This itinerary is part of a set of 8 itineraries that circle the Noto Peninsula of Ishikawa Prefecture, following the coastal roads as much as possible. You can choose to only follow this itinerary, or you can combine this itinerary with as many of the other "Noto Peninsula" itineraries, and/or "Festival" itineraries, as you like and have the time for.
This itinerary covers the western side of the Noto Peninsula from Kanazawa to Shika. It should take about one-day. Once you select it and save it, you can change/customize it. If you plan to continue on, you can add other Noto Peninsula itineraries starting from Wajima. Although we recommend beginning the string of Noto Peninsula itineraries from the Kanazawa Station (MapCode: 41 558 874*22), you can begin it from other nearby "gateways," e.g. the Komatsu Airport (MapCode: 120 529 748*33) or the Noto Satoyama Airport (MapCode: 283 475 067*52).
ACCOMMODATIONS: There are a variety of accommodation options in the Shika City (Shika-machi) area of Hakui District (Hakui-shi) of Ishikawa Prefecture (Ishikwas-ken) where you can spend the night, if you wish. There are considerably less accommodation options between Shika and Wajima.
You can also easily reverse the itinerary, if you wish, just by following the MapCodes in the reverse order.
The Kanazawa Station (Kanazawa-eki) is a railway station in Kanazawa-shi (Kanazawa City), Ishikawa-ken (Ishikawa Prefecture) operated by West Japan Railway Company (JR West) and the private railway operators Hokuriku Railway, and IR Ishikawa Railway. The station serves the Hokuriku Shinkansen line (currently operating between Tokyo, Nagano and Kanazawa). The station averages about 22,700 boarding passengers per day.
The station has a Midori no Madoguchi (みどりの窓口, literally "green window") with a MARS (マルス Marusu, which stands for Multi Access seat Reservation System) capable of selling reserved seats throughout the entire JR system.
The departure melody used on the Hokuriku Shinkansen platforms was composed by songwriter and producer Yasutaka Nakata, who was born in Kanazawa. The station has numerous rental car offices on both the east and west sides. It also serves as a bus station hub.
The Kita family is related to Nitta Yoshisada, who was a descendent of the Minamoto clan. Among Yoshisada’s descendants served the Hatakeyama clan, the governor of Noto. In the early Edo period, the family changed their name to Kita, after settling in Kitakawashiri. The family began to serve as tomura-yaku; they were in charge of controlling farming villages in the Kaga domain in 1819. They rose to the level of head tomura-yaku, and at one time governed as many as 203 villages.
Their house can be traced back to the early 19th century. The main building, front gate, equipment storehouse and miso storehouse have been designated as important cultural properties by the national government. The main building, with its pantile gable roof and entrance on the gable side, is built on ground that is about 1.5 m lower than the surrounding land to prevent it from being seen from the outside. It looks like it is in the mortar. The house has 16 rooms, including a gathering room for listening to farmers’ petitions and complaints, a room used exclusively by the lord of the domain, and a three-tatami-mat room where warriors who guarded the lord could hide and stand by in case they were needed. The hall of the house is 1.5 ken (about 2.7 m) wide, so that spears thrust from outside could not reach the rooms inside. When the 13th lord of the Kaga domain, Maeda Nariyasu, made his rounds of Noto in 1853, this residence was used as the official inn for him.
3.
Chirihama Beach Drive - South End - 千里浜なぎさドライブウェイ今浜口,千里浜なぎさドライブウェイ今浜口
Photo Walter L. Keats
Photo Walter L. Keats
Photo Walter L. Keats
Photo Walter L. Keats
Photo Walter L. Keats
Min/Max Time :
15 / 30
Minutes
MapCode :
135 000 307*00
Description :
The Chirihama Beach Drive is one of the few places in Japan or even the world where one can drive motor vehicles along the smooth, 8 km/5 mi long beach, 24 hours per day. This location is the south entrance to the Chirihama "Nagisi" (Beach) Drive. It is the most convenient entrance when coming from Kanazawa and allows you to drive the entire length of the beach on the sand.
