibly handmade—had a warm, charming shape. The rounded edge of the glass makes it fit comfortably against your lips.

Coffee with the colors of a stained-glass window reflected on the surface, creating a vibrant and artistic effect — Coffee reflecting stained-glass colors

The coffee cups and the milk pitcher are rustic and cute. We occasionally sipped our coffee, catching glimpses of the stained glass reflected on it, and enjoyed a relaxing moment.

Note: Photography is not allowed inside the shop, but you can take pictures of your food and drinks.

Small pottery animal figurines in a corner of Kogen-sha’s courtyard — Animal crafts with a storybook feel

Outside the café, there was this little scene: someone had placed red berries under a small bird, creating a heartwarming moment.

Although it rained in Iwate, the places we visited perfectly suited the rainy weather. We bought some local food for our family and returned to Tokyo on the Shinkansen as planned.

Large paper-crafted dinosaur hanging decoration made of traditional Japanese washi, displayed at Tokyo Station as part of the Northern Japan campaign — Paper dinosaurs made of washi

At Tokyo Station, a large washi paper dinosaurs were hanging to commemorate the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen beyond Fukui prefecture. Washi is traditional Japanese paper, and Fukui Prefecture is famous for Echizen washi and for dinosaur fossils.

Fukui faces the Sea of Japan, and its seafood is delicious, so I’d love to visit there someday.

Information

Kogensya Coffee-Kan

Coffee
– ¥600 (approx. $3.8 / €3.3)
Access
– About 1970 ft (600 m) from Morioka Station

Pairon Morioka Jajang noodles

Jajang noodles
– ¥630 (approx. $4.0 / €3.5)
Chiitan-tan soup
– ¥50 (approx. $0.3 / €0.3)
Access
– First floor of Morioka Station
– Google Maps

All info is current as of my visit.