Morioka Nakanohashi & Sakanacho Area Guide: Red Brick Hall, Nakatsu River & Hot Line Sakanacho

The area extending from Nakanohashi to Sakanacho in Morioka has a compact concentration of spots that are just right for strolling around town. It is perfect for a walk at your own pace—whether you amble along the river, gaze at the large red-brick building, or wander straight through the arcade as you please.

Featuring “Iwate Bank Red Brick Hall,” a National Important Cultural Property, the scenery of the Nakatsu River flowing through the center of town toward Iwate Park, and “hot line Sakanacho,” an all-weather arcade shopping street, it is a place where you can feel Morioka’s local atmosphere and tranquility.

In this article, based on photos actually taken by the author while walking, we introduce the surroundings of Nakanohashi and Sakanacho.

Nakanohashi & Sakanacho Area Guide / Highlights

Iwate Park and Nakatsu River — a Park of Water and Greenery for Pleasant Riverside Strolling

The area around the Morioka Castle Site (Iwate Park) and the Nakatsu River flowing beside it is rich in water and greenery. Splendid stone walls remain inside the park, so you can enjoy a stroll while walking among the trees.

A pedestrian path runs along the Nakatsu River right next to it, letting you pass under bridges or go down to the water’s edge while listening to the river’s murmur. Despite being in the central area, it has a sense of openness, making it just right for a leisurely stroll while gazing at the river’s flow.

Recently, entry to the pedestrian path along the riverbed has been prohibited.

A Historic Building: the Beautiful, Striking Iwate Bank Red Brick Hall

What particularly catches the eye at the Nakanohashi intersection is the “Iwate Bank Red Brick Hall,” built in 1911. Its exterior—red bricks with white granite lines—lets you feel the modern atmosphere of the Meiji and Taisho eras.

This building was designed by Kingo Tatsuno, who also worked on Tokyo Station, and is designated as a National Important Cultural Property. Simply gazing at it from the outside conveys the detail and dignity of its construction, but parts of the interior can also be toured for free. Its historic appearance, blending into the city as a matter of course, can be called a symbolic presence when walking through Morioka.

A New Spot in the Nakanohashi & Sakanacho Area / Shopping Mall “monaka”

Opened in 2024, “monaka” is a complex that serves as a new landmark on Nakanohashi-dori. Built on the site of the former “Nakasan Department Store,” it houses a direct-from-farm market lined with fresh local ingredients, eateries, household-goods shops, and more.

Despite being a state-of-the-art building, it features a calm design that blends into the surrounding streetscape. From the 1st floor to the upper floors, rest spaces as well as shopping are well provided, making it convenient to drop by casually after walking by the Nakatsu River or Red Brick Hall. It is a gourmet and shopping spot recommended for strolling in the Nakanohashi and Sakanacho areas where you can feel a new breeze of Morioka.

Rare “Ebisu-ya’s Round Taiyaki” Available to Eat

In the 1st-floor eatery area, rare “round taiyaki (260 JPY per piece)” are available. Featuring the nostalgic taste of traditional taiyaki in a modern round shape, it is a taiyaki that seems to express the style and chicness of Morioka locals.

Nostalgia-Evoking Traditional Arcade “hot line Sakanacho”

“hot line Sakanacho” is an all-weather arcade shopping street about 365 meters long, exuding a somewhat nostalgic atmosphere. Long-established tea shops, clothing stores, and other businesses that have continued from earlier times line the street, making it a place filled with everyday life where locals come for daily shopping.

With the times, unfortunately it no longer has the liveliness of days past, but even so—parents with children or elderly couples walking leisurely, or sometimes elementary school students running through—it remains a shopping street that makes you glad it still preserves the merits of a locally rooted arcade.

Because the wide pedestrian-only pathway has a roof, you can walk on rainy or snowy days without worrying about the weather. Unlike modern shopping malls, it is suited to wandering and gazing at shopfronts while feeling the atmosphere of a shopping street where time flows slowly.

“Plaza Odette”: a Multifunctional Spot Convenient for Tourist Information and Rest

Standing right near Nakanohashi, “Plaza Odette” is a complex perfect for gathering tourist information and resting. Inside, there is a tourist information center where you can obtain town-strolling pamphlets, and a shop lined with Morioka specialties is also attached.

On the 2nd floor, there is the “Morioka Tegamikan” (Morioka Letter Museum) displaying letters of predecessors, where you can quietly touch upon history. A large plaza extends in front of the building, and using it as a starting point when strolling by the Nakatsu River or Red Brick Hall—or as a drop-in spot when tired from walking—is recommended.

Location & Access for Nakanohashi & Sakanacho

Location

The Nakanohashi & Sakanacho area is located about 1.5 kilometers east of Morioka Station, across the Nakatsu River. From JR Morioka Station, it is convenient to take buses from the bus terminal departure points (Nos. 5, 6, 12, 13, etc.)—such as the “Morioka City Center Loop Bus ‘Dendenmushi'” or buses bound for “Chabatake”—and get off at “Morioka Bus Center” or “Nakanohashi-dori 1-chome.”

The bus ride takes about 10 to 15 minutes. From Morioka Bus Center, everything is right nearby on foot, and the Red Brick Hall, hot line Sakanacho, and Iwate Park (Morioka Castle Site Park) are all within a few minutes’ walk. By car, using nearby paid parking lots or the parking lot at Morioka Bus Center makes for a smooth stroll.

History of Nakanohashi & Sakanacho

Item / Period	History of Nakanohashi & Sakanacho Area
Feudal Era	Developed as a castle town for Morioka Castle, Sakanacho flourished as a merchant town where fish merchants gathered.
1911 (Meiji 44)	Morioka Bank Head Office (now Iwate Bank Red Brick Hall) completed. Around Nakanohashi became a center of finance and economy.
1981 (Showa 56)	All-weather arcade “hot line Sakanacho” completed in the Sakanacho Shopping Street.
2011 (Heisei 23)	Department store “Nakasan Morioka Store,” one of the area’s symbols, closed.
2012 (Heisei 24)	After operations at the Iwate Bank Nakanohashi Branch ended in 2012, it underwent preservation repairs and opened to the public in 2016 as “Iwate Bank Red Brick Hall.”
2024 (Reiwa 6)	New complex facility “monaka” opened in the redevelopment area including the former Nakasan site.

Summary: Nakanohashi & Sakanacho Area Guide

The area extending from Nakanohashi to Sakanacho in Morioka is just right for strolling, where historic buildings, nature, and local everyday life are gathered in a compact area. Walking while listening to the murmur of the Nakatsu River, gazing at the dignified Red Brick Hall, and taking in the present-day air of Morioka on the shopping street—you can spend a relaxed time like that.

Rushing around famous tourist spots is fine, but why not wander around Nakanohashi at your own pace sometimes? In the river’s flow and the shopping street’s atmosphere, comfort unique to Morioka will surely be found.

“Daiji Shimizu” and “Morioka Hachimangu,” which you can walk to from Sakanacho or Nakanohashi and are just right for a stroll to feel good old Morioka, are also recommended routes for walking around Morioka.