Noto Peninsula

A peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, central Japan, extending north into the Sea of Japan. Its coastal communities, fishing grounds, and rural landscapes are central to its regional identity.

Wajima: A city on the northern Noto Peninsula, known for lacquerware, morning markets, and coastal scenery. Wajima is one of the peninsula’s best-known northern coastal centers.
Noto Peninsula Geopark: A UNESCO Global Geopark covering the Noto Peninsula and its geological and cultural landscapes. It interprets the peninsula’s landforms alongside the ways people have lived with them.
Wajima-nuri: A Japanese lacquerware tradition from Wajima, distinguished by durable layers of lacquer and decorative techniques. This craft anchors a major local identity and economy on northern Noto.
Kaga Province: A former Japanese province covering much of present-day southern Ishikawa Prefecture. Its historical territory contrasts with Noto’s separate northern peninsula identity.
Suzu: A city at the northeastern tip of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture. Suzu anchors the peninsula’s remote northeastern coastline.
Noto Peninsula earthquake sequence: A sequence of earthquakes affecting the Noto Peninsula, including a damaging swarm that began in 2020 and the 2024 mainshock. Its seismic history helps explain the peninsula’s recurring earthquake risk.
Noto Kiriko Festival: A summer festival tradition in Noto featuring large illuminated wooden lantern floats called kiriko. Its processions express community ties across the peninsula’s coastal settlements.
Nanao Bay: A sheltered bay on the eastern side of the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture. The bay’s protected waters contrast with Noto’s exposed outer coastline.
Notojima: An island in Nanao Bay connected to the Noto Peninsula by bridges. Its sheltered setting shows how islands and bays shape the peninsula’s eastern shore.
Japan Sea: A marginal sea of the western Pacific bordered by Japan, the Korean Peninsula, and Russia. The sea shapes Noto’s climate, fisheries, and exposed western coast.

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