Experience Japan’s Traditions and History Up Close! A Travel Guide to Ishikawa

If you are traveling in Kanazawa, the Kanazawa City 1-Day Free Pass is highly recommended.
It gives you unlimited hop-on, hop-off access to buses, Kanazawa’s main mode of transportation, for one full day.
It costs 800 yen for adults ages 15 and up, and 400 yen for children.
If you ride the bus at least 4 times in one day, it will definitely save you money.
The Kanazawa City 1-Day Free Pass is sold at the tourist information center and bus terminal at Kanazawa Station.
Showing this pass also gives you discounts at many sightseeing spots, so be sure to check it out.

The Noto Railway runs from Nanao Station in central Noto Peninsula to Anamizu Station at the tip of the peninsula.
The Oku-Noto Marugoto Free Ticket gives you unlimited rides for 2 days on both the Noto Railway and Hokutetsu Oku-Noto Bus local routes operating around Nanao Station.
Excluding limited express buses, this pass lets you freely hop on and off transportation in the Noto region, making it ideal for a travel plan that circles the Noto Peninsula.
It is sold at Noto Railway stations and bus terminals, and costs 3,000 yen for adults and 1,500 yen for children.
You may also get discounts at major tourist facilities by showing the pass, so it is well worth using when traveling in the Noto region.

If you want to keep transportation costs down on your Ishikawa trip, the Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass is worth knowing about.
The Takayama-Hokuriku Area Tourist Pass is a great-value ticket that gives you unlimited rides on JR local and limited express trains, the Shinkansen, and buses around Kanazawa and Toyama, as well as the Shirakawa-go and Gokayama area in Gifu, a popular sightseeing destination from Osaka and Nagoya.
It is useful not only for extending your trip to Ishikawa from Osaka or Nagoya, but also for traveling around nearby areas.
The pass costs 19,800 yen for adults and 9,900 yen for children, and is valid for 5 consecutive days.

The Noto Peninsula, which juts into the Sea of Japan in northern Ishikawa Prefecture, is also known as the Noto area.
The west side of the peninsula is home to many dramatic scenic spots with strangely shaped rocks and cliffs carved by the rough waves of the Sea of Japan.
The east side faces Toyama Bay and is known for its calm sea and gentle coastline.
The Noto area is where you can fully enjoy the bounty of the sea, natural beauty, and the nostalgic scenery of traditional rural Japan.
Shiroyone Senmaida features 1,004 terraced rice paddies built on slopes running from the land down toward the sea.
Recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System, it offers spectacular seasonal contrasts: green rice plants from spring to summer, golden ears of rice before harvest in fall, and silvery snow in winter, all set against the blue sea.
There are also many spots where you can experience culture passed down over long periods of time, including traditional crafts such as Wajima lacquerware and Suzu ware, as well as Wakura Onsen, a historic hot spring resort with a history of over 1,200 years.

Located in central Ishikawa Prefecture, this urban area centered around the prefectural capital of Kanazawa is one of the leading cities in the Hokuriku region.
Because it has flourished since medieval times, it is home to many historic streetscapes and old buildings.
Its elegant atmosphere has even earned it the nickname “Little Kyoto.”
It is perfect for anyone who loves history and Japanese-modern charm, with spots such as Higashi Chaya District, where stone-paved streets and traditional old townscapes invite you to stroll, and Kanazawa Castle Park, where the Kanazawa Castle of its prosperous era has been restored.
Kenrokuen Garden, one of Japan’s three most celebrated gardens, is one of Kanazawa’s signature sightseeing spots, known for its seasonal beauty, including cherry blossoms, fall foliage, and yukitsuri rope supports in winter.
Another iconic spot, the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art, Kanazawa, lets you experience contemporary and future-oriented art and sharpen your appreciation for beauty and design.
The area also offers plenty of places to enjoy hot springs, gourmet food, and shopping, making it an essential stop on any trip to Ishikawa.

The Kaga area lies at the southern end of Ishikawa Prefecture along the Sea of Japan, bordering Fukui Prefecture.
It is famous for Kaga Onsenkyo, a hot spring resort area made up of four hot spring towns: Yamashiro Onsen, Yamanaka Onsen, Katayamazu Onsen, and Awazu Onsen.
Each has its own atmosphere and spring qualities, so you can enjoy hopping between them.
The area also has a unique local culture, known for traditional crafts such as Kutani ware and Hikiyama Kodomo Kabuki, one of Japan’s three major children’s kabuki performances.
There is also a wide variety of local foods that make use of its rich ingredients, such as Komatsu udon and Kaga crab rice, along with many spots where you can enjoy nature and history.
Since Komatsu Airport is located here, the area is easy to access from other prefectures and from overseas.

