Ishikawa Prefecture
A prefecture on Japan’s Sea of Japan coast, on Honshu, with Kanazawa as its capital. Its territory includes the Noto Peninsula and the Kaga region.
Kanazawa: The capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, known for its historic districts, gardens, and crafts. The prefectural capital anchors Ishikawa’s government, culture, and visitor economy.
Honshu: The largest island of Japan, containing Tokyo and most of the country’s population. Ishikawa occupies part of Honshu’s central Sea of Japan coast.
Maeda clan: A Japanese samurai family that ruled the Kaga Domain during the Edo period. The clan’s wealth and patronage transformed Kanazawa and surrounding Kaga.
Kaga Yuzen: A hand-dyeing technique used to decorate kimono fabric, originating in the Kaga region. This textile tradition is one of Ishikawa’s best-known craft industries.
2024 Noto earthquake: A magnitude 7.5 earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on January 1, 2024. The disaster caused severe damage across northern Ishikawa and prompted long-term recovery efforts.
Noto Peninsula: A peninsula in northern Ishikawa extending into the Sea of Japan. Its coastal communities and rural landscapes define much of northern Ishikawa.
Sea of Japan: A marginal sea of the northwest Pacific bordered by Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Russia. It forms Ishikawa’s western coastline and shapes its maritime setting.
Kaga Domain: A powerful Edo-period domain governed by the Maeda family from Kanazawa. Its territory broadly underlies the southern part of modern Ishikawa.
Wajima lacquerware: Lacquerware made in Wajima on the Noto Peninsula, traditionally strengthened with cloth and mineral-rich primer. Its production sustains a distinctive craft tradition in northern Ishikawa.
Noto Peninsula earthquake (2007): A magnitude 6.9 earthquake that struck the Noto Peninsula on March 25, 2007. It was an earlier major earthquake in the same peninsula, exposing recurring seismic risks.