title: Iwate Prefecture
text: is a prefecture in the Tōhoku region of Japan. It is on the island of Honshu. The capital city is Morioka.
  
  History 
  The area of Iwate was part of Mutsu Province.
  
  In 1869, Mutsu was split into five new provinces: Rikuōku, Rikuchū, Rikuzen, Iwashiro and Iwaki.  The first three of these together known as the "Three Riku", or Sanriku.
  
  The new provinces were abolished in July 1871.
  
  In the Meiji period, the provinces of Japan were converted into prefectures. Maps of Japan and Mutsu Province were changed in the 1870s.
  
  Geography
  Iwate is the second largest prefecture after Hokkaido.
  
  The prefecture is in the Tōhoku region of Honshū island. It has the island's easternmost point.  The eastern coastline faces the Pacific Ocean.  Iwate shares its northern border with Aomori Prefecture.  The western border meets Akita Prefecture.  Its southern border is shared with Miyagi Prefecture.
  
  Cities
  
  National Parks
  National parks cover about 5% of the total land area of the prefecture. They include:
   Towada-Hachimantai National Park
   Rikuchu Kaigan National Park
  
  Shrines and temples
  Tsutsukowake jinja is the main Shinto shrine (ichinomiya) of the prefecture.
  
  The Buddhist temples of Hiraizumi include Chūson-ji and Mōtsū-ji. Hiraizumi was added to the World Heritage List in June 2011.
  
  Related pages
   Provinces of Japan
   Prefectures of Japan
   List of regions of Japan
   List of islands of Japan
   Iwate Museum of Art
  
  References
  
  Other websites
   http://www.pref.iwate.jp/info.rbz?ik=1&nd=4334 ;