This is a private guided tour report by Japan Guide Agency (JGA Inc.), a network of 1,000+ government-licensed, English-speaking local guides across all 47 prefectures of Japan. Not affiliated with the Japan Guide Association.

Tour Itinerary

  • Hotel Morioka Ekimae (Meet in front of Hotel)                           
  • Sakurayama Shrine (Sakurayama Shrine)                                                 Morioka-jo Castle Site Park (Strolling around Morioka Castle Ruins)
  • Bank of Iwate Red Brick Building (Iwate Bank Red Brick Building)
  • Strolling around Morioka Government District (Strolling around Morioka City Government District)
  • Nambu Tekki Suzuki Morihisa Studio (Suzuki Morihisa Studio)                    
  • Lunch at Azuma₋ya (Lunch at Azumaya)                    
  • Morioka Hachiman-gu Shrine (Visit Morioka Hachiman-gu Shrine)

What Is a 6-Hour Private Walking Tour of Morioka Like? A Licensed Guide's Report

The guests were a group from Europe. They had come from Tokyo to Morioka City the day before. The guests mentioned that they enjoy walking regularly, and indeed they appeared very used to walking. We departed from their hotel, crossed "Kaiun Bridge," and walked straight along Saien-dori, where the high stone walls of Morioka Castle Ruins Park came into view. Turning left at the end of the street and walking for about five minutes, we arrived at Sakurayama Shrine. The shrine had a "chinowa" (a large ring made of reeds), and the guests enjoyed passing through the "chinowa." They enjoyed passing through the "chinowa kuguri" while praying for good health and protection from illness. After the visit, as we headed toward Morioka's government district, we passed through two torii gates, and the area between the two torii gates is a district of bars and eateries. Since I understood that the area corresponding to the "sacred boundary" is a divine domain, I found it a little difficult to explain. Perhaps the people of the shopping street have always kept their shops within the sacred domain in order to offer "sacred sake." The guests said they had visited a shrine in Tokyo, and they were well aware of the manner that "within the shrine grounds, the deity walks in the center of the path, so worshippers should walk along the edges."

Next, we strolled through "Morioka Castle Ruins Park." We climbed up to the main keep ruins. The view from the main keep ruins was very beautiful. The guests enjoyed the distant scenery together. Since there is a steep slope to reach the main keep, it would be a little difficult for those with weak legs. The guests did not seem tired at all. I was a little out of breath. At this time of year the park is covered entirely in green, which is a treat for the eyes. Both of the guests seemed to enjoy the greenery of the maple and cherry trees.

After this, we strolled through the government district. We looked around the government area, including the prefectural office, Morioka City Hall, and the Morioka Public Hall. The guests were interested in the buildings from the Taisho and Showa eras. We also visited the Iwate Bank Red Brick Building, but unfortunately it is closed every Tuesday, so regrettably they had to make do with viewing only the exterior.

After that, we visited "Suzuki Morihisa Studio," known for Nambu kettles, iron teapots, and ironware. It takes a full year from ordering an iron teapot to delivery. The guests were surprised as well. We visited "Suzuki Morihisa Studio" at the request of the guests. They spent quite a lot of time looking at the ironware on display, especially the iron teapots. However, looking at the prices of the iron teapots, they differ by an order of magnitude. The Suzuki family has served as official casters for the Nambu domain since 1625. They have also produced temple bells, sacred lanterns, and Buddhist ritual implements. "Suzuki Morihisa Studio" is now in its 16th generation, and the 13th-generation Shigekichi Suzuki was designated a Living National Treasure (intangible cultural asset) in 1974.

After "Suzuki Morihisa Studio," we visited Morioka Hachimangu Shrine. The vast grounds and the vermilion great torii gate seem to leave a strong impression. Also, the vermilion-painted grand shrine hall with its vividly colored carvings is dignified and exudes an air of distinction. When I visited Morioka Hachimangu before, I received a goshuin (shrine stamp), and in one corner of the hall where you receive the goshuin, there was a model of Morioka Castle on display. This model was arranged with the buildings that no longer exist. Believing that seeing something once is better than hearing about it a hundred times, I had the guests view it as well. As the six hours were about to pass, the guests indicated that the guiding would end here, and I said goodbye to the guests at Morioka Hachimangu Shrine.

