Nestled between Akita, Miyagi, and Aomori, in the northern region of Tohoku, Iwate is Japan’s second-biggest prefecture after Hokkaido. It’s also one of the most naturally stunning prefectures on the map, with an incredible culinary scene to boot.

The area was devastated by the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011, which claimed thousands of lives and demolished townships across the prefecture. In the eight years following the disaster, Iwate has bounced back. While parts of the area are still in reconstruction, Iwate’s natural beauty is completely undeniable. From the forest-covered mountain tops to the deep crystal clear waters that fill the coastline, Iwate is a prefecture of incredible diversity.

When you have a site with such bountiful natural gifts, it’s no surprise that Iwate is also is home to incredible food. From the simple and delicious hittsumi-jiru stew of the Morioka Market to the Morioka’s legendary noodles, the culinary scene is an embodiment of the prefecture itself; understated but self-assured and authentic.

Eating your way through Iwate

Iwate is a prefecture practically overflowing with incredible cuisine, but its biggest claim to fame is its ‘three great noodles of Morioka.’ These three noodles are jajamen, Morioka reimen, and wanko soba.

Let’s begin with the most action-packed of the bunch, wanko soba. It’s more eating challenge than a civilized meal. Wanko soba is classic delicious soba served in individual mouthful sized bowls. The aim of the game is to see how many bowls of the noodles you can knock back in one sitting. Diners are assigned a server whose sole duty is to stand there and continue passing you bowls of noodles until you can take it no more and cover your bowl as a sign of defeat.

Don’t eat too many bowls of wanko soba, because you’ll want to save room for jajamen, one of Morioka’s other famous dishes. A bowl of thick, udon-like noodles topped with cucumber and a scoop of nikumiso, a combination of meat, miso paste, and ginger, it’s a local creation inspired by a Chinese dish known as zhajiangmian. In the city of Morioka is a humble-looking store called Pairon, this establishment is reputed to be the original home of the meal.

Once you’ve eaten all your jajamen noodles, only half the dish is done. Next step is the ‘chitantan.’ to make chitantan, crack a raw egg – which is usually available on the counter – into your bowl and ask the chef to fill the bowl with delicately flavored broth. This piping hot broth cooks the egg making a comforting, filling soup.

Morioka reimen is the third of these great noodles. Similar to jajamen, this dish was inspired by its international neighbors. A native of Hamhung North Korea, named Teruto Aoki brought the chilled noodle dish to Morioka in 1954 after moving to Japan. Korea’s chewy Pyongyang cold noodles were rather common in Japan before this, but it was Aoki’s careful combination of spice to the typically non-spicy dish that made it famous. A surprising combination of sweet, salty, and spicy, Morioka reimen often comes topped with kimchi, pickles, and watermelon.

Founded in 1948 with the humble ambition to serve cheap, tasty sandwiches to students from the nearby college, Fukuda Pan is Morioka’s unassuming culinary hero. Fukuda Pan’s sandwiches are served on a bread called “koppe pan.” It’s light, fluffy and similar to an American hot dog bun. Here you can choose two of around 60 different types of sandwich toppings. Most sandwiches will set you back between 200-300 yen. If you don’t know what to choose, go for the ‘anko’ (red bean paste) which has long been one of the store’s most popular choices.

Seeing the natural sights

Geibi Gorge is one of the most beautiful sites in all of Iwate. This towering gorge runs two kilometers long and has cliff faces that reach an imposing 50 meters high. Geibi got its name from the Japanese word for ‘lion’s nose,’ because along the river sits a naturally crafted limestone rock which looks like the silhouette of the snout of a lion. To see the gorge in all its glory, take a cruise along the water on the iconic flat-bottomed boats. The boats are powered by a single boatman and a pole. The journey takes about an hour and a half with a stop off at the halfway point.

At the stop off halfway along the cruise sits a rocky shore. Across the river from the shore etched into the cliff face is a hole, pick up some stones “undama” or “luck stones” from the nearby stand and try throwing one into the hole. The legend has it that if you get the stone into the hole, good luck is in store for you.

The lush open grounds of Goshono Park were once home to a large settlement that existed sometime during the mid-Jomon period (14,500 B.C.~1,000 BC). Today you can wander the flat open land, admire the backdrop of the rolling hills that surround them, and imagine what life was like all those thousands and thousands of years ago. Scattered across the map, you’ll find cozy cone style huts; these are ancient pit dwellings. These dwellings were discovered during excavation between 1989, and in 1993, while today it’s now considered a site national historic significance. After exploring the site outside, be sure to explore the state of the art museum complete with projection mapping displays and a stylish and modern gift store.

Jodogahama Beach is a landmark of the prefecture. Its white and grey pebble shore and clear aqua-blue water were compared to paradise by a Buddhist monk named Reikyo. A picturesque corner of the Sanriku Coast, this beach’s most distinguished natural features are the jagged giant rock peaks that protrude through the gentle waves. The site was hit during the 2011 tsunami but is now as stunning as ever. It’s home to a visitor center and several cruise tours. If you want to see the shore from a different angle, take the Miyako Jodogahama Boat Cruise. This 40-minute journey travels along the Sanriku Coast, offering incredible views of the unique rock formations.

How to get there and where to stay

The best place to set up a home base when exploring wider Iwate would be the prefecture’s capital city, Morioka. It takes about two and a half hours from Tokyo via the JR Tohoku Shinkansen, and the train arrives at the city’s central station, Morioka Station.

If you want to explore the city, the easiest way to get around is via the Dendenmushi Loop Bus. The bus operates every 10 minutes and travels around downtown Morioka via the castle ruins park. This bus costs 300 yen for a 1-day pass.