Located in the southeastern part of Ishikawa Prefecture, the Hakusan area lets you fully enjoy the blessings of the inland mountains.
Bordering Gifu, Fukui, and Toyama, this area’s biggest attraction is Mt. Hakusan, one of Japan’s three sacred mountains.
This active volcano rises to 2,702 meters and is home to many rare alpine plants.
You can enjoy trekking on a day trip, but staying at Hakusan Murodo and taking on a full-scale mountain climb is also recommended.
If conditions are right, you can see the sunrise emerging from above a sea of clouds.
Another highlight is Shirayama Hime Shrine, the head shrine of all Hakusan shrines in Japan, where you can experience a solemn atmosphere and also pray for blessings in love and relationships.
The area is rich in mountain produce and pure water, making dishes made with wild mountain vegetables and delicious local sake part of its appeal as well.
It is the perfect area to refresh both body and mind in magnificent natural surroundings.

This lively morning market boasts a history of over 1,000 years. More than 200 stalls line a street of Approx. 360 meters known as Asaichi-dori, selling fresh seafood, vegetables, processed foods, and handmade folk crafts.
There is also a charcoal grill corner where you can grill and eat the dried fish you buy yourself, and the market is always bustling with people.
*Currently closed following a large fire immediately after the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024

This craftspeople’s row house brings together five workshops related to Wajima lacquerware. In addition to viewing Wajima lacquerware works in the gallery and other spaces, you can watch the lacquerware-making process and try traditional decorating techniques such as chinkin and maki-e to create original items like chopsticks. There is also an attached lacquerware shop lined with Wajima bowls and other items.
*Temporarily closed due to the impact of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake in January 2024

Tiered rice fields built in steps along mountain slopes are called tanada, or terraced rice paddies.
They are a landscape that symbolizes Japan’s agricultural traditions, showing how rice farming has been adapted to uneven terrain.
In Shiroyone, Wajima City, you’ll find a vast terraced rice field area known as Shiroyone Senmaida.
The sight of 1,004 rice paddies stretching down as if flowing into the Sea of Japan is truly breathtaking.
The individual paddies, shaped to fit the land, come together to form geometric patterns that create an almost artistic landscape.
From spring to summer, the rice fields are green, in fall they turn golden with ripening ears of rice, and in winter they become white with snow, all in harmony with the blue sea to resemble a grand painting.
On autumn and winter nights, illuminations create yet another kind of mystical atmosphere.

Noto Beef is a branded wagyu raised with great care in Ishikawa’s rich natural surroundings and unspoiled climate.
Only Japanese Black cattle with a clear bloodline and a meat quality grade of A3 or higher or B3 or higher are allowed to be called Noto Beef.
It is known for its high oleic acid content in the fat, which gives the beef its melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Steak and yakiniku are especially recommended for appreciating the full flavor of the meat, but sukiyaki and shabu-shabu are also excellent.
If you want to try Noto Beef at a restaurant in Ishikawa, visit a certified Noto Beef restaurant.

Hanton Rice is a dish of ketchup-flavored butter rice wrapped in a thin soft-cooked omelet, topped with fried white fish, and finished with ketchup and tartar sauce.
This hearty plate combines omelet rice and fried fish in one satisfying dish.
There are several theories about its origin, but it is said that a head chef created it based on a dish eaten in Tokyo, and it eventually became established as a local specialty of Kanazawa.
It is often served at a reasonable price and is widely loved by locals, from children to adults.
Depending on the restaurant, toppings may include fried shrimp, tonkatsu, or fried oysters, and the egg may be runny and soft-cooked or served as scrambled eggs.
Demi-glace sauce may also be used instead of ketchup sauce.
It can be fun to find your own favorite version of Hanton Rice.

There are many kinds of local curry throughout Japan, but Kanazawa Curry from Ishikawa Prefecture is one of the best known.
It is typically defined by its dark, rich, thick roux, a large pork cutlet placed on top, and sauce poured over the cutlet.
It is served with shredded cabbage on the side and presented on a stainless steel plate.
It is loved by everyone from children to adults, but because it is hearty and filling, it is especially popular among men looking for a substantial meal.