4 Best Restaurants in Morioka, Tohoku

Hearty soba is made from buckwheat, and Azuma-ya is easily Morioka's most famous place to eat these healthy noodles. The second level is devoted to the courageous with an appetite, where wanko soba courses—all you could possibly want to eat—are served. The ground floor is for a more casual (and less competitive) dining experience. If you don't want the eating challenge, order from their many other dishes. Keep in mind that they close for a two-hour break at 3 pm and stop taking orders by 8 pm.

When you step through the sliding doors into what seems like someone's house, the sea creatures you might not recognize in the aquarium or packed on ice at the front give you a big hint about what you'll be enjoying—all manner of seasonal shellfish and fish—fried, grilled, and served raw. The vegetable dishes are similarly fantastic. The menu changes seasonally, but you can be drinking excellent local sake with friendly regulars any time of the year. It can get a bit pricey, but if you're a seafood fan you'll find it to be almost cheap for what you get. It is in a lively neighborhood filled with bars and nightlife, just to the west of the red-tiled Hotel New Carina. Reservations are recommended, especially on weekends.

It's difficult to travel around Japan and avoid all animal products, but if you're looking to sample some home-cooking-style cuisine, check out this restaurant that is welcoming, lively, and full of healthy vegetarian food—no eggs, meat, fish, dairy, white sugar, or chemicals. This place is hard to find, hidden in what looks like it might be someone's house, so don't miss it. If you're heading from the west, you'll cross a bridge and the tiny noren curtain on your left will be a clue.

While Korean food might not be on your list for a town like Morioka, reimen—a dish of clear noodles served cold with a hard-boiled egg, watermelon, and a slice of meat—has become Morioka's signature dish. It is often served in a set with Korean-inspired items such as bibimbap (rice in a hot stone bowl, topped with pickled vegetables, ground meat, and egg) in this airy modern restaurant near Morioka Station. Evening meals feature meat you can barbecue at your table. You'll have to check in at a machine at the entrance and get a number before going in. Ask for help if you need it.