Kiriko Festival Hall

In Noto Peninsula, nature offers a different exhibition each season, including spring cherry blossoms, the bright summer sea, autumn colors, and winter snow. However, traveling should be most enjoyable during summer. Here is a selection of our picks for an experience of the peninsula’s summer. With all there is to do in Noto, you may well want to spend one more day here!

Noto is a treasure-trove of colorful summer festivals.


Niwaka Matsuri
The primary reason we recommend summer is that a collection of flamboyant festivals called kiriko matsuri are held nearly every week between July and September all over the peninsula.
The characteristic of the festivals is that men dressed in happi coat carrying kiriko, a huge lantern believed to draw gods, and mikoshi, a portable shrine, parade through the town day and night accompanied by drums and flute. Each festival has its own special character and appeal. Getting rid of bad luck during summers and appreciating plentiful harvests and fishing catches, the festival is something that is both indispensable to the locals and that they are immensely proud of.

Abare Matsuri
Abare Matsuri, one of the typical kiriko matsuris of Noto, takes place at Ushitsu Port (宇出津港) located in the middle of the stretch of uchiura coast. On Friday night, 40 giant kiriko are gathered at the port where fire is set to a huge wooden log-pillar. The next day, mikoshi are thrown violently into the sea.

Ishizaki Hoto MatsuriIshizaki Hoto Matsuri is also held at a fishing town and noted for its white-hot performance. More than 100 men carry giant kiriko, which are 15 meters (49 feet) high and weigh almost 2 tons, and parade them through the streets. The 3-day Wajima Taisai features a special bonfire by the sea. Men wearing loincloths scramble among the flames to retrieve gohei (decorative strips of white paper) that fall from the top. The venues and dates of the major kiriko matsuri of the peninsula are indicated on the map.

Wajima Taisai

If you want to get fascinating insight into a collection of kiriko matsuri, or missed a chance to watch one, visit Kiriko Festival Hall (キリコ会館) where actual kiriko, of various sizes and designs, are on display.

Kiriko Festival Hall [キリコ会館]
3-22-2, Tsukadamachi, Wajima, Ishikawa
0768-22-7100
8:00-17:00 (Dec.-Feb. 8:30-16:00) / Closed : Always open English menu
*It will be relocated to new place in autumn of 2014.

Dive into a world of summer fun!


Noto Peninsula also offers a variety of outdoor activities during summer months. As we briefly introduced in the itinerary, there are some bathing beaches en route, the best of which are Masuhogaura Beach (増穂浦) next to the campsite with an auto camp ground and log cabins, and Sodegahama Beach (袖ヶ浦), conveniently located within a 10-minute walk from the city center of Wajima. If you fancy marine sports, you might consider visiting the Kinoura Beach, (木ノ浦海中公園) where you can enjoy snorkeling and scuba diving, as part of the trip. Wajima is also popular for fishing.
For something different, how about making salt at a seaside salt farm, using a technique called agehamashiki that has been passed down within the peninsula since ancient times. At Oku-Noto Endenmura (奥能登塩田村), you can experience a bit of this traditional labor intensive work, sprinkling sea water over sand.
When it comes to outdoor activities, especially diving and fishing, it may be difficult to make a reservation or find a place if you don’t speak and read a bit of Japanese. In the remote towns and villages on the peninsula, it’s not all laid out for (foreign) tourists like in Kanazawa.

A list of Beaches

・Chirihama Beach（千里浜海水浴場） Chirihamamachi, Hakui, Ishikawa
・Masuhogaura Beach（増穂浦海水浴場）Aikami, Shikamachi, Hakuigun, Ishikawa
・Sodegahama Beach（袖ヶ浜海水浴場）Sodegahama, Fugeshimachi, Wajima, Ishikawa
・Kinoura Beach（木ノ浦海中公園）Kinoura, Oritomachi, Suzu, Ishikawa
・Hachigasaki Beach（鉢ヶ崎海水浴場）Hachigasaki, Takojimamachi, Suzu, Ishikawa
・Mitsuke Beach（見付海水浴場）Ushima, Horyumachi, Suzu, Ishikawa