The Noto Peninsula

Few places in Japan can offer the beautiful coastal scenery and peaceful rural vibes that the Noto Peninsula can and we highly recommend finding time to step off the beaten path for a few days and explore this less known area on the west coast. The peninsula protrudes around 150km north into the sea of Japan from Kanazawa and with few public transport options, the best way to appreciate it is to take a hired car for a few days and explore independently, at your own pace. The roads are quiet and few, making it a terrific place to self-drive. Here are a few places that we highly recommend visiting on your Noto Peninsula self-drive adventure:

Shiroyone Senmaida Rice Terraces – What a sight! Over 1,000 terraced rice paddies overlooking the ocean on the west coast, north of Wajima. There is a path that takes you down along the coast and gives you a chance to stare back up at paddies for some great photo opportunities.

Soji Temple – Once one of the most important temples for Zen Buddhism in all of Japan, the Soji Temple on the Noto Peninsula was founded in 1321 and although rebuilt many times since then, remains a delightful place to visit. The monks there can offer visitors an interesting zen meditation experience.

Wajima Morning Market – Wajima is the main city on the Noto Peninsula and is perhaps most famous for its morning market, dating back many centuries is one of the biggest in Japan. The market consists of a lot of food stalls, with fresh seafood being the biggest draw, and also vendors selling other local goods, including ‘Wajima-nuri’ lacquerware. Our recommendation if you want to buy some local lacquerware is ‘Kirimoto’s’, a family run workshop and store, generations old, and offering some luxurious but also some inexpensive products. The owners there speak good English.

Notojima – This volcanic island in Nanao Bay has many small minshuku (simple ryokans) run by local fishermen and farmers. We can also arrange a guided cycling tour around the island, a great way to get under the skin of rural Japan.

Chirihama Beach Drive - Another memorable experience is the Chirihama Beach Drive, the only place in Japan where you can safely drive on along a beach.

Provided you are comfortable self-driving, including the Noto Peninsula in the itinerary for your tailormade holiday to Japan is highly recommended!