Iwate hotels 50% off on JTB: where to go and what to eat

By the Japan Hotel Coupon Radar team · Nov 9, 2026 · Checked against official pages · Contains affiliate links

JTB is running the Iwate travel discount round 2: 50% off, up to ¥7,000 per person per night.

JTB, Japan's largest travel agency, is running round 2 of the Iwate travel discount. It cuts hotel bills in half, up to ¥7,000 per person per night. Coupons have been out since Sep 1, so check the page for what is left.

The deal

• 50% off hotel stays in Iwate Prefecture
• Up to ¥7,000 off per person per night
• Book on JTB's website

Why Iwate?

Iwate is in northern Honshu, about two hours from Tokyo by bullet train, and covered by the JR East Pass. In 2023 The New York Times put its capital, Morioka, on its list of 52 Places to Go, right after London. It is a walkable castle town with rivers, old merchant houses and coffee shops, and far fewer crowds than Kyoto.

4 places worth the trip

• Chuson-ji and the Golden Hall, Hiraizumi. A UNESCO World Heritage temple whose 900-year-old hall is covered in gold leaf inside and out.
• Geibikei Gorge. A flat-bottomed boat ride between limestone cliffs. The boatman sings a local folk song as you drift.
• Ryusendo Cave. One of Japan's three great limestone caves, with underground lakes so clear and blue they look lit from below.
• Ishiwari-zakura, Morioka. A cherry tree that grew straight through a giant granite boulder. It blooms in late April.

What to eat: Morioka's three great noodles

• Wanko soba. Servers keep flipping small mouthfuls of soba into your bowl until you put the lid on. Locals compete for how many bowls they can eat. Try it at Azumaya, Morioka's best-known wanko soba house.
• Morioka reimen. Chewy cold noodles in a beef broth, topped with kimchi and fruit, inspired by Korean naengmyeon. Pyonpyonsha is a local favorite.
• Jajamen. Thick noodles with a savory miso meat sauce, cucumber and ginger. At Pairon, finish by cracking an egg into your bowl and asking for chitantan, a soup made from the leftover sauce.

Check hours before you go. Popular noodle shops have lines at lunch.