Iwate was historically part of Mutsu Province. It was brought into the empire around 800.

In the Jōmon period it was an area abundant in fishing and hunting. There were also Emishi settlements in the Kitakami Basin until the end of the eighth century when the Nara authorities penetrated deeply into Iwate, with Fort Shiwa, to the north of present day Morioka, constructed in 803.

Iwate faces the Pacific Ocean to the east, and borders Aomori Prefecture on the north, Akita Prefecture on the west, and Miyagi Prefecture on the south. The prefecture has mountains in the west, north and east, with the valley of the Kitakami River running from north to south through the center of the province and including the capital. The coast is very rugged, with little in between the mountains and the sea.

Thirteen cities are located in Iwate Prefecture:

• Hachimantai
• Hanamaki
• Ichinoseki
• Kamaishi
• Kitakami
• Kuji
• Miyako
• Morioka (capital)
• Ninohe
• Ofunato
• Ōshū
• Rikuzentakata
• Tono

Towns and villages in each district:

Higashiiwai District
Fujisaw

Isawa District
Kanegasaki

Iwate District
Iwate
Kuzumaki
Shizukuishi
Takizawa

Kamihei District
Otsuchi

Kesen District
Sumita

Kunohe District
Karumai
Kunohe
Noda
Hirono

Ninohe District
Ichinohe

Nishiiwai District
Hiraizumi

Shimohei District
Fudai
Iwaizumi
Kawai
Tanohata
Yamada

Shiwa District
Shiwa
Yahaba

Waga District
Nishiwaga

Of the several theories about the origin of the name ‘Iwate’, the most well known tale, 'Oni no tegata,' is that associated with Mitsuishi Shrine in Morioka. (The Mitsuishi, literally ‘three rocks’, are said to have been thrown down into Morioka by an eruption of Mt Iwate.) According to the legend, there was once a devil who often tormented and harassed the local people. When the people prayed to the spirits of Mitsuishi for protection, the devil was immediately shackled to the rocks and made to promise never to trouble the people again. As a sign of this promise the devil left a handprint on one of the rocks, thus giving rise to the name Iwate, literally meaning ‘rock hand’. Even now after a rainfall it is said that the devil’s hand print can still be seen.