Chirihama is one of the most singular drives in Japan: an roughly 8-kilometre stretch of firm, wet sand along the Sea of Japan in Hakui City where ordinary cars, buses and motorcycles can legally drive right by the waterline. The sand grains here are unusually fine, compacting into a road-like surface when saturated with seawater — a phenomenon found on only a handful of beaches worldwide, and nowhere else in Japan. It gets far less international attention than it deserves. As always on the coast, confirm current conditions before you go.

Getting there: By car (recommended): the free Noto Satoyama Kaido expressway, exit Chirihama IC or Imahama IC (1 min to beach), about 40 min from central Kanazawa. By train, roughly a 23-minute walk from Hakui Station (JR Nanao Line) to the north entrance. Free — not a toll road.

At the far northeastern tip of the peninsula, Suzu is home to Suzu-yaki — a distinctive unglazed stoneware fired to a dark, iron-grey finish, with roots reaching back centuries. At working kilns you can watch artisans shape their pieces and, in places, try your own hand at the craft. Because of Suzu's remote location, most travellers never make it this far, which is precisely part of its quiet appeal. Suzu was among the hardest-hit areas, so please confirm access and opening status before visiting.

Getting there: Accessible by car or local bus from Suzu Station; from Nagoya Station, about 5h 10m by car. The kiln and workshop shops are free to browse; the nearest official ticketed facility is the municipal Suzu Ware Museum, ¥330 adult.

Suzu Cape — Noto's dramatic northern point — is known for a striking window-shaped rock formation that frames the coastal scenery, and for a local tradition of centuries-old salt-making that offers a genuine window into the region's culture. Long overlooked in favour of busier destinations, it rewards those who make the journey with spring and autumn being especially mild and beautiful. Given its remoteness and the earthquake's impact on the area, check access before planning your route.

Getting there: No rail access — take the Suzu-Tokkyu express bus from Kanazawa Station to Suzu (about 2h20), then the Suzu community bus toward Yoshigaura plus a 10–15 min walk, or drive. From Nagoya Station, about 4h 59m by car.

Hegurajima is a small, remote island off the Noto coast and a celebrated stopover for rare migratory birds — a genuine paradise for birdwatchers during the spring and autumn migration seasons. Its unusual ecosystem makes it a critical habitat for many species. Reached only by ferry, it sees few visitors, which is part of what keeps it special. Ferry schedules and services can change, so confirm current sailings before you plan around it.

Getting there: Take a ferry from Wajima City to reach the island.

In Kanazawa — the region's gateway city, and a natural base for exploring Noto — the D. T. Suzuki Museum honours Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, the scholar who introduced Zen Buddhism to the West. Its heart is the Water Mirror Garden, a large, still reflecting pool on which the spare concrete "Contemplative Space" pavilion appears to float. Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, it is one of Japan's most quietly meditative modern spaces, often overlooked by visitors drawn to Kanazawa's more famous sights.

Getting there: Accessible by bus from Kanazawa Station to the D. T. Suzuki Museum stop; nearest rail is Nomachi Station, about a 28-minute walk. Adult admission ¥310.

Monzen Sojiji (Sojiji Soin) is the historic head temple of the Soto Zen sect, set within a serene cedar grove that once housed some 70 sub-temples. It remains a tranquil retreat into Zen architecture and practice, especially lovely under autumn foliage, and it sits well off the major tourist routes. As a heritage site in an affected area, please confirm its access and opening status before you visit.

Getting there: Take a train from Kanazawa to Nanao, then a local bus to the temple; from Nagoya Station, about 4h 43m by car. Adult admission ¥500 (students ¥400/¥200).

The Wajima Morning Market has run for more than a thousand years, its obaachan vendors selling fresh seafood, vegetables and prized Wajima-nuri lacquerware along a lively street of stalls. It is one of the peninsula's most beloved institutions — and one of the clearest reasons to travel here in support of recovery. Following the January 2024 earthquake the market has been operating at a temporary, reduced site, so please check its current status and location before visiting.

Getting there: From Kanazawa, take the JR Noto Line to Wajima Station, then about a 15-minute bus ride; from Nagoya Station, roughly 4h 47m by car. No entrance fee — you pay only for goods.

Keta Taisha is one of the most important shrines on the Noto Peninsula, wrapped in a sacred forest that lends it a deeply serene atmosphere. It is known for an annual lantern festival, when thousands of lanterns illuminate the grounds. Many travellers pass it by on the way to Kanazawa, missing one of the region's spiritual anchors. Autumn is a particularly fine time to visit; as ever, confirm access first.

Getting there: From Kanazawa, take the Noto Railway to Anamizu Station, then a local bus to Keta Taisha; nearest rail is Chiji Station, about a 48-minute walk. Free for the regular grounds (a fee applies only for special interior goshoden worship).

Before anything else, check official Noto and Ishikawa tourism updates close to your trip — road, rail and site conditions are still changing, and a page that was accurate last month may not be today. Where you can, book directly with inns, restaurants and workshops so your spending reaches them in full. Be patient and flexible: some services run at reduced capacity, staff are stretched, and plans may need to shift on short notice. Above all, spend locally — buy the lacquerware, eat the seafood, stay the extra night. Thoughtful, well-timed visitors are one of the most useful things a recovering region can have.

• Hokuriku: Kanazawa, Noto & Fukui
• The Sanin Coast: Shimane & Tottori
• Sacred Japan: Kumano, Koya & Dewa

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