Yes, there was an earthquake in Ishikawa, Japan earlier this year, but yes, you should still visit this crafty, culinary region. Seven months after the terrible New Year’s Day shake, the verdant, sea-gazing northern prefecture on Honshu, Japan’s most populous island (also home to Tokyo), is back open for business.
Previously, most visitors to the prefecture were Japanese tourists – it was tough for foreigners to find their way into the onsen towns and craft-packed cities of the region from Tokyo, so the restorative waters of the hot springs and first-class seafood found in the area’s historic cities flew under the radar. But that all changed in March, when the opening of a new extension on the Hokuriku Shinkansen railway line made hopping from Tokyo to Ishikawa speedier than ever – and with a Japan Rail Pass, you can jump on and off the bullet trains at will, exploring across the prefecture, from Komatsu and Kaga Onsen to Fukui and Echizen-Takefu.
The epicentre of the quake, the Noto Peninsula, is in the process of rebuilding – but if travel is meant for anything, it’s to support communities who need it most, right?
The prefecture’s capital, Kanazawa, is home to the Higashi Chaya district – the only operational geisha neighbourhood outside of Kyoto
Where to stay
Start explorations in the prefecture’s historic capital, with a stay at the sophisticated Hotel Sanraku Kanazawa, a luxurious, thickly carpeted property close to the imperial castle, the iconic Kenrokuen Garden and both the city’s Higashi Chaya district (the only operational geisha neighbourhood outside of Kyoto) and the Nagamachi Samurai District. Plus, you’ve got some of Kanazawa’s best restaurants on your doorstep: the impressive CRAFEAT and neighbourhood bistro Escaliers. The hotel’s tranquil rooms peek out over an inner courtyard housing a waterfall in miniature surrounded by full-sized trees. Oh, and the buffet breakfast includes an ice-cream bar.
Kanazawa’s Kenrokuen Garden was constructed during the Edo period by a ruling clan in the region
Kyoto-born Shota serves a sharply contemporary menu that zeroes in on the building blocks of the region’s celebrated cuisine: an 11-course tasting menu starts with a bowl of crisp mineral water, emphasising the importance of the local mountain aqua in shaping its food. Don’t worry – more substantial offerings await. Dishes might include delicate spheres of raw shrimp paired with fresh persimmon, tempura baby loach, fried lotus root with a sweet sake dip, and a warm mouthful of seasonal, shredded kobako crab piled atop a hand-rolled nodoguro nigiri. Wine pairings are available, and include sake from the high-tech Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute, just a short walk away.
Where to go for dinner
Try Auberge Eaufeu. Housed in a decommissioned primary school (complete with rusty swing set and stylishly repurposed blackboards in some bedrooms), this recently opened hotel near the city of Komatsu is the brainchild of chef Itoi Shota, a fresh-faced, hotshot kitchen wizard with multiple awards tucked under his belt.Kyoto-born Shota serves a sharply contemporary menu that zeroes in on the building blocks of the region’s celebrated cuisine: an 11-course tasting menu starts with a bowl of crisp mineral water, emphasising the importance of the local mountain aqua in shaping its food. Don’t worry – more substantial offerings await. Dishes might include delicate spheres of raw shrimp paired with fresh persimmon, tempura baby loach, fried lotus root with a sweet sake dip, and a warm mouthful of seasonal, shredded kobako crab piled atop a hand-rolled nodoguro nigiri. Wine pairings are available, and include sake from the high-tech Noguchi Naohiko Sake Institute, just a short walk away.
Chef Itoi Shota helms the kitchen at Auberge Eaufeu, a serving a contemporary menu celebrating the region’s cuisine
The restaurant is open to diners and hotel guests, but we’d say a stay is worth it for the morning-after breakfast alone: an elegantly plated Japanese spread of rice (harvested from nearby paddies), rich and unctuous miso soup, flaky white fish, tamagoyaki, and lightly steamed vegetables and seafood, as well as the traditional fermented, sweet sake morning drink, amazake. Don’t worry, it’s not alcoholic.
Following welcome drinks, enjoy a session in your private sauna (available in some of the expansive, ultra-minimalist rooms) or a soak with a view in your barrel-like bath, before heading to the hotel’s restaurant, where the chef and his team can prepare a delicate omakase sushi dinner.
The restaurant is open to diners and hotel guests, but we’d say a stay is worth it for the morning-after breakfast alone: an elegantly plated Japanese spread of rice (harvested from nearby paddies), rich and unctuous miso soup, flaky white fish, tamagoyaki, and lightly steamed vegetables and seafood, as well as the traditional fermented, sweet sake morning drink, amazake. Don’t worry, it’s not alcoholic.
And for a drink?
Make tracks to the intimate Hitotsu Notojima for a sundowner with panoramic views across the coast. Check-in starts with a cocktail at this brand-new boutique hotel, which is located on a rural island just off the Noto Peninsula.Following welcome drinks, enjoy a session in your private sauna (available in some of the expansive, ultra-minimalist rooms) or a soak with a view in your barrel-like bath, before heading to the hotel’s restaurant, where the chef and his team can prepare a delicate omakase sushi dinner.
Traditional styles of housing are common, including in the Higashi Chaya district and at onsen towns close to the city
Don’t miss
The onsen culture. Whether you’re joining the local octogenarians for a soak in the historic public springs at Kaga’s Yamashiro Onsen or planning a postprandial dip at traditional Noto Peninsula ryokan Notonosho, home to two on-site hot springs, skin-searing dips are a rite of passage in Ishikawa. The bathing rules (and the no-clothes edict) may seem scary, but fear not: on our visit, a local was more than happy to show us the ropes, miming actions to overcome the language barrier.Who to take with you
Someone good with directions: this kaleidoscopic prefecture requires a map-hopping, multi-day adventure to make the most of its diverse offering.
Head to Kanazawa’s Samurai District to find shops selling traditional craftware and the Nomura Samurai Family Residence
Essentials to buy
Head to the historic Nagamachi Samurai District in Kanazawa to find Hondaya Syokkiten, a homeware store selling bowls of every shape, colour and style at reasonable prices. You’ll find the region’s famous lacquerware, Kutani-ware porcelain and more – plus a wall-full of fun, wiggly wooden chopsticks to deliberate over.How to get there
British Airways runs regular flights from London Heathrow to Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita. From there, the Hokuriku Shinkansen runs from Tokyo to Kanazawa. Standard single fares are available from £70, but a multi-day Japan Rail Pass enables travellers to board any Hokuriku Shinkansen services to access stations throughout the prefecture. Visit japanrailpass.net for more information.