The name is an acronym: that is how Ono, Iwasaki and Inoue founded the 3,000 hectares in 1891.
‘Koiwai’ is not a place name: it is an abbreviation of the three founders (Ono Yoshisada, vice-president of the Japanese railways, Inoue Masaru, head of the national railways, and Iwasaki Yanosuke, president of Mitsubishi), who in 1891 put their names together to reclaim land made barren by volcanic ash from Mount Iwate, which you can see in full from the farm. Since 1899 the property has belonged to the Iwasaki family. Of the 3,000 hectares in total, about 40 are open to the public as Makiba-en, with cows and sheep you can get close to, a creamery and its own dairy products.
Founded in 1891 on the plateau at the foot of Mount Iwate as compensation for the environmental damage caused by the railway, it is now one of the largest integrated private farms in Japan, known nationwide for its Koiwai-brand dairy products.
ℹ️ Makiba-en open 9:00–17:00 (last entry 16:00); opening hours vary with the season and should be checked on the official site before setting out.
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Nearby
Morioka Artisans' Village6.4 kmphoto by 掬茶 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mount Iwate9.5 kmphoto by yisris from Morioka, Japan · CC BY-SA 2.0
Morioka Station11.6 kmphoto by Suicasmo · CC BY-SA 4.0
Hōon-ji12.6 kmphoto by 663highland · CC BY-SA 4.0