Nanao and the Noto Peninsula: Slow Coast on the Sea of Japan

The Noto Peninsula hooks out into the Sea of Japan like a long, weathered arm. It is a place of fishing villages, lacquerware workshops, and coastal hot springs, and it has always been slower and quieter than the rest of Hokuriku. In January 2024 a major earthquake struck the peninsula, causing loss of life and serious damage to towns in the north. Recovery is ongoing, and responsible tourism, particularly in the southern and central areas around Nanao and Wakura Onsen, is one of the most tangible ways to help. Parts of the peninsula have reopened; others remain closed or in reconstruction. Check current conditions before travelling.

Why this place

Nanao sits on a deep, sheltered bay on the peninsula’s eastern coast, a market town that has been trading fish and salt for a thousand years. Just north, across a short bridge, Wakura Onsen is one of the oldest hot spring resorts in the country, with waters that bubble up through the sea itself. The pace is unhurried, the light off the bay is soft, and the food, to put it simply, is very good.

Compared to nearby Kanazawa, which has become busy with international visitors, Noto still feels like an older Japan: elderly women walking home from the fish market, wooden boats tied up at small harbours, paper lanterns hanging in front of inns that have been run by the same family for generations.

After the earthquake, local innkeepers have asked, politely, for visitors to come back. Not to gawk, but to stay, to eat, and to let the town keep going.

Getting there

From Tokyo, take the Hokuriku Shinkansen from Tokyo Station to Kanazawa. Kagayaki services do the run in around 2 hours 30 minutes for roughly 14,000 yen. From Kanazawa, transfer to a JR limited express (Noto Kagaribi or Hanayome Noren) that runs up the coast through Nanao to Wakura Onsen; the onward journey takes about 1 hour.

For points further up the peninsula, the Noto Railway connects Nanao to Anamizu via a scenic single-track line hugging the coast, with stops at unstaffed seaside stations. At the time of writing, the full length of the line is gradually being restored after earthquake damage; confirm current service before planning.

Wajima and the northern tip of the peninsula are normally served by bus from Kanazawa or Anamizu. Bus services have been partially restored; allow longer travel times than the pre-quake schedules.

What to see

Wakura Onsen waterfront

The hot spring district sits right on the bay, and many ryokan have baths that look directly out over the water. Even if you are not staying, a short walk along the seafront promenade at dusk, with fishing boats returning to port, is worth the trip on its own.

Notojima Island and the aquarium

A short bridge links Nanao to Notojima, a gentle island of bays and inlets. The Notojima Aquarium is a modest but well-loved regional aquarium famous for its whale shark tank and a circular dolphin pool. Combined with a quiet drive or cycle around the island, it fills a pleasant half day.

Ishizaki fishing harbour and the morning fish market

Ishizaki is one of the peninsula’s main fishing ports, and on weekend mornings a small, informal market sells the night’s catch directly from the boats. You will not be the only visitor, but you will mostly be surrounded by locals buying dinner.

Keta Taisha Shrine

On the west coast, set back among old pines, Keta Taisha is one of Noto’s oldest and most significant shrines. The approach through the trees is particularly striking in autumn.

Wajima morning market (conditions permitting)

Wajima’s centuries-old morning market on the northern coast was badly damaged in the 2024 earthquake. A reduced version has reopened in a temporary form, and local lacquerware makers (Wajima-nuri is among the most prized in Japan) continue to work. If access has been restored when you visit, going is a direct contribution to reconstruction.

Things to do

• Soak in Wakura’s waters. Several inns offer day-use baths for 1,500 to 2,500 yen. The water is salty and warm and unusually mineral-rich.
• Eat oysters. From November through March, the bays around Nanao produce some of the best oysters in western Honshu. Small kaki-goya (oyster huts) grill them to order.
• Ride the Noto Railway (where running) along the coast, just for the views. The Hanayome Noren sightseeing train is a particular experience, finished in lacquer and gold leaf.
• Try lacquerware up close. Small workshops in and around Nanao offer short experiences in applying Wajima-nuri or its regional cousins.
• Cycle Notojima. A loop of around 20 kilometres circles the island, mostly flat, with rentals available near the bridge.

Where to eat

Noto is a seafood region; plan your meals around what is in season.

• Nodoguro (blackthroat sea perch), grilled with salt, is one of Hokuriku’s great fish; look for it at izakaya in Nanao.
• Buri shabu in winter. The cold-water yellowtail of Noto is famous, and in January and February many ryokan and restaurants offer it shabu-style, swished briefly through hot broth.
• Oyster sets. At the kaki-goya huts along the bay, all-you-can-grill oyster sessions run around 3,000 to 4,000 yen per person.
• Ishiri-based dishes. Ishiri is a Noto fish sauce, older than soy sauce in this region, used in simple grilled vegetable and hot-pot dishes you will find on set menus in local lunch spots.

Where to stay

• Wakura Onsen ryokan: the classic choice, with seaside baths and kaiseki dinners. Expect 20,000 to 45,000 yen per person per night with two meals, with historic properties going higher.
• Small minshuku in fishing villages around Nanao: 8,000 to 14,000 yen per person with two meals, usually featuring that day’s catch.
• Business hotels near Nanao station: 7,000 to 10,000 yen per room, useful if you want a simple base for exploring by car.

For a first visit, one night in Wakura Onsen and one night in a minshuku closer to Nanao or on Notojima gives a good contrast.

Practical tips

• Best season: Late spring (May) for mild weather and greenery; autumn for colour and crab; winter for seafood, though expect grey skies and occasional snow closures.
• How many days: Two to three nights. The peninsula is larger than it looks on a map.
• Cash vs card: Wakura Onsen ryokan and larger restaurants take cards; small harbours, buses, and minshuku are cash-only. There are 7-Eleven and Japan Post ATMs in Nanao.
• Language: Very limited English outside the main ryokan. A translation app is essential.
• Earthquake awareness: Always check the Ishikawa prefectural tourism site and your inn’s website for current conditions before travel. Respect any closed areas and follow local instructions. If you visit, spend money locally: this is the most useful thing you can do.
• Etiquette: At fish markets and harbours, ask before photographing people at work. Most will say yes, but they should be asked.