Morioka (盛岡市, Morioka-shi) 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 盛岡 to 森岡 (both read as Morioka) in 1683 when the population...
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Morioka (盛岡市, Morioka-shi) 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 盛岡 to 森岡 (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 Ōshū 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...
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