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The Glossary
Celebrated during the feudal days as the bastion of the powerful Nambu clan, Morioka today is Iwate's prefectural capital and a ticket to some of the county's most popular festivals, scenic rivers, and culinary rituals.
Mt. Iwate, at the city's center, is the backdrop of Morioka's olden architecture. While none of the buildings are worth a visit, except for the Iwate Museum of Art, tourists still flock here from time to time to witness the celebrations that dot the city's event calendar. A notable fair is the Chagu Chagu Umakko, when 100 lavishly decorated horses parade their way to the Hachiman Shrine every second Saturday of June.
When summer strikes, the city gets ready for Sansa Odori or drum taiko (drum festival), basically a street party in the main thoroughfare of Odori, where 100,000 instrument players and dancers perform in front of a large crowd. Onlookers can join in and dance to the beat of the massive drums and the hip-swaying music.
Apart from the pungent reimen and the Chinese-influenced jajamen, Morioka is also known for wanko-soba, a traditional cuisine served with condiments in eat-all-you-want restaurants. Instead of diners getting their sobas from a buffet, a server just stands by the customer. As soon as the diner finishes a bowl, the server immediately hands over another bowl, and more bowls of sobas in succession, until the guest gets satiated.
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