Noto Peninsula
Noto Peninsula
In the north of Ishikawa Prefecture, the Noto Peninsula and its city of Nanao concentrate three rare Japanese traditions: giant floats, handcrafted candles, and bride's noren curtains.
Why visit the Noto Peninsula
The Noto Peninsula (Noto han-tô 能登半島) covers the entire north of Ishikawa Prefecture, on the coast of the Sea of Japan. At its base, in the southeast, the city of Nanao (七尾) concentrates three singular traditions rarely found elsewhere in the archipelago: a festival of giant floats, a workshop for handcrafted candles, and bride's curtains passed down through generations.
The region remains off the beaten tourist path, making it a relevant stopover for those wishing to extend a stay in Kanazawa with an immersion into rural and artisanal Japan.
What to see and do in Nanao
The dekayama festival
Every year around May 5th, Children's Day, Nanao celebrates its most spectacular festival. In place of the traditional o-mikoshi (portable shrine), three immense floats called dekayama でか山 are paraded through the city. The word literally means "enormous mountain," and the image is apt: each of these floats weighs several tons.
Movement is entirely by hand. Men grouped at the rear operate enormous wooden levers to advance the structure a few centimeters at a time. The tour through the city stretches over several hours, punctuated by cries of effort and pauses. The crowd accompanies the procession, beer and kakigôri カキ氷 (flavored shaved ice) in hand.
The wa-rôsoku candles
Nanao is renowned for its handcrafted Japanese candles, the wa-rôsoku 和ろうそく. They are made from Japanese paper (washi 和紙) rolled to form the wick, and wax extracted from the wax tree (haze 櫨). The result stands out clearly from Western paraffin candles:
- a wide flame resistant to wind;
- little smoke upon combustion;
- most often a white or red appearance, sometimes enhanced with hand-painted motifs.
Several workshops in the town center can be visited and allow you to observe the manufacturing process. Wa-rôsoku traditionally serve during festivals, Buddhist ceremonies, or simply to create ambiance in the home.
The hanayome-noren
As you stroll through the streets of Nanao, you'll notice unusual noren 暖簾 at many shops. A noren is a short curtain with vertical slits that adorns the storefronts of Japanese shops. But those in Nanao are hanayome-noren 花嫁のれん, or "bride's noren," a tradition unique to the Noto region.
Custom dictates that the bride's parents embroider a noren for her that she brings to her in-laws' home on her wedding day. The curtain is then hung at the entrance of the butsuma 仏間, the family Buddhist chapel where ancestors rest. Some hanayome-noren displayed in Nanao date from the Meiji era (late 19th century) and testify to textile expertise passed down through several generations.
When to go
The most memorable period remains early May, around the dekayama festival. If you're targeting these dates, plan to book your accommodation several months in advance as Nanao has limited hotel capacity and Japan's Golden Week saturates the entire region.
Outside the festival, spring (April-June) and autumn (October-November) offer pleasant conditions for exploring the peninsula. Winter is harsh on this coast exposed to Sea of Japan winds, but it's also the season when wa-rôsoku truly shine in traditional interiors.
Practical information
- Duration of visit: allow one day for Nanao itself, two to three days to explore the entire Noto Peninsula.
- Budget: workshop and shop visits generally free or at moderate rates; wa-rôsoku make affordable to expensive souvenirs depending on size and decoration.
- Audience: suitable for families, particularly during the festival which coincides with Children's Day.
How to get there
Nanao is reached by train from Kanazawa, the terminus of the Hokuriku Shinkansen coming from Tokyo. The JR Nanao line and then the Noto Railway line serve the city and allow you to continue further north toward Wajima. Allow approximately 1.5 hours travel time from Kanazawa.
To explore the interior of the peninsula, a rental car remains the most flexible option: public transport becomes scarce beyond Nanao and sites of interest (Senmaida rice terraces, Wajima morning markets, coastal shrines) are scattered.
To see in the surrounding area
The Noto Peninsula lends itself to a loop itinerary from Kanazawa. Several stops can complement a visit to Nanao:
- the samurai quarter of Nagamachi in Kanazawa, for its preserved atmosphere;
- the museums of Kinosaki, another cultural stop on the Sea of Japan coast;
- the historic Nakasendo route, to further immerse yourself in traditional Japan.
Frequently asked questions
The festival takes place every year in early May, with the highlight on May 5th, Children's Day in Japan. Festivities typically span two to three days around this date.
Each float weighs several tons. They are moved exclusively by hand, using long levers operated by dozens of men at the rear, which explains the slowness of the procession.
Wa-rôsoku are made with a washi paper wick and vegetable wax from the haze tree. They produce a wider flame, resistant to wind, and emit little smoke, unlike paraffin candles.
It is a bride's curtain unique to the Noto region. Made by the bride's parents, it is hung at the entrance of the family Buddhist chapel (butsuma) at the in-laws' home. Some examples visible in Nanao date back to the Meiji era.
The fastest route is via the Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa (approximately 2.5 hours), then the JR Nanao line to Nanao (approximately 1.5 hours more).
Prepare your trip
To integrate the Noto Peninsula into a broader itinerary blending traditions, gastronomy, and nature, consult our suggestions for travel to Japan. Our advisors can build a custom itinerary including Kanazawa, Nanao, and the more remote villages in the north of the peninsula.
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