I have to mention the breakfast at Hotel Nikko in Kanazawa - it was the best yet. Not overcrowded, no queue to get in, great options to choose from.

It was still wet when I set off from Kanazawa, all the way to the only change at Omiya (near Tokyo) and most of the way up north, but by the time the train reached Morioka the sun was out again and, thankfully, it was a bit cooler, so I could even wear my rain jacket comfortably.

After dropping my bag, I headed to the ruins of Morioka Castle. Started in 1597, it was dismantled in 1874 as part of the Meiji Restoration (which affected other castles too). In 1906 the castle grounds were made into a park and opened to the public.

While walking around I spotted Mount Iwate through a gap in the surrounding buildings. Mount Iwate is one of the reasons I chose to come to Morioka, intending to walk to the summit. However, in recent months the authorities here have declared it unsafe due to the risk of eruptions. Probably just as well as it's 8 times taller than Arthur's Seat, the standard route up and back down is between 6-7 hours and you have to watch out for bears. It might have finished me off.