Hello and welcome! If you’re an inbound guest, I’d like to extend a warm greeting to you. I hope you have a pleasant stay in our beautiful city. If there’s anything you need, feel free to ask – I’m here to assist! My name’s Toshiya Ozawa. Please call me Toshi. I have 25 years’ experience as National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter guiding in English. Presently, I live in Ohsyu-shi, Iwate-ken where the Major Baseball player Shohei Ohtani was born and bred. The followings are the places where I attended as a tour guide for your reference. [Guide experience] Nara’s UNESCO World Heritage sites. Japan’s largest lake Lake biwa and Azuchi-jyo Ruins in Shiga prefecture. Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara:Horyu-ji, Nara Park, Todaiji Temple. Former Site of the Imperial Palace at Heijokyo, Todaiji Temple, along with Kasugataisha Shrine and the Kasugayama Primeval Forest. Koyasan (Shukubo Rengejo-in) shukubo literally means sleeping with the monks. Yagyu-no-sato (or the swordsman village of Yagyu), known as the home of Yagyu Shinkage-Ryu (traditional style of swordsmanship), is located in Northeast of Nara-city with rich natural environment. In Kyoto: JR Kyoto Station, The Golden Pavilion, World Heritage Site Former Imperial Villa Nijo-jo Castle, Ryoan-ji Temple, Nanzen-ji Temple. In Mie Prefecture: Ise Shrine, Wadakin (Japan’s one of the best wagyu-beef restaurant, Matsusaka-shi). In Shiga prefecture: Mother Lake Lake Biwa, Azuchi Castle ruins.
In Tokyo: Meiji shrine, Odaiba, Imperial Palace, Takeshita Street in Harajyuku, Akihabara (the otaku mecca and has its own unique atmosphere), Asakusa Kannon (Bodhisattva of Mercy) Sensoji Temple, and Tokyo Tower.
In Shizuoka Prefecture: Mt. Fuji.
In Aichi prefecture: 1. Atsuta Shrine 2. Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry and Technology 3. Inuyama Castle (Inuyama-shi) 4. Ohsu Shopping District 5. Konomiya Naked Festival (Inazawa-shi) 6.Tagata Jinja Shrine’s Honen Festival 7. Toyota Automobile Museum (Nagakute-shi) 8. Thousand Rice Paddies of Yotsuya (Yotsuya Senmaida) (Shinshiro-shi) 9. Asuke/Korankei (Toyota-shi Asuke-cho) 10. Chubu Centrair International Airport 11. Rest Stop (Highway Oasis Kariya, Donguri-no-sato Inabu)


10 years’ experience in a trading operations position and 7 years’ experience as an Exporting Manager and 5 years’ experience as a Domestic Sales Representative: All of the experiences above included contacts with respective customers both externally and internally.
I spent more than 2 years in the United States and Canada. Attended Kibbutz Hebrew class for six months in Israel.


Aug1991– present MASPRO DENKOH Corporation, Aichi prefecture in Japan.
Sales presentative/Exporting Manager “Export of TV reception and related equipment to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Thailand”
Negotiated prices and specifications with the makers “Drafting and arranging the needed documentations requested by custom houses”
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) supply of CS antennas to SONY Corporation
OEM supply of U.S. DirecTV Satellite Dish Antenna Dual LNB to Sony Corporation
Attended the customers from overseas when they came to the head office
Interpreter, translator to the C.E.O. (engaged in direct report to the company president)
Import of invaluable western style paintings, Japanese potteries and porcelains
Export of receiver and transmitter for Qualcomm Omni TRACS Ku-band satellite fleet tracking system in the U.S.
Export of CATV Tap-off for Time Warner Cable in the U.S. OEM supply of ETC In-Vehicle Unit in Singapore to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Apr. 1989–March 1991, employed by ESPO Corporation in Tokyo, Japan. Manager of secretarial section to the C.E.O
Interpreter, translator to the C.E.O “Assisted M&A transactions”
Formula 1 ESPO-LARROUSSE Team negotiation and interpreter. Was in charge of training new staff (26 university graduates )
Supervised new graduate recruitment activities as a part of training new staff and successfully recruited 40 prospective employees
Apr 1976 – March 1991 Nissait English School in Tokyo, Japan
1989 Director of Nissait English School “Management of English schools in Tokyo and Saitama prefecture”
Instructor: Taught English conversation more than 1000 students “Was in charge of training new instructors (12 vocational college graduates )”
Supervised new student recruitment activities as a part of training new instructors and successfully recruited 420 students at ten different schools for 5 years
Was in charge of International Exchange program
Chaperoned and supervised 160 Japanese youth delegates for cultural immersion homestays in the U.S.A. and Canada.
Education: In 1976, Completed the curriculum at a university, received a degree of B.A. in Economics, Aoyama Gakuin University, in Tokyo.


Windows MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint


Certified as a National Licensed English-Speaking Tour Guide in 2009 (License No. Aichi EN00307)
Passed Grade 1 of the EIKEN Test in Practical English Proficiency in 1989.

Apr 29, 2026
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