Morioka is a town, famous for iron, located in Iwate Prefecture in the Northern part of Japan. Due to the ample supply of this resource, the ironware industry became prosperous in this part of Japan in the mid 17th century. Since this area is part of the ancient Nambu Domain, ironware made in Morioka is called "Nambu-tekki" and is known to the Japanese as the best brand of ironware.

Nobuho Miya : Metal Artist

Born in Morioka in 1952, and he is the head of a third-generation "Kamasada" ironware workshop founded in the Meiji era. He completed a Masters course in iron casting at the prestigious Tokyo National University of Fine Arts. In 1989, he restored and reproduced the ornamental tops of the posts of Konjiki-do, Chuson-ji Temple. His works are simple but in their simplicity lies grave beauty. They display a sense of the modern while maintaining traditional taste using Japanese motifs. They have been exhibited worldwide including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 2003.