Note that about midway along the beach there are several huts selling fresh cooked seafood.
Hours :
Open daily 24/7
Address :
Ta Chirihamamachi, Hakui, Ishikawa 925-0054
6.2
km / 3.9
miles
-
(14
minutes)
4.
Chirihama Beach Drive - North End - 千里浜なぎさドライブウェイ今浜口
Courtesy of Walter L. Keats
Min/Max Time :
5 / 10
Minutes
MapCode :
135 182 667*00
Description :
This is the north end of Chirihama "Nagisi" Beach Drive where one would normally exit after coming from the south end.
One of over 1,000 "Michi-no-Eki" ("roadside stations") in Japan providing 24 hour parking and restrooms. Michi-no-Eki stations are part of a 20-year old national program to provide safe, comfortable road services, plus highlighting regional food and souvenir items. There is usually a tourist information area, many with English-speaking assistants, or at least English language brochures/maps. Food service and shopping open hours vary by location.
This Michi-no-Eki is a very modern rest area; well worth a stop. They do an excellent job featuring products and produce from the local area.
Address :
0-70 Hakui-cho, Hakui, Ishikawa 925-8525
3.8
km / 2.3
miles
-
(8
minutes)
6.
Museum of Space History (& UFOs) - 宇宙科学博物館コスモアイル羽咋
The Museum of Space History is located in "Cosmo Isle Hakui". The museum is famous for its UFO materials and alien/UFO emphasis. It has a good collection of US space hardware. Food and shopping available.
Celebrated in the Manyoshu ("Collection of Ten Thousand Leaves", the oldest existing collection of Japanese poetry), the Keta Taisha shrine has been the place of veneration for the Lords of successive generations of the Maeda Family. It is designated as an Important National Cultural Property. Its main building is a shrine that grants the divine favor of a happy union in marriage.
Next door is the modest Seikakuin Temple. Vending machines and toilets are in the parking lot.
The Myojoji Temple is the Head Temple of the Nichiren Sect of Buddhism in the Hokuriku Region.
Myojoji has what is called “Shichido garan”, seven halls that make up an ideal Buddhist temple compound. The temple boasts ten nationally-recognized jūyō bunkazai (a tangible cultural property that has been deemed to be of particular importance), three prefecturally-recognized jūyō bunkazai, and a garden famous for its scenic beauty.
In the temple compound, Soshido Hall, the Main Hall, and Sankodo Hall stand side by side. This formation preserves the ancient atmosphere of the Nichiren temple. The temple has preserved its ancient buildings for over 400 due to the absence of any fires.
Meals and shopping are available in the parking lot.
Address :
Yo-1 Takidani-machi, Hakui, Ichikawa 925-0002
17.0
km / 10.6
miles
-
(21
minutes)
9.
Old Fukura Lighthouse - 福浦灯台,福浦灯台
Courtesy of Walter L. Keats
Japan's oldest wooden lighthouse
Min/Max Time :
10 / 20
Minutes
MapCode :
984 282 337*71
Website :
kaiho.mlit.go.jp
Description :
The historic Old Fukura Lighthouse is the oldest wooden lighthouse in Japan (no need to stop at signs for the "New" Fuura Lighthouse). The Old Fukura Lighthouse is off the main road to the west, requiring a short walk.
NOTE: This MapCode is for the intersection where you would begin to walk to the west down a narrow lane. There is a convenient parking lot a little to the east at MapCode: 984 282 310*41.
It is thought that the Taira Family Garden was made as the front garden to a reception room during the mid-Edo period (1603-1868), though there are theories suggesting it could be from the older Muromachi period (1336-1573).
As a private garden it has an outstanding construction in the same fashion as the reception room of the house. The garden is of great importance for research on garden culture in the Noto region along with the Myojo-ji Temple reception room garden in Hakui City and the Shimotokikuni Family Garden in Wajima City.
The Musee de la Fleuri is a plant conservatory in a beautiful setting overlooking the ocean. There are a variety of rooms focused on different plant environments. There is also a cafe and related shopping area in the building. Nice place for a relaxing stop.
