Chirihama Onsen: Hot Spring Guide & Visitor Access

A seaside hot spring district in Hakui City, at the base of the Noto Peninsula. It sits right beside the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, where you can drive a car along the sand, making it a prime location for watching the sun sink into the Sea of Japan. Inns here welcome guests with an amber-colored spring that rises from deep underground.

Highlights

The amber-tinted source is known as a beauty spring that leaves the skin smooth. Time spent soaking while gazing at the sea and listening to the waves is something special. At nearby Chirihama you can enjoy the nationally rare experience of driving a car along a sandy beach at the waters edge. Running roughly eight kilometers along the sand, the driveway is one of very few such roads in the world.

Enjoying the Seasons

From spring through summer, sea bathing and beach driving are enjoyable, and the beauty of the sunsets stands out. From autumn into winter the fresh fish of the Sea of Japan come into season, letting you savor both the bath and the catch.

Access and Basic Information

About 10 minutes by car from JR Hakui Station, close to the Imahama and Chirihama exits of the Noto Satoyama Kaido, and easy to reach by car from the Kanazawa direction. Please confirm whether day-use bathing is available and its hours with each inn or facility. In the Noto Peninsula earthquake of January 2024 the Hakui area also felt the shaking, but after safety checks the main lodgings and day-use baths in this district have largely resumed operation. Confirming the latest information for each facility before your visit is reassuring.

Practical Travel Notes

The great draw, the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway, is passable or not depending on the tide, so choosing the hours around low tide is the basic rule. Driving too close to the waters edge makes it easy to sink into loose sand, so the trick is to run over the firmer, packed sand. To catch the sunset, arrive about 30 minutes before dusk and park along the shore to calmly watch the water turn golden. Chirihama lies roughly 50 minutes to an hour by car from Kanazawa, and as the gateway to Noto it slots easily into the first night of a trip heading north toward Wakura Onsen or the Noto region. Nearby you will find the space-themed Cosmo Isle Hakui and seafood eateries along the shore. The budget is modest for a day-use bath, and staying overnight for the fresh catch is also recommended.

A Quick Tip

The Nagisa Driveway can sometimes be impassable depending on the tide. Checking the low-tide hours before you go lets you drive the beach with peace of mind. After rain or in strong wind the sand can loosen, so check the weather as well.

📚 Sources

This article draws on official tourism information for Hakui City and its surroundings, guidance about Chirihama and nearby hot-spring facilities, and information published by the local tourism association, organizing the seaside scenery and ways to enjoy the hot spring from a general perspective. It does not assert the details of individual facilities. Opening hours, bathing fees, and closed days at each facility, as well as whether the Chirihama Nagisa Driveway is passable, change with weather and season, so please check the latest details on the official tourism association and facility information before you set out.

Visitor Checklist

• Estimated time: Allow about an hour for bathing alone, or about half a day if combined with a seaside stroll or drive.
• What to bring / prepare: The shore can be windy on some days, so a jacket you can throw on is reassuring. Bring a towel and a change of clothes for a day bath.
• Suggested route: Enjoying the seaside scenery of Chirihama first and then warming up in the hot spring lets you savor both the Noto sea and its baths.
• Ways to enjoy the surroundings: The seaside view at dusk is especially beautiful, so if you have time, aim for the hours around sunset.
• Points to note: The coastal driveway can be affected by waves and weather, so check that day's passability before heading over.