Morioka Customized Half-Day Tour — Guide Hitoshi

Title: What Is a Private Walking Tour of Morioka Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a family group, and throughout the tour they enjoyed themselves while chatting cheerfully. They appeared moved by the view of Mount Iwate and the Kitakami River seen to the north from Kaiun Bridge. There was a question about why the equestrian statue that once stood on the pedestal of the Nambu lieutenant's bronze statue at the honmaru of Morioka Castle is no longer there. They took commemorative photos in front of the bridge over the inner moat that was featured in The New York Times. At Morioka Hachimangu Shrine, most of the guests worshipped with the two-bow, two-clap, one-bow ritual, and they also bought amulets for their zodiac signs and for traffic safety. Some took commemorative photos in front of a takoyaki shop. On the way back along the approach, they looked with interest at the shops (such as a furniture store) and the exteriors of the houses. There was also a question about how much land prices are in this area. In the precincts of Sakurayama Shrine, a local group was dedicating a kagura performance (Sawame Shishi), which the guests found interesting and watched all the way to the end. Originally we had planned to visit the Five Hundred Rakan at Hoonji Temple in Kitayama, but after discussing it together, the plan was changed to shopping at a long-established department store. When I asked one of the guests about the secret to good health, I was surprised to hear the answer was playing golf once a week. That day the weather forecast was off and no rain fell, and the guests appeared to fully enjoy the autumn scenery with the advancing fall foliage.

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Tour Report by Hitoshi

My name is Hitoshi Ohata. I’ve been an interpreter and guide for about six years since I retired. I live in Takizawa City which is at the foot of Mt. Iwate, the highest mountain in Iwate Prefecture. My hobby is playing table tennis once a week. I’m not a competitive player, I’m just having fun. I also play go, a board game. The main guides are a guide to Hiraizumi’s cultural heritage and a guide to cruise ship tours in Aomori and Iwate Prefecture. I’ve experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake, so I can talk about things like that. I try to convey Japanese culture and society to people overseas in an easy-to-understand way as much as possible.