Why You Should Skip Tokyo for Morioka

Why did the New York Times name Morioka, Japan, one of the top places to visit? In this "vlogumentary," I travel to the Iwate Prefecture—my mother’s ancestral homeland—to discover why this small city is full of youthful energy and hidden gems. We move beyond the tourist traps of Tokyo to explore Morioka’s unique food culture, from the legendary Wanko Soba challenge to local favorites like Jaja noodles. I also visit my mother’s hometown of Hanamaki (the home of MLB star Shohei Ohtani) for a moving experience at the traditional Aki Matsuri autumn festival. Stick around as I interview local business owners at Bar Rag Morioka and Bar Steady to see why the "real Japan" is found in the North. Timestamps: 0:00 - Why Morioka? (The NYT Top Destination) 2:00 - Ancestral Roots: My connection to Iwate 4:00 - City Views: The Morioka Observatory 6:00 - Interview: Music & Nightlife at Bar Rag Morioka 8:00 - Hanamaki: Small town Japan & Shohei Ohtani’s home 9:40 - The Deer Dance (Shishi-odori) Tradition 12:15 - Tasting Jaja Noodles: A Morioka specialty 14:00 - Jamaican Oldies & Reggae in Japan (Bar Steady) 17:30 - Aki Matsuri: The Fall Festival experience 25:30 - The Wanko Soba Challenge: Can I finish? #Morioka #Iwate #JapanTravel #HiddenJapan #japanvlog #japan