Wajima and the Noto Peninsula in One Day from Kanazawa
An early bus up the Noto Peninsula for the Wajima morning market, lacquer and festival lanterns, rice terraces above the sea, and back for dusk in Kanazawa.
Last updated 2026-09-03 · 1-day self-guided plan
Wajima & the Noto Coast
Morning market, lacquer, rice terraces over the sea
For travellers with a spare day in Kanazawa who want the rough Sea of Japan coast and a working fishing town, and do not mind an early alarm.
1Wajima morning market
Take the first express bus from Kanazawa Station's east side up the peninsula to Wajima, about two hours; you want to be walking the market by 9:00, since it winds down around midday. Since the New Year's Day earthquake the market has been trading from a temporary site and some stalls are still gone, so check the current location before you go. Grandmothers sell dried fish, seaweed, and whatever came off the boats that morning.
1 HourCost: ¥500–1,500- 2
Wajima Kiriko Art Museum
A 15-minute walk toward the harbour brings you to the Kiriko museum, where the giant lacquered lantern floats of the Noto festivals stand several storeys tall in a dim hall. It is the quickest way to understand why every village on this coast has a summer festival and why lacquer matters here. Opens mid-morning.
45 MinutesCost: ¥500–1,000 - 3
Lacquer shops and lunch in town
Walk back through the centre, where the Wajima-nuri lacquer workshops sell bowls and chopsticks that take months to finish; the plainer pieces are affordable and last a lifetime. Lunch around 12:30 is a seafood rice bowl or grilled fish set in one of the small places near the market; many are family-run and close once the fish runs out.
1 HourCost: ¥1,500–3,000 
4Shiroyone Senmaida rice terraces
A local bus or taxi runs about 20 minutes east along the coast to Shiroyone Senmaida, roughly a thousand tiny rice paddies stepping down a slope to the Sea of Japan. Best flooded and mirror-like in May, gold in September; in winter the paths are lit with solar lamps after dark. There is a roadside station at the top with a viewing deck and coffee.
1 HourCost: Free- 5
Back to Kanazawa: Higashi Chaya at dusk
Return to Wajima for a mid-afternoon express bus and you are back in Kanazawa around 17:30. Walk 15 minutes from the station area, or take the Loop Bus, to Higashi Chaya, the old teahouse quarter; the lattice fronts glow at lamplight and the day-trippers are gone. A bowl of Kaga vegetables or Noto oysters nearby closes the loop.
1 HourCost: Free
Day 1 Estimated Cost
- Food¥3,000–5,000
- Transport (express bus return + local)¥5,000–7,000
- Admissions¥500–1,000
Tips
Book the express bus seats a day ahead, both directions; there are only a handful of departures and the first morning bus is the one that makes the market work.
Wajima is still rebuilding: expect uneven pavements and detours in town, so wear proper walking shoes and allow extra time between stops.
Buy the dried fish and seaweed at the market, eat lunch after 12:00: the stalls sell out early but the restaurants open late.
The rice terraces need side light: early afternoon in spring gives you the flooded-mirror shot, and the sea is behind you for the wide frame.