Morioka Hotels

Morioka is the capital city of Iwate prefecture, Japan. As of 2005, the city has an estimated population of 300,740 and the density of 588.11 persons per km². The total area is 489.15 km². Morioka was founded in 1597 by Nobunao, the 26th lord of the Nanbu clan, as a castle town. In 1655 Nanbu-han was divided into Morioka-han and Hachinohe-han. Its name was changed from (both read as Morioka) in 1683 when the population was 36,000. The city was designated the capital of Iwate on April 1, 1889. Morioka is in the territory inhabited by the Emishi people in ancient times. The general Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, who was ordered to conquer the Emishi, built Shiwa Castle here in 803, and the region gradually was brought under imperial control. At the end of the Heian period, Morioka was under the control of the Ôshû Fujiwara Clan based in Hiraizumi, to the south of Morioka. The clan was destroyed by shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo, and the Kudo Clan replaced it. During the Muromachi period, the Nanbu clan, based in Sannohe to the north, expanded its territory and built Kozukata Castle here. Kozukata changed its name to Morioka in the 17th century. In the Boshin War, Morioka made a pro-shogunate alliance with Aizu, and fought against the imperial force. As a consequence Kozukata castle was destroyed in 1874.