Shizukuishi offers different highlights for a stay: Mount Iwate, an area of Towada-Hachimantai National Park, and the leisure activities at Koiwai Farm. The contrast is helpful when deciding what to choose: Mount Iwate is a single, clearly named mountain with a specific elevation at its center; to the northwest, there is a national park area and several peaks. At the farm, in turn, there are two different ways to visit—a guided tour and the Makiba-en leisure area. You can first consider whether you would rather focus on the landscape or a farm experience.
Mountain scenery: Iwate and the national park area
Mount Iwate is 2,038 meters high, is one of Japan’s “100 Famous Mountains,” and is also called “Nanbu-Katafuji.” Its foothills extend across Shizukuishi. These details describe different aspects of the same mountain: its elevation indicates its size, the local name is another name for it, and the foothills connect it to the area. If you want to explore Shizukuishi through the theme of a single mountain, you can focus on Mount Iwate. “Nanbu-Katafuji” refers to the same mountain, not an additional peak.
An area in the northwest of Shizukuishi is part of Towada-Hachimantai National Park. From Hachimantai, mountain peaks around 1,500 meters high extend southward. This places a single named mountain and an area with several peaks alongside one another as distinct nature-focused themes. The figures also refer to different things: 2,038 meters is the elevation of Mount Iwate, while the figure of around 1,500 meters refers to peaks in the national park area. So when comparing these two landscapes, associate each elevation with the relevant mountains rather than reading them as figures for a single peak.
Two different ways to visit Koiwai Farm
At Koiwai Farm in Shizukuishi, the guided “Farm Tractor Ride” tour passes through a wooded area that is not open to the public. This condition is important when choosing an experience: the forest section is part of the guided ride route and is not a generally accessible visitor area. If this tour appeals to you, keep its guided format in mind when planning your visit.
Makiba-en is the leisure area at Koiwai Farm, a destination for adults and children. It offers a variety of leisure activities as well as meals made with farm products. The focus of each option is therefore clearly different: the tour centers on a guided ride and a wooded area that is not open to the public, while Makiba-en offers a variety of leisure activities and meals. To decide, consider whether you would like to include a specific guided tour or prefer the leisure area with its range of activities in your trip. Both options are part of Koiwai Farm, but they offer different kinds of visit.
Discover more destinations: Kuzumaki
For the overview of the wider area: Iwate District.
