Lost in the Northern part of Tohoku, Hiraizumi does not belong to conventional touristic itineraries. And that’s a pity. The city is a serious one, speaking of History and temples, and offers a sight into Heian Period and the Fujiwara clan. Among its many sights, the Takkoku no Iwaya temple is a unique orange one at the foot of a cliff while within the Chusonji enclosure a Golden Hall is to be found, original and more ancient than Kyoto’s one. Not speaking of the Geibikei gorges. Hiraizumi is the only Heisei landscape in Iwate.

How to get there?

Hiraizumi is not difficult from Tokyo thanks to the JR Tohoku Shinkansen reaching Ichinoseki. From there, the ancient town is a few ride away on the JR Tohoku Main line (about 4 hours for 12500 yen, JR pass OK).

Another convenient option would be to rent a car in Ichinoseki, as some spots are located some kilometers out of town.