Minamisoma City, located in the northern Pacific coast, is a relatively new city formed in 2006 by the merger of one city and two towns. It is bordered by the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Abukuma Plateau to the west. Other landmarks include Mount Hachimori, Mount Hachijoishi, the Nitta River, and the Mano River. Minamisoma City has many tourist attractions, including the Soma Nomaoi Festival, a nationally designated Important Intangible Folk Cultural Property. It is one of the six major festivals in the Tohoku region and is said to be the pioneer of summer festivals in the region. It features a procession of approximately 500 mounted warriors, horse racing in traditional armor, and a sacred flag battle. Other notable sights include the Urajiri Shell Mound, a national historic site, and the Sakurai Kofun, a large keyhole-shaped burial mound in the Tohoku region, also a national historic site.