Iwate, Japan - The Golden Land
Centuries ago, Marco Polo wrote of a land to the east that was rich with gold.
Some say he was speaking about the rumor of a real 'Golden Land' in northeastern Japan. This area, now known as Iwate Prefecture, was said to contain a vast amount of gold. In the current day, Iwate’s wide expanse is still rich with natural abundance: majestic scenery, mountain forests untouched by humans, a bountiful coastline, and vast plains of rice glowing golden in the autumn sun. However, Iwate’s richest asset may just be its people: friendly and warm, tenacious in the face of adversity and always welcoming to new faces.
We invite you to find your own treasure here, in Iwate, the Golden Land.
What You'll Find in Iwate...
Pristine Wilderness
Primary Industry Products
Traditional Crafts
Powder Snow
Festivals You'll Never Forget
Thrilling Activities
World Heritage
- World Heritage - Hiraizumi - Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land -（外部リンク）
- World Heritage - Hashino Iron Mining and Smelting Site（外部リンク）
- Goshono Site (Aiming to become a World Heritage site!)（外部リンク）
Advanced Industry
Traditional Performing Arts
The Iwate Prefecture Citizen's Plan (2019-2028)
The Iwate Prefectural Government will carry out its Citizen's Plan during the 10 year period of 2019-2028. Its vision: Iwate, the Land of Hope where we mutually secure and enhance happiness while tackling the ongoing recovery work based on our experiences of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011.
With this plan as a base, the Iwate Prefectural Government will further realize initiatives with new projects in which we create local communities where every citizen will be able to pursue their own happiness and secure and enhance that happiness while supporting others.
The International Linear Collider
The ILC will be a huge research facility in an underground tunnel 20-50 km long. It would be the world's most advanced particle accelerator, smashing together electrons and positrons at near the speed of light in order to find answers to how the universe began.
The Kitakami mountains of Iwate are the world's leading candidate site for the ILC, and we are working with academia, industry, and governments in the entire Tohoku region to help bring the project to a reality.
Reconstruction from the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami 2011
On March 11, 2011, an massive earthquake struck and caused a dark tsunami that devastated the Pacific coast of Japan, including Iwate. Ever since that day, we have moved to rebuild our prefecture, taking into account the hopes and dreams victims had for their homes, and the support that the survivors need. We will continue to Build Back Better by working to ensure safety, rebuild lives, regenerate industries, and pass down lessons for the future.
Net Zero Carbon by 2050
Iwate, home to Japan's first geothermal power plant, is committed to protecting our resources. That's why we're aiming to reduce our carbon emissions to net zero by 2050. We will strive to make use of our considerable energy resources to make that dream a reality.
...All this, and much, much more!
More Information
- More information about Iwate's history, economy, and more
- Iwate's Foreign Language Social Media
- Visit Iwate（外部リンク）
- Glossary of Iwate's Cultural Information（外部リンク）
- Iwate & the ILC（外部リンク）
- English Resources for Foreign Residents
How to Get to Iwate
このページに関するお問い合わせ
Office of International Affairs, Department of Homeland Promotion
(020-8570) 10-1 Uchimaru, Morioka City, Iwate Prefecture, JAPAN
Phone number:019-629-5765 Facsimile:019-629-5254
You can access our question form here.