Three rivers merge near the center of Morioka: the Naktsu; the Kitakami; and the Shizukuishi. To the east is the Kitakami mountain range. Twenty kilometers northwest is Mount Iwate, whose summit reaches 2,038 meters above sea level and serves as a backdrop to Morioka.
Iwate Prefecture is the largest in Japan and renowned for its magnificent natural beauty. Best known are Rikuchu Coast National Park, often called the "Alps of the Sea", and Towada Hachimantai National Park, which is a natural museum for volcanoes.