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Souvenirs

Nanbu Cast Ironware and Nanbu Iron Kettles (Morioka)

Iron cookware that brings out more and more flavor with use.

　Since ancient times this area has been a source of high quality iron sand, rock sand, and river sand, as well as clay, lacquer and coal, which are necessary ingredients for cast metal, making this an ideal place to manufacture cast metal.
The lords of the Nanbu clan had a strong interest in culture. They summoned a founder (a metal casting artisan) named Nui Suzuki from Koshu (modern day Yamanashi) and a tea kettle caster from Kyoto named Goroshichi Koizumi. They began manufacturing canons, large hanging bells, and kettles. The eighth generation lord of the Nanbu clan spread tea ceremony among the samurai and villagers around the castle. Around that time, the Nanbu lord’s iron kettles were used as gifts to the shogunate and other feudal lords. They became famous as Nanbu kettles, and later were manufactured in more intricate styles as the style developed into what we have today. They were easier to use than other kettles, and became used as a household tool for boiling water. There are many workshops within Morioka that continue the traditional techniques to make modern implements including pots and frying pans.

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Miyako Fish and Vegetable Market(Miyako)

Miyako's kitchen, filled with delicacies every day.

　Off the shore of Miyako, warm and cold currents collide, making it an ideal place for fishing many varieties of fish. At the Miyako Fish and Vegetable Market, there are of course many vendors that deal in freshly caught fish and other seafood. There are also grocers, butchers, take-out vendors, and more. In fact there are more than 30 shops in the market, making for an abundance that gives it the nickname, Miyako’s kitchen. They will also wrap up your purchases as souvenir gifts, so people coming from far away can buy without worry.
There are many events held here throughout the year. In March is the fishing season opening festival, in August the Japanese Obon holiday festival, and in December there is a New Year’s festival